# Quiet Doe



## Govanbill

One of my group of 5 does is very quiet. She prefers to sleep , hide and not play as the others do. Has anyone got any thoughts on he behaviour of her. She is called Koko by the way.


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## AnnB

I've noticed that my mice each have different characters and that sometimes their behaviour changes with age. I have a really outgoing doe who charges up my arm as soon as I put it in the cage, she just can't wait to come out and play. Her sister though is very much like your mouse, very quiet and usually tucked away in the nest. Then I have two older does, one used to be quite nervous but now just loves to be with me and the other used to be more outgoing but is now much quieter.

As long as you can rule out any health issues like respiratory problems that could cause her to feel less than 100%, I think it will just be her individual character.


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## The Village Mousery

Could be alot of things, first thing is she older the the others? Is she eating and drinking well ?


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## Govanbill

She is the youngest and does eat and drink but will only forage for scraps left over by the others


The Village Mousery said:


> Could be alot of things, first thing is she older the the others? Is she eating and drinking well ?


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## The Village Mousery

Sounds like she's just alittle hen pecked, you could try spliting the group...


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## Govanbill

The others appear to look after her making sure she is groomed and always in the middle when they huddle together. She is never harassed but more like mothered and she seems content.


The Village Mousery said:


> Sounds like she's just alittle hen pecked, you could try spliting the group...


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## Govanbill

I had her sitting in my hand just then and she was chirping away quite happily and "washing her face". When I put her back beside the others they were all over her as if they were checking she was ok.


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## Laigaie

I have a doe like this, too. Fennel's just quiet, calm, very chill, and very shy. She's plenty tame, just not fond of the attention from me. I gave up on trying to find anything wrong with her. I just figure it's her personality.


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## Stina

Are you sure that she is "chirping" and doesn't have a respiratory infection?....mice rarely make noises intentionally. Usually a mouse that sounds like its "chirping" is actually having trouble breathing and has a respiratory infection, which would also explain why she is more subdued or lethargic than the others.


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## racingmouse

Stina is right. Mice don`t make audible noises like chirping or clicking without reason. Look at her overall breathing pattern and if her sides heave in and out, I would suspect a respiratory problem. Two weeks on Baytril dosed on a tiny piece of Rich tea biscuit three times a day will help. I would`nt seperate her either as the other mice will already be exposed to anything she might have, so it`s a waste of time. Company actually helps mice when they are weak or ill.


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## Govanbill

her breathing is not laboured


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## Matt Haslam

If you are worried, split the group. or split her off and get some younger does for her to go with.

as long as your happy this is not a health issue.


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## maisymouse

Where do you get baytril from? is it something you can only buy off the internet?


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## Matt Haslam

maisymouse said:


> Where do you get baytril from? is it something you can only buy off the internet?


I'm quite sure Baytril is prescription only in the UK.

http://www.ehow.co.uk/how_5251679_buy-baytril-liquid.html


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## maisymouse

Sorry to go off topic but my mousey breathing is raspy and noisy but I cant afford a vets bill, they charge £25 just to see her, any home remidies I can try?


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## racingmouse

I doubt it Maisy. When mice start sneezing or have audible breathing, Baytril is usually the drug of choice as it`s an antibiotic (as said, prescription only) and the culprit is usually mycoplasma bacteria, or a secondary bacterial infection brought about by myco lowering the mouse`s immunity.

Using things like Vicks vapour and similar products can just iritate and there is nothing I personally know of (apart from fresh air) that will help a mouse to breathe better if it has these symptoms. I know where your coming from though regarding vets prices and if they would prescribe baytril on it`s own without the extra consultation charges, it would make it cheaper. I pay around £4.70p for a syringe of Baytril from my vet and even when I take one of the mice in, it`s normally not much more than this. But I know vets down south can be pricey.

If there is a home remedy for respiratory problems that is tried, tested and works, I think we could all save ourselves money! Some mice are just genetically prone to this and sadly, if they are not treated early, while signs are minor without showing abdominal breathing, constant sneezing and weight loss, they usually recover well.


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## Matt Haslam

not a treatment, more an aid or tonic.

