# Hi New here/questions about introducing new mice members



## Kairi_Hitomi (Jan 28, 2013)

Hello, I am new well... I not really new. I have made an a account 2 months ago... Just never actually posted on these forums until now. So anyway Mine name is Kairi, as I stated in the sentence the previous I am new here. I am not really a first time Mouse pet owner I just have a question about introducing a female to other groups of female mice... I'll get to the background story first:

Two Months ago my My blue and white spotted female, Misty died from a tumor to her private area and had left her sister: Cinnamon behind. Misty was the healthiest mouse out of the two. It was just out of the sudden that she Died just like that. She was one of my favorite mouse I have ever owned, also a best friend. Misty had lived a long & happy two year life span. She would still be here today if that tumor never came in, but stuff happens.

Cinnamon has been a single female for about a month now ever since the day Misty died. I know that females do not like living alone. They can get very lonely and miserable, causing stress and sickness and likely death. However I am trying my best to keep cinnamon happy by taking her out of her tank every time she hops on top of her roof and looking at me,Just waiting to be picked up. (she was the shy one when I first got her, and refused to go to anybody but her sister. If it wasn't for Misty being there and show cinnamon not to be afraid, well Cinnamon and me would not have a closer bond like we do now.)

So I was planning on getting two more females this month when Misty was still alive back then... Since Misty had died though, that plan was somewhat changed. I was also suppose to move this month but that also has changed and has been pushed to April first. Me and my mom had agreed that we would wait until we move to get the new females, but since we are not moving this month and Cinnamon has been alone in her home for about a month. I have decided to continue on planning on getting four new females this weekend.

I know the steps when introducing a new pack member to the current group of females... But this time it is the opposite. I want to introduce Cinnamon and try to see if she can be grouped in with the new females. I bet a lot of you are wonder why I am planning on getting four? The first reason is: It is going to be three years since I first got Cinnamon. Mice have a short life span, so If I end up getting one new female and a month later something tragic happen to either one of them. Then I am back from plan A again: taking care of a single female until I get a new female.

Another reason why I want four it is also because I also know that mice are picky when it comes to finding a new playmate/social/room mate. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Four should satisfy he. It is also just in case she does not get along with one but she gets along with another. Then I can let her have the mouse she gets along with just fine as a playmate, and the other two can be together. Everyone wins.

I'm just going to now get on with my plans with introducing other females to another:

1.) Since mice tends to be a bit stressed when coming into a new environment, I am planning to leave the new females alone for three days. However I was planning on placing there tank underneath the table Cinnamon's tank is sitting on. Is this a good Idea?

2.) After the three days are up and the females should be a little comfortable, I will then start to interacting with them just me. Not cinnamon (yet.) By putting them on shirt and letting them roam around on my bed for a good two or 1 week. (I done this with Cinnamon and Misty when I first got them.)

3.) After a good two or three weeks of me messing with the new females, I will start the introduction of Cinnamon and the new pack by putting Cinnamon in the new female group's home and the new group will be in her home. This is where the questions come in:

How long can females be in other females territory? Can they stay overnight in the opposite cage? How much stress this will cause for the females? How many weeks should I do this before actually introducing the females face to face? I was planning on doing this task for about three weeks before actually introducing them face to face.

4.) When actually meeting face to face (I should be moved into the new house by then. I really want to start the introduction for cinnamon and the four females there.) What type of Environment should they be in? Can the females be placed in one of a cardboard box or so? Can I place toys inside the meeting area? How long can I keep the females out? Can I let the them overstay the night in the meeting area? ((really think this is a bad idea for that part.) How many weeks should I keep doing this?

I just really want question one, three & four answered.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Everyones opinion on quarantine period seems to differ slightly from 3 weeks plus, however fact is there are some illnesses carried that will not show symptoms for 4 weeks and the mice that catch these usually pass away very quickly, I always quarantine for 4 weeks plus a day to be safe, during this quarantine period I avoid any contact with establishments that house rodents of any kind.

To answer the questions you wish answering.

1.) Since mice tends to be a bit stressed when coming into a new environment, I am planning to leave the new females alone for three days. However I was planning on placing there tank underneath the table Cinnamon's tank is sitting on. Is this a good Idea?

