# can anyone identify what this noise means?



## Nemo (Aug 3, 2010)

Hi Folks....

My Buck is chattering away like this, not often. But im curious to know what it means?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Okx8-Jsp ... ture=share

If anyone knows that would be great!!

Thank you..


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Sounds like your mouse is very sick with an upper respiratory infection.
Take it to a vet.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

I think he has some upper respiratory condition, not necessarily infectious, that causes what would normally be high frequency vocalizing that is above the human range of hearing to be produced in the audible range. He's happy about being out and exploring.and letting you know it by chittering happily. He sure doesn't look sick. I've had meeces that sounded like this for their entire adult life.

I had a buck who would cluck at me like this, wait for an answer from mew, and then would chuck a cluck with a toss of his head....nice little conversations we used to have, we did...it's not the norm, though.


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## jadeguppy (Jun 4, 2011)

I have one male that make simialr sounds when I'm near. It is a bit higher pitched and softer, but seems to be situational. None of the other mice seem to do it and there are no signs that he has passed on any illness to his mates. I wonder what we would hear if all their sounds were in a low enough pitch for our ears.


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## Nemo (Aug 3, 2010)

Thank you for your responses!
Very much appreciated!!!

Ive kind of got myself at it, wondering if i should take him to a vet with Rasputins response though! :-/

Hes not doing anything out of the norm though! Hes scampering as normal, eating, pooping, running on his wheel, grooming himself! 
His tank is full of carefresh bedding instead of the ususal wood-chippings and has been from day one! so ive never had any reason to fear him getting affected by that and developing a respatory infection or condition. Hes also cleaned out once a week, and as hes a lone male, hes genrally non stinky, as his wheel gets cleaned out everyday too. so i am baffled!

Im a little confused as a few places are saying its a respatory infection, and then others are saying its just normal chattering which they do sometimes at the early stages of life, and sometimes when they get a little more elderly!

Atm hes staying with close friends as im on holiday, so they sent me this video as an example. They say he hasnt made this sound all the time, just once they heard him, and since then hes been quiet again, so i am baffled!

Its good to know that youve both had mice that did this noise and that they were ok!!! This does reasurre me!!

Ill let you know what happens!

xx


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

They can make that sound their entire lives, it doesn't mean they're not sick. Take him to the vet. 
URIs do not affect the mouse's general behavior. The clicking noise and sniffling noise is him trying to breath with the infection, almost certainly. That noise is not normal. :|


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

I respectfully disagree. It's probably a chronic condition' likely an allergy to bedding or foodstuffs. I'd try a corn free, wheat free diet, changing the type of bedding, trying a different location to avoid dust...before spending a buttload on a vet. In my experience, a sick mouse will look sick, and if he doesn't look sick, I'd never take him to a vet. Some respiratory conditions are simply a sensitivity to particulate matter in the air, like dander, dust, etc. It does make the mousie more susceptible to infectious problems, and I treat my meeces who appear to have a problem with generic Benadryll syrup if they show any other symptom along with the chattering, like head tilt or gunky eyes. Ultimately, it's only helped by being extra strict about environmental condiitons in the mousery and tank.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

moustress said:


> In my experience, a sick mouse will look sick, and if he doesn't look sick, I'd never take him to a vet.


I would agree with this.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

I have never seen a moue with an upper respiratory problem, look sick. Their main symptom is respiratory distress, and virtually nothing else 99% of the time.

If the OP is comfortable treating the mouse herself, then she can do that, if not, then it needs to be seen by a vet. A basic check up on a mouse is not expensive.

My main point is, that noise is not normal, and it is a sign of the mouse being in respiratory distress of some kind.

When there is another symptom, such as being hunched over, it is very late. Possibly too late. 
Mice hide illness.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

I would also respectfully disagree. It's entirely possible that the animal sustained lung damage prior to Nemo's ownership. I've had mice suddenly much more audible after getting better from an URI. Though they are no longer ill (hence good coat, activity, not contagious), they still have the scar tissue, which will make noise for the rest of their otherwise healthy lives. If he's making noise all the time, is breathing at an unnatural pace, and this just started, I'd be worried. If this is occasional, ongoing, and he does not appear to be ill otherwise, I would suggest you're wasting money on a vet.

What is "not expensive" for one person in one location can be "very expensive" for another person in another location. For me, a vet trip involves gas money, time taken off work (lost wages), the visit fee, testing for illness, and the prescription, which adds up pretty quickly.


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

I'm not saying it is absolutely a URI. But it is absolutely respiratory distress of some kind.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

It's likely damage to the vocal chords and sinus cavities or we wouldn't be able to hear it the chittering. Either that or the mousies are learning that we can hear them when they talk like this. They are capable of vocalizing in the audible range even without any disease process.


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## SarahY (Nov 6, 2008)

I would say *if* your mouse is ill, you won't see a degradation in condition until it's too late for treatment to work effectively, so if you want give your mouse a better chance at a long life take it to the vets before it gets any worse and get it treated. It might not even be 'ill', as others have said, so if you're happy to risk it don't worry about it. Just be aware that if you are going to treat for illness, now is the time


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## Rhasputin (Feb 21, 2010)

Thank you Sarah for more adequately explaining what i mean to say.


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## jadeguppy (Jun 4, 2011)

moustress said:


> Either that or the mousies are learning that we can hear them when they talk like this. They are capable of vocalizing in the audible range even without any disease process.


This is interesting. My male is only audible when I'm messing with or around his cage. I can put my ear to his cage unknown and there will be no sound, that is until I pull out the drawer.


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## moustress (Sep 25, 2009)

Yes, I am familiar with this sort of thing. I've had meeces that only spoke when spoken to or handled.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Not related to disease, but related to vocalizations, I'm in the process of borrowing a bat detector and trying to understand more about how it works and whether it can do anything for me and my mice. My partner's dad is a biology professor and has several, though his understanding of the mechanisms by which they work is... less than excellent. The part I do know is that they lower the frequency of the sounds they record, allowing humans to hear them properly.


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## jadeguppy (Jun 4, 2011)

That sound neat. Let us know what you find out.


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## Gill (Sep 16, 2011)

After all the posts, I'm wondering if you took him to the vet, Nemo and, if so, what the verdict was.
Personally I think that some mice learn to chatter in a tone audible to us, especially if we make clicking noises to them. Most likely they know that it will attract our attention, and earn them treats. One of mine chatters (loudly!) when she wants to be let out of the cage.
And I have to agree with Laigaie. I am on a pension, and I live in a rural area which means not many vets specialise in small animals, so taking a mouse to the vet can work out very expensive.


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