# What's wrong with Atticus?



## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

I just walked past the cage and noticed he was sitting completely still. I watched him for almost 3 minutes and he hadn't moved a centimeter. I started pulling on his tail and poking at him and he was completely unresponsive. I'm uploading a video to youtube now, I'll post a link when it's finished. Is it some kind of seizure? What can I do to help him?


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## TrixYogurt (iM) (Oct 28, 2012)

Is he breathing? Is it a labored breathing? Shaking?


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

He's breathing, but it's kind of fast and he makes little clucking noises from time to time. He's not shaking he's just very lethargic, he responds a little bit but doesn't move.


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

That's the video. He kind of snapped out of it at the end but when he was in my sleeve he went right back to sitting still. For the past 15 minutes he's just been sitting in the corner of his cage not moving.


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## TrixYogurt (iM) (Oct 28, 2012)

My first thoughts were tired or dehydrated possibly. Check his bottle? Make sure it works and he can get to it.

If not maybe something internal? He might just not feel well for some reason. I wouldn't be much help there. It could be a lot. Maybe something is sore, like a paw or leg. I'm not sure.

I hope he feels better!


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

He is doing a lot better now! he is running on his wheel and eatig food. Maybe he had a mousey concussion? This was his first time in his new cage and there's a wire topper. he never had wire before and was having a blast exploring it, maybe he fell on his head? There was definitely something wrong with him though. He's still all hoppy, and avoids my hand like the plague usually, so the fact that he was so still was quite disturbing to me. He just seemed really dazed and super confused and maybe a little dizzy... He seems fine now but I'll be keeping an eye on him


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

Okay... Atticus is better now... But now his sister is now doing the same thing! It's worse than it seems in the video. They just sit completely still, unresponsive, kind of dazed... Then they go back to normal... then they go back to being unresponsive again after a few more minutes! What is this?! I am starting to think it is genetic and all my mice are related to each other somehow...


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

It does sound like some kind of seizure, although this is common in some rodents and is a defensive technique can be alarming especially when they suddenly then jump out of hands onto the floor.

I have not come across this behaviour in any of my mice so it may also be genetically linked and possibile recessive, without having any of your strain of mice would not be able to test breed and see if it is recessive genetics at work or something your mice have developed.


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

I don't think it's anything defensive.. she just stopped mid-step while running on her wheel, and when Atticus did it he was getting a drink of water. It is really weird. Both of them seem fine now.. but I'm worried it's going to pop up again and more and more often. If it's genetic, I'll probably have to start my project all over again


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## Seafolly (Mar 13, 2012)

I also think it sounds a bit like a seizure. : / Since both siblings do it it does sound a bit like it might be genetic. I definitely would not breed either of them.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

By defensive it is not something prior to defense from attack it happens with some other rodents whereby they may just freeze most commonly when they are sitting in the hand for a few minutes and then suddenly bolt. Its as if they have heard something not sure what it is so seem to concentrate on the sound for a few minutes before deciding to run for it. defensive instinct.


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