# Weight control for Mice?



## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

Is there such a thing? I usually just free feed, but I have one does that just gets huge when I do that. I've noticed that she doesn't use the wheel either. Is there anyway I can encourage her to use the wheel more, or some other exercise she'll take to more? I've tried the ball on the floor, and she'll just sit there for 20 mintues, not moving. I'm not sure if she's extra smart or extra dumb. How much should she be eating per day?


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## Erica (Apr 18, 2010)

That's funny... I have a buck that's like that. He's broken Orange (not the correct color term, but I'm too used to rabbit breeding.  ) but he will sit in the ball on the floor for as long as he is allowed to, he will clean himself, sit and look around, then take a nap. I free feed as well, and probably give him WAY more than he needs. *sigh... the joy of being mousie parents!


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Certain colors of mousie have a tendency to get obese regardless of what they are fed. I have a number of BFM's (Big Fat Mousies), and they get the same kind and amount of food as the others. Red, yellow, PEW, brindled,and some others have the same tendency, though it can happen in any color, just less often.


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

So what do you do about it? I'm worried she's too fat to breed, but she's an excellent mother--first litter was 16 pups that all lived to weaning. (I don't count after weaning because that's when I start to cull to my snake).


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

breeding helps to keep those with tendencies to get fat in shape.Therefore I leave them in with a buck permanently.Seperating whilst they rear a litter often leads to them getting fat and infertility follows.


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

I found out that she's a brindle, so that contributes to her fatness. I'll try her with a buck, but I'm not sure she can have any more babies, as she's quite fat.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

sometimes the big girls produce one or two babies with absolutely no change in body shape.It's rare once they have ballooned that they produce many.On the plus side they make good companions for lone bucks .


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

I'll keep that in mind, becuase I've noticed that my bucks are much easier to handle when they have a doe with them. Maybe I'll put her in with my most skittish buck, and if there's no babies, well at least he won't be alone  .


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## robinson (May 11, 2010)

An animo acid called isoleucine reduced fat deposits and boosted metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet.The mice that drank the water containing the isoleucine gained less weight.Isoleucine may be useful in the treatment.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

feeding fresh veggies, herbs and fruit also helps with weight loss. The mouse had to burn more calories to digest fresh foods, than processed foods.


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

Are there any fresh veggies/fruit that I should not feed her? Like, I've heard corn can cause cancer, and you shouldn't feed onions to dogs, anything else like that? What about alfalfa? I have a horse, and I can breed dried alfalfa home to feed the mice.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Apples and celery are good choices. It takes a lot of energy to digest them, so they'll probably do the best job. Feed in moderation of course, make sure your mouse is getting a smaller than normal portion of their normal food, and has veggies as options if it gets hungrier. 

It's really difficult to get a mouse to lose weight. You have to get really creative. Moving their food dish up onto a platform that makes them climb to get to it, helps, especially if they are in a tall enclosure. The further away from the mouse's sleeping area, the better. That way they are required to move a little bit more than normal. Deffinately make sure they have a wheel too. Climbing ropes are also good exercise.


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

Do mice like those climbing rope with bells on them, like for birds? Mice are not a popular pet in my area, so it's hard to find things for mice.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

You can just go to the store, and buy a small length of polar fleece, cut it into long strips, and braid it, and that'll work, and it's cheaper.  
mice enjoy them.

From what I've heard, and seen, a lot of mice are afraid of the bells on the bird and rabbit toys.


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Don't feed mice any citrus fruits


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Yeah, no citrus fruits.
No weird fruits.
Obviouslty nothing high in fat while they're on a diet... 

I hear that some mice enjoy parsley and cilantro.


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## zany_toon (Apr 3, 2010)

I found that scattering the food for my fatty Marx helped, especially if I put some of it in a sealed box which he had to dig through for dinner. I also refused to feed him until he followed my hand around the tank for 10 minutes with a sunflower seed and then begged for it - it forced him to run around :lol: He lost quite a bit of weight when I started doing that


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

I use popsicle sticks to make 'treat' boxes, that the mice have to chew through, before they can eat the food inside. 

Also works with cardboard. You can cut out the pieces and hot glue them together into a box shape, and fill it up with his food.


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## Autumn2005 (Apr 21, 2010)

Those are some good ideas! I'll try them out and see how it works! She's in with a buck now, since I think she's too fat to breed. If there are babies, great! If not, at least he's not alone.


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