# I think this is probably the best place for this



## Yelena (Apr 25, 2010)

I'd like to talk about poo.

Mouse poo obviously.

I've noticed my boys poo is quite soft. Now I have only noticed this when I'm handling them, in the cage it seems normal ish so maybe it is nerves. I thought I'd have a look and see if you guys think its their diet.

I feed them normal mousey stuff from a pet store. They eat and drink what I'd class as normal (though I havnt had a mouse before so I may be wrong).

It looks pretty similar to what I fed my hamster tbh.

Any one have any ides about this? The boys are running around and seem really healthy apart from the poo.

and yes, I have said poo more in this one post than I ever had before


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Yelena said:


> I'd like to talk about poo.


That has to be one of the best opening lines to a post :lol:

Doesn't sound like there's anything to worry about if they are otherwise healthy and no other symptoms. Regardless it may be worth evaluating the diet and making your own. It's cheaper and the mice actually get better quality food as well (commercial mixes are pants).


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## Cait (Oct 3, 2008)

Oh and for all our US members, by pants I mean "rubbish or not good" :lol: I just realised that not only is that an English saying but that you also call trousers pants just to make things even more confusing.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Sounds like stress poo to me; meeces that are nervous will produce poo the color of young human baby poop. Soft, yellowish, and very different smelling than normal stuff. It's because of incomplete digestion as the stuff is expelled before its ready; before the lower intestine in done with normal processing.


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## Yelena (Apr 25, 2010)

MouseBreeder said:


> Oh and for all our US members, by pants I mean "rubbish or not good"


I constantly get pulled up online for saying that 

What do you recommend as a 'costume' feed mix?

The woman I got them from only fed them oats which I find a bit weird... actually, saying that, maybe this is why their having a few tummy troubles


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Stale bread all by itself would be a better choice if one was going to feed only one food. Oat are good, but it should be supplemented by something with a bit, but not too much, protein, like a high quality, corn free dry pet food (Corn is one of my hobby horse topics) I think meeces enjoy a bit more variety. The kibble should used sparingly like a little piece every other day. Avoiding a lot of stuff with high fat content is wise, though they need a bit of that, which is also in the kibble.

Just about anything that people eat is enjoyed by meeces, though some human food is not good for meeces.


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## Yelena (Apr 25, 2010)

I'm a veggie so I give them the odd bit of my grub occasionally. Not too much though as I think fresh food can upset their tummies sometimes.


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## Yelena (Apr 25, 2010)

Well, have just taken Ari out of their new cage (very snazzy and more importantly easy to clean!!!) and he was a little angel. ran in and out of my hands, no poo no pee. His brother, on the other hand, is a little terror. He's more inclinded to let me pick him up but the second I do he legs it up into my hair and wont come down (think the disney film rattatoi (sp)). I'm being held hostage by my own mouse! Am thinking that this behaviour combined with pretty much instant pooping is probably due to the stress of being picked up.

Is there anyway of getting him to calm down? I've tried bribing him with food, I hold him close to my person and not far from my knee. He's in sniffing range of the cage and Ari but still he runs. I tried covering him with my free hand hoping for a budgie effect but he just went nuts and legged it. I've even taken to wearing a hat but he scratched on my neck  I guess persevering will help however its getting harder to hold him and last night he bite my boyfriend when he tried to get him out of my hair


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Yecchh! I always wear a bandana pirate style covering my whole scalp and with my long hair rolled tightly in a bun so that doesn't happen in my hair. Occasionally I wear a long sleeve shirt or robe in the mousery, and that's the start of some good ticklish fun, for sure. I put a mousie back in stir as soon as they 'go' on me, and most of them learn that if they want to play with moustress...plus I always reward them after with a bit of a treat if they were good.

Some meeces never learn, though, to accept The Hand as a friend.


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## Yelena (Apr 25, 2010)

That sounds like an idea especially since I gave Ari a treat infront of Janco after he was good 

Actually having a similar problem with my boyfriend...maybe a similar technique will work lol


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Hah! A woman who was a housemate of my husband's before we got together assured me that he was 'trainable'. Operant conditioning is a wonderful practice when done fairly, doncha think?!


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## Yelena (Apr 25, 2010)

LOL!

mine is still working but Palvolv has nothing on me


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