# Basic Behavior Picture Guide?



## YuukikoOgawa (Jul 26, 2013)

I'm still new to mice, and still trying to understand their behavior and all.

I was wondering if it would be possible to get some help with compiling a set of pictures of examples of various common behaviors?

The reason I ask is that I'm on the Autism and ADHD spectrums, and though there is a wealth of written examples of mouse behavior, it is sometimes very difficult for me to "translate" what those words are describing. It really helps me to have some pictures that show the behaviors rather than just tell about them.

Can anyone here help me with this?


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## ThatCertainGlow (Jun 23, 2012)

Many of the clear photos on this site, will be of reasonably contented, comfortable mice. Not so much in the health section, but often in the 'current mice', or the series of variety winners from the UK. Some have a bit of nervousness in the photos, because they are exposed, but most are not scared, and trust that it will be fine to be so exposed.

They hunch, usually when eating, or when feeling ill. I think it's something like the desire to hide. Reading the text, and comments after the photos, will help. After seeing many dozens, you might think you still don't know. However if you look at a live mouse, I think it will be easier to translate what you see to a known thing. For instance, if they look scared to your eye, give them a dark place to hide. See if that changes how they are. If they are sniffing the air, and moving casually, give them something to explore.

Mice and other animals tend to be much easier for me to figure out than humans. (Except for a few breeds of dogs, which is not the dog's fault, it's a breed feature.) Humans are inclined, even more so than an animal, to visually hide what they mean. Words, even spoken with inflection, don't help me much. Good luck.

These might also be helpful. 
Pain:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22330867
http://wsm.wsu.edu/discovery/index.php/tag/scale/ (the photos)


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## YuukikoOgawa (Jul 26, 2013)

Thanks for the photos!

I did find one little video clip on YouTube that supposedly showed "joy"; they get sort of twitchy and hyper?

I've noticed mine closing their eyes like in that first row of pictures in the second link when another mouse is grooming them...how do I tell the difference between "relaxed and enjoying it" and "hurt/not enjoying it?"


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

id assume if the mouse isn't enjoying something or its hurting them they would at least attempt to move away or force what ever it is away


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## Frizzle (Oct 6, 2011)

Next time I'm in home with access to my pictures, I will upload one of a doe who was very unhappy with the buck's advances. Ears lowered, paw raised, lots of squeaking, but I promise no blood shed despite her displeasure.


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## thammy24 (Dec 20, 2012)

It's kinda hard to see it from a picture. There's this lady though, who makes videos of mice behaviour. Here's the link to one of them. When you click on her name you should be able to see more of her videos  I hope that helps.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCbT224l ... e=youtu.be


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

thammy24 said:


> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCbT224ll7c&feature=youtu.be


John has absolutely fantastic videos of all his mice and their behaviours, so I second the video and his channel in general


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## YuukikoOgawa (Jul 26, 2013)

That's the video I was talking about in my first post!

So they have more videos like that one on their channel?


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## thammy24 (Dec 20, 2012)

Oh I had nothing better to do so I organized them all for you

Joy/sparking
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UCbT224l ... e=youtu.be

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4P2sZ0t6 ... UwniTI42WA

Submissive posture
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-540nDRI ... UwniTI42WA

"Kissing"/grooming/smelling each other
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFKSwzEs ... UwniTI42WA

Dominant mouse
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fXD8RVC3 ... UwniTI42WA






Annoyance
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-D5KiAV5 ... UwniTI42WA

Aggression without biting
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Xm012QL ... UwniTI42WA

There's also pissed off/territorial behaviour, when a mouse is really pissed off, she might rattle her tail and if its against a hard object, it can be loud. I couldn't find a video of that though. My mouse Sally, was like this when I first got her, because she was scared of me, warning me to "stay away!" out of her territory. Then a few months later when she loved me, she escaped, and I just put her favorite tunnel out and tricked her into being caught again. She realized her mistake and even though she LOVES her cage all cleaned (she escaped while I was cleaning their cage) and will usually spark for the next hour, this time she stayed in the tunnel and rattled her tail every time I looked at her and she'd give me an evil look. I could tell she was pissed at me because I ruined her adventure. Then an hour later she seemed to remember the cage of cleaned and sparked and hopped around out for another hour. lol.


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

YuukikoOgawa said:


> That's the video I was talking about in my first post!
> 
> So they have more videos like that one on their channel?


Here's the link to their channel and all their videos. Just click through them 
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNTc-S ... lf_index=0


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## YuukikoOgawa (Jul 26, 2013)

I've definitely seen the tail rattling already. Especially with Mocha, and especially if she's on the blue wheel and I walk past and say "Hi."

She goes stiff with her tail up and rattling, and she just stares at me.

She's still the most curious and friendly of the bunch, and she's already taking treats out of my hand. But for some reason she does not like me looking at her when she's on that wheel...


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