# Molly & Phoebe



## Rainsong (Jun 3, 2010)

I succumbed. Two petstore mice have been with us since late on the 6th. They were named the next day: Molly and Phoebe.

Molly is an agouti with.... issues. Phoebe is a PEW who's getting chubby- she had a waistline explosion in all of 3 days after coming home. Oh boy.










They are both does, at least.

Molly however is hand/people shy to a frightening extent. This morning while taking her out to clean her cage, she bit my left pinking finger, then my right middle finger twice, and my right index finger three times- all drawing blood. When I was done cleaning the cage, I made both of them hang out with me for a little bit- and Molly went and bit me two more times, once at the base of the right index finger, and once in the fleshy part of the hand by the thumb. By the time I put her back, though, she was sitting nicely without biting my cupped fingers. I'll admit, it hurt more then I expected, but it's really nothing nastily painful- and all the pain is gone aside from the obvious. Molly is the same mouse that when I go to get into the cage, she'll bolt for the wheel- and run. And run and run and run- for half an hour or more after wards. Today she jumped onto my wrist, then jumped off and bonked into the side of the cage just to try and get to the wheel. I'm going to have to get gloves to handle her with!


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

They're very cute!

Mice should never, ever bite, especially unprovoked.

They both look like they might be pregnant.

Keep us updated on how they do!


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## The Boggit keeper (Mar 5, 2010)

They're lovely!
If you only want them for pets, Hang on in there with Molly. I had an Agouti (Roo a.k.a. Curly-don't ask :roll: ) who when I got her was absolutely mental! 
I bought her from a pet shop and only really bought her because when I asked to look at her the shopkeeper opened the cage, I put my hand in and she promptly jumped out, bounced off the counter on to the floor. We spent what seemed like forever chasing this rocket-propelled rodent around the shop, causing much hilarity and chaos, so when we caught her I felt I had no choice but to have her! :lol: 
I spent about a year handling her regularly and making sure I caught her in as nice a way as possible, letting her run into a loo roll tube and then picking up the tube and letting her come out in her own time rather than chasing her round the cage to the point of heart attack! Easier said than done sometimes! :lol: Anyhow, whilst she never just came up to me, once she was out she gradually calmed down( although I was lucky she never bit). She lived until just over 2yrs old and died last year.  
Anyway, the happy ending is that just when I was beginning to think she would always be a nut-job she suddenly calmed down and from then on she was an absolute poppet and my favourite girl.
So I wish you all the best with Molly. I hope your poor fingers don't end up with too many battle scars and you too have a happy ending!  
Thought you might like to meet Roo;









This is Roo at 2yrs needing a bit of TLC and enjoying the snuggle pouch.







 sorry about pic-I don't know how to rotate it


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## Rainsong (Jun 3, 2010)

She was provoked Jack- she was terrified I was going to eat her! The only way to pick these two up right now is to grab the base of their tails, which is what I did. Before I could get my other hand under her, she chomped that left pinkie finger. When I did get my other hand up there, as soon as her feet were touch me she latched on. The last two bites to my hand were less explainable- she had been out and held onto for a minute, with my hand covered in my shirt (She was supported by my arm and chest at that point). When I uncovered my hand, she climbed on and... bit. The same thing about thirty seconds later. Towards the end, she did bite my pinkie but it was much less forceful- no pain, no blood. Problem is, she's going to give herself a heart attack someday if she keeps spazzing out anytime I so much as change their water or food.

It would be just like me to end up with a pet as crazy as I am- I always do!

So far, little Miss Molly hasn't exploded in the belly, but she may very well just not be showing as much as Phoebe (or just not be as far along). I won't be home till sometime tomorrow- if Phoebe hasn't had her babies, I'll try to gte a picture to post. Or if she climbs out of hiding before I leave.

I love them both dearly, and thank you Boggit for telling me about Roo  I don't mind her not coming over to say hi. If she takes a page from Roo's book that'd be perfectly fine LOL Just as long as I can calm her down enough to be able to move her for cage cleaning- and hopefully to look her over if needed.