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/herbal.htm


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## geordiesmice

Firstly Im not a vet but through observations, Its like us Humans we can get nasty bugs bad chests and colds now and again and Mice are no different and such as Baytril being an antibiotic you cant keep taking antibiotics as we become imune and they wont work that is the same giving antibiotics too animals.The natural imune system may kick in and it may clear up but if the mouse is not really poorly and is eating and moving around I would leave it alone.
I knew a guy who was constantly giving his Show chickens antibiotics and they stopped working on them he would put it in there feed or drinking water every time and the medicine wouldnt work ,they were getting what is similar to a cold and ''going lite'' it was the conditions he kept them in lack of ventilation lots of chickens in closed quarters ie show cages ''going lite'' where you can feel the birds breast bone theres not alot known what actually causes that and really nothing can be done either they normally die. But alot of conditions you sometimes can look at the husbandry side but sometimes no fault of your own it happens even too the best of keepers, yes £25.00 is alot of money.If I had a sick mouse but with me there more stock I dont look at them as pets I would replace it with a healthy one if nothing could be done to make it better, if yours is not poorly I would leave Him / Her alone or try the remedies mentioned its your pet and your decision.There are some very wise people on this site will help and then its up to you its like emotion v cost.I swear by Echinaceae for alot of things I have a large plant in the house for use onanimal and me my GP though does not believe in herbal medicine if it was any good it would be on perscription he would say what did the monks use?Try them they may help.Sometime My bucks will make a noise to the Doe if I put food in as if there pleased too say heres your dinner pet


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## Govanbill

The more posts I read the more I'm sure it's her personality and yes it is easy to go off at a tangent and be in error as to what is/is not wrong. I will therefore continue to watch her closely for any changes and hope that she is just a shy wee thing and quite happy with the situation in general but I thank you all for you'fre help and will keep it in mind should the situation change.


geordiesmice said:


> Firstly Im not a vet but through observations, Its like us Humans we can get nasty bugs bad chests and colds now and again and Mice are no different and such as Baytril being an antibiotic you cant keep taking antibiotics as we become imune and they wont work that is the same giving antibiotics too animals.The natural imune system may kick in and it may clear up but if the mouse is not really poorly and is eating and moving around I would leave it alone.
> I knew a guy who was constantly giving his Show chickens antibiotics and they stopped working on them he would put it in there feed or drinking water every time and the medicine wouldnt work ,they were getting what is similar to a cold and ''going lite'' it was the conditions he kept them in lack of ventilation lots of chickens in closed quarters ie show cages ''going lite'' where you can feel the birds breast bone theres not alot known what actually causes that and really nothing can be done either they normally die. But alot of conditions you sometimes can look at the husbandry side but sometimes no fault of your own it happens even too the best of keepers, yes £25.00 is alot of money.If I had a sick mouse but with me there more stock I dont look at them as pets I would replace it with a healthy one if nothing could be done to make it better, if yours is not poorly I would leave Him / Her alone or try the remedies mentioned its your pet and your decision.There are some very wise people on this site will help and then its up to you its like emotion v cost.I swear by Echinaceae for alot of things I have a large plant in the house for use onanimal and me my GP though does not believe in herbal medicine if it was any good it would be on perscription he would say what did the monks use?Try them they may help.Sometime My bucks will make a noise to the Doe if I put food in as if there pleased too say heres your dinner pet


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## Wight Isle Stud

A mouse has an excellent sense of smell, the smallest bit of dust stuck up its hooter will cause it to develop mucus, the breaths the mouse takes trying to get past the mucous causes the sound. This cause will clear up very quickly, but sometimes it just wont clear and the mouse can be fit and healthy but a snifler al of its life. There are bacterial/viral causes of sniffles as well which would need treatment with antibios. These causes are usually accompanied by other signs of the infection- weight loss etc, In any large stud/laboratory the animals so infected are removed immediately. The original post hopefully just has the former. Shake out the bedding your gonna use, use paper for nesting material and you will hardly be troubled by it. Most certainly immediately remove any such animal from the main stud. untill you are sure.


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