A: Leaving the new females alone for three days is not necessary, 24 hour is sufficient for them to become use to their new surroundings, placing the tank underneath your existing tank is good.

When interacting with the new mice pass scent on from Cinnamon to your hands but not the other way around due to possible infectiion.

3.) After a good two or three weeks of me messing with the new females, I will start the introduction of Cinnamon and the new pack by putting Cinnamon in the new female group's home and the new group will be in her home. This is where the questions come in:

How long can females be in other females territory? Can they stay overnight in the opposite cage? How much stress this will cause for the females? How many weeks should I do this before actually introducing the females face to face? I was planning on doing this task for about three weeks before actually introducing them face to face.

A: Once the initial quarantine time is up, I would personally thoroughly clean and disinfect one tank and place the newly acquired mice in that tank and Cinnamon and leave them to it, after initial squabbling for dominance they will settle down. Females do get along alot better than males in groups. No need to keep swapping the mice from tank to tank as this may cause stress and is not required.

4.) When actually meeting face to face (I should be moved into the new house by then. I really want to start the introduction for cinnamon and the four females there.) What type of Environment should they be in? Can the females be placed in one of a cardboard box or so? Can I place toys inside the meeting area? How long can I keep the females out? Can I let the them overstay the night in the meeting area? ((really think this is a bad idea for that part.) How many weeks should I keep doing this?

A: as per question 3 answer you only need to clean and disinfect one tank and place all the females together after initial squabbling which will happen even if you tried using a separate time based meeting area whether it is a week or a month of daily meetings for short times. Best thing I would do is just place them all in the one thoroughly cleaned and disinfected tank with a few hiding places eg toilet rolls and leave alone for 24 hours, the mice will sort out their dominance rankings and you will see them all huddled up sleeping together.


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

I agree with the above. After quarantine let them meet for a half hour or so in a neutral area (freshly cleaned tank, bathtub, etc.) and see if they get along. If they do put them all together in a fresh clean tank and leave them to it. There will be a little bit of squeaking and chasing and squabbling but this should subside after a few hours. You only need to separate if one of them draws blood.


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## bonsai (Oct 14, 2012)

Hello
I prefur introducing mice in a small transport box or a really little cage.
I always use an exoterra faunarium without any houses or toys.So the mice are forced to stick together and there is no reason to fight for any ownership.
It's easier to handle them if something didn't get fine,too.
Normally females are easy to introduce and after three days I put them in the big final,cleaned up cage.

Good luck.


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## Kairi_Hitomi (Jan 28, 2013)

Thank you all for the advice.  Sadly I have not gotten the females yet... It looks as if I will have to wait until we move, because my mom and grandmom said and agreed on that. The females will probably be stressed a bit more if we go ahead and get them now and then turn around in two weeks later we are moving and, taking the other females as well to the new house making them more stressed out then before. 
I do not know if this is actually true or not when buying a new pet mouse. However I somewhat agree with them and just wait until actual moving day.

I do have a temporary cage for the new group and I will do as each of you have said. So I will keep them Quarantine them for four weeks plus a day to be on the safe side. I will also keep the temporarily new female group under cinnamon's table that way they can smell her. Luckily, My aunt has brought me a 90 or a 100 gallon tank, but it will not be shipped to me until I move. I was planning on making that tank cinnamon the new group of females as their perm-ant new home. (I am sure cinnamon and the others will love that  )

on meeting day, I will put them a small tank, or cardboard box... something to force them to be close but enough for them to at least roam around and sniff each other.... No toys or nothing. (I'll have to clean that out really good because this was cinnamon's and Misty's first house). Most of my family members are scared of mice and they will have a fit if they see them scrambling in the bath tub<---- So the tub is not an option for me. I will keep them out for half of hour, hopefully everything will go well and if it does....

Then I will move them into their actual new home and keep a good eye over them. Like you all said, I let them do what they have to do, dominance wise... But I will check for any blood drawing cuts bruises etc. Hopefully everything goes into plan and all are best friends after the squabbling/squeak for dominance.


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