And no- I don't intend to breed. Pet store mice, pet store begot babies- we'll cross that bridge when we get there. And then hopefully not cross it again with these two!

Edit: I got pictures:

Phoebe, and most of that "chub" was gained in 3 days:









Phoebe & Molly, with their egg (egg & ground seed/oat mix) treat:









Phoebe: MINE! (look it that back foot )









For size comparisons, that's a regular toilet-paper tube, and the red lid is a small 18oz peanut butter jar lid. Their wheel is a 5in (It'll be replaced, as will their igloo). Phobe's been nesting since the 3rd day she arrived; but once I cleaned their cage she apparently decided the side compartment full of bedding was better. Molly.... is still sleeping ON the igloo. o.o


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## windyhill (Jan 19, 2010)

They are pretty 
Good luck with them. I had a "crazy" doe and I worked with her daily and now she is tame as can be.


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## WNTMousery (Jun 2, 2010)

Good luck! I do admire people like you who have patience for animals they can't handle. I just can't do it myself, but I think it is a good quality for people to have.  I'm sure they will tame up for you.


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## Rainsong (Jun 3, 2010)

WNTMousery- It's really hard having a pet you can't handle, but thankfully if she never tames down there are still lots of ways to move her if and when needed. I can totally understand not having that sort of patience! I wouldn't have, when I was even ten years younger then I am now.

So, I came home from my "vacation" to find... two girlies, running on their wheel. No babies, and Molly at least doesn't look to be tremendously fatter (yet?). Phoebe looks about the same as she did before. ... croos my fingers and hope they're just fatsos


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## Rainsong (Jun 3, 2010)

Tonight I attempted something I've read online. Because Molly is so incredibly hand shy, attempting to tame her by hauling her out was reinforcing her fear.

I picked up some small seed mix (birdseed). I grabbed a small prescription bottle cap and filled it with seed, then plunked my hand into the cage.... and waited. Because Molly's "escape" behavior is running on the wheel, I didn't pull the wheel (I didn't want to stress her even further), but I did settle my hand to keep it from moving.

Phoebe was, as expected, the first to get curious. She was eating seed within about 15-20minutes. Molly on the other hand would do anything to AVOID my hand, and every time she got close, she'd jump hard enough I could feel it through the cage (It was on my lap). Around the 45 minute mark, Molly -finally- found the seed and took one. After she started eating I waited about 5 minutes, then put my thumb over one side of the dish. That backed both of them off, but after five minutes even Molly was back.

I DID get to see tail rattling! Molly rattled her tail three times during the entire hourish long session, but the second two times she returned for seed after doing it with no other actions. She never quite got to the point Phoebe did, where she sat with one paw on my finger, but I'm blasted proud of her for going as far as she did!

... My shoulder is killing me, my arm had some lovely red marks, and I'm still lacking a bit of feeling in my pinky.... but hell's bells  I'll be happy if all this leads to is her not freaking out just because I'm giving them food!!

Phoebe's still a chub-butt, too. No babies, and the 26th is 21 days from when I got them- so the countdown is on big time. Molly has gotten a little heavier, but it's not the same chub as Phoebe. Less belly, more heft. And boy is Molly shiiiiny!


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## Jack Garcia (Oct 9, 2009)

I've only experience tail rattling once, but I thought it was so funny. I know it's a warning mechanism but I don't understand how it's supposed to be scary. 

You seem to be doing a great job with them!


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## Rainsong (Jun 3, 2010)

It really IS kind of funny- the first time she did it I had no clue what it was. I wouldn't have had a clue it was anything if I hadn't read something about it here (or somewhere online). The second two times were more subtle. I was half afraid she was going to lunge and attack my fingers or hand when she did it, but no... she just sat.

Maybe it's not scary but rather... a distraction? Kinda like "Look! A worm!" - hell, I dunno. LOL It really was only scary because I did NOT want to end up bitten again LOL

Thanks for the kind words. It's so much dun just watching these two- I'm so glad they're here with us, even if they aren't anything special in color and type. They're special to us


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