# What's wrong with my mouse?



## Perluna (Oct 1, 2013)

Hello,

I have a pair of female mice who are about 7 weeks old now. They both came from the same breeder and were raised in good conditions. I have been having them out every night for play-time for about an hour, however, the other night I went to get them out and noticed something wrong with one of them (Tessy). Tessy had virtually lost all the weight around her bottom, her fur was of bad condition and when she walked she was all hunched over and practically walking on tiptoe. The picture on the left was taken 2 days before the picture on the right:










After seeking advice from the breeder, we gave her some scrambled egg and topped her bowl up with extra sunflower seeds in hope that she would gain the weight back. The next day, we took her to the vet and she was absolutely perplexed as to what could have caused this to happen. She checked Tessy for mites, _tried_ to check her heartbeat (but by then, she was so small it was almost impossible). She put Tessy on week's worth of antibiotics. This is the 3rd day, and there still isn't much progress - if anything, Tessy is slowing down. The vet told us to bring Tessy back if she isn't better by next week. We also had to separate her from her sister, Maisy, and Maisy is feeling quite lonely at the moment without her.

Tessy is eating and drinking perfectly normally. We put her water in a bowl so it's easier for her, and there's also antibiotics in her water. I'm not sure if it's actually making a difference to her at this stage, but I sure hope so. Here are the symptoms:

- lack of energy (she still walks around and runs on her wheel but it's very slow and she's getting slower as each day goes by)
- messy fur (it looks very untidy)
- her eyes look very sad... you can see in the picture how bright and perky they were and how sad they look now
- she always wants to be in my hand. At first, I thought it was the warmth, but my hands were cold today so I tried to put her in her little bed and she chose to stay with me (she wouldn't get out of my hand)
- she sits there twitching constantly every second or so
- she won't take any normal treats that she usually LOVES (but she's still eating her mouse muesli)
- she walks hunched over and as if she is on tiptoe

Even if someone can't give me a 'diagnosis', could you at least tell me what I can do to help her? I'm so worried about her, I can't tell whether she's in pain... I know small animals can hide it well, I just don't know what's going to happen to her. She's been by my side for days now (she's in a small tub with a blanket as the cage she was in with her sister was dangerous for her because of the multi-levels - also the risk that she could pass whatever she's got onto Maisy).

Oh, something else... There's a possible chance that Tessy's 'mother-in-law' had the same condition. It's a mystery...

If anyone can help, I will be eternally grateful. Thank you so much.


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## mouseypeach (Jan 13, 2013)

Not sure what is wrong with her. So sad to hear that no one can figure it out  You're being a very good owner. One thing I always give sick mice or who need to gain weight is oatmeal baby cereal. It should be in the baby section at the grocery store, and it comes out as fine flakes and you just add a little water and mix it up, so it's all mushy. None of my mice have ever ignored eating this stuff. Even past sick ones. I get the Gerber brand. Not sure where you are or if they have it... they'll probably have something similar if not that brand. I've also used this stuff to medicate my mice... Just mix the medicine in if you know they love it. Even worked on rabbits.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

I use to get this in black babies when I was doing my siam X black breeding, it only ever happened to blacks never there siam litter mates. It would happen about a week after being taken from the mother and didn't see to matter if taken at 4weeks or even 8 weeks. I assume it's stress from weaning and change in calcium levels maby. I was never able to save any when I tryed they just slowley died with in a week some times lasted a few days longer so just started putting them down straight away. However after I stopped breeding blacks I had a adult siam go like it after she had a litter and munched it, another breeder said to up her calcium so gave bird egg food and she was much better with in a week. So don't know if that would have worked with the babies or not.


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## Perluna (Oct 1, 2013)

Tessy has sadly passed now. Thank you very much for your help.<3



mouseypeach said:


> Not sure what is wrong with her. So sad to hear that no one can figure it out  You're being a very good owner. One thing I always give sick mice or who need to gain weight is oatmeal baby cereal. It should be in the baby section at the grocery store, and it comes out as fine flakes and you just add a little water and mix it up, so it's all mushy. None of my mice have ever ignored eating this stuff. Even past sick ones. I get the Gerber brand. Not sure where you are or if they have it... they'll probably have something similar if not that brand. I've also used this stuff to medicate my mice... Just mix the medicine in if you know they love it. Even worked on rabbits.


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