# Odd behavoir or normal? Possible FIGHTING Mice.



## Doveflight (Jul 15, 2012)

Our mice have ususally behaved themselves. There were four females (Lucky, Pepper, Midnight, Spot. For background info, Pepper and Lucky were got in the same cage from the same place and Midnight and Spot were together at a diffrent store. Its unknown if they are siblings. They are all females). They are all in a 10 gallon tank and have stuff to keep them busy. They all got along other than the occasional chase/dominence showing but they were not fighting or being mean. After our mouse Lucky died (old age or some other natural cause. Its unknown but we know it wasn't another mouse or the food/water.) the bad things started happening.

Now Pepper seems to have become a bully. She has no scratches or missing fur other than the smallest spot on her muzzle and a slightly bloddy ear occasinoally from her scratching herself. Spot just has a bunch of fur missing on her forehead and muzzle. Midnight however is beaten up. She has a bloddy ear most of the time, sometimