# What's wrong with my boy?



## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

Anyone got any ideas on what's wrong with little Puck? I'll try to be as descriptive as possible.

About a week ago, everyone finally got Megazorb in their cages instead of wood shavings. I used to use Megazorb before I moved out of London, and it just took me a while to get back to it.

About three days ago, Puck and Lucy were still living together and Lucy decided to chew a nice big hole in her tub which she easily squeezed through. I put them both in a much smaller, temporary one until I could get to a replacement tub for her. At that point, both seemed fine.

I was a bit busy the day before yesterday, so I didn't give them a proper once over until yesterday evening. The first thing I noticed that Lucy was showing very visible signs of pregnancy, so I started getting Puck's new tub all ready for him. At this point, Puck was in his tube. When I looked back, Puck had slinked out of the tube and was sort of hunched over into a position which I've seen my hamsters sleep in, with his eyes closed. I assumed he was just tired, but when I checked properly it seemed he wasn't his usual self. Usually he prefers to come to me rather than me just unexpectedly picking him up, but this time he had no problem with that. He wasn't moving much from his position and he seemed to be a little shaky. When I put him now in his new tub, he was walking incredibly slowly with a stagger and didn't seem to have much of a sense of direction. His eyes were very, very squinty. He didn't have any signs of diarrhoea, breathing problems or anything like that.

At first I thought he must be somehow dehydrated, but when I tried to offer him water (from a bottle and from my finger) he wasn't interested. I put some food down for him, just straight onto the substrate rather than a bowl as their bowl is a little deep, and he wasn't interested in that either. I gave him a shallow water dish, lots of tissue to nest in just in case he was cold, and his wheel, which he immediately went and sat in but didn't run, and then left him for the night hoping he'd get better.

This morning, he doesn't seem better at all. I'm not sure if he's really worse. I found him slumped partly under his wheel and assumed the worst, but after giving the wheel a little nudge he squirmed around a bit so he's still hanging on. Of course I'm now very worried. The earliest I'll be able to see a vet would be Wednesday, and I don't know if he's going to last that long  At this point I'd probably be concerned about even taking him somewhere so stressful, especially given the sub-zero temperatures we're getting at the moment (I don't drive).

Does anyone have any idea what might be wrong with him? And what I can do until I can get proper medical attention? I'm really hoping it's not something that could have spread to Lucy as she's going to give birth any day now.


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## fancyteddy1 (Mar 14, 2013)

Hmm.. I'm not sure, really. You could try giving him some water with vitamin drops in it, by syringe, to make sure he's hydrated? Have you seen him eat or drink at all? Or even try KMR (kitten milk replacer) or esbilac.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

I'd put him back on shavings, warm him up, extra vits, put food in his house and water by his house, prob treat for parasites just in case and if no improvement in a day or two put him out his misery.

But to be honist when I've had mice get like that it's been the beginning of the end.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

As others have already said vits in tepid water so as not to cause additional chill on the stomach, also I would place him somewhere extra warm about 79F ambient temp and no drafts and preferably where he will not be disturbed.

It souds as if he has spent too long out in the cold and with current weather conditions and not knowing the temp of the room at night where you keep your mice may be factors.

Keep a very close eye on the doe also adding extra nesting material in the room may drop more than 5 - 10 degrees during the night just to be on the safe side.


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

I keep my mice in my bedroom so he definitely won't have been too cold, I keep it pretty warm in there at all times with the central heating. I'll try all your suggestions and I'll keep my fingers crossed for the poor thing


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## Kitei (Feb 4, 2013)

I found my himalayan doe in a similar condition about a week ago - warming her up and getting fluids into her, as well as some soft food (I think I gave her warm apple) perked her up in about an hour and a half. Hopefully you have similar luck with your boy <3


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

Despite my best efforts, Puck passed away last night 
I just hope it was painless.


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## fancyteddy1 (Mar 14, 2013)

I'm so sorry to hear that.  sometimes we do everything we can, and they still leave us - but at the very least you know you made him feel comfortable and loved. Rest in peace little Puck <3


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

sorry to hear that, at least he is at peace now.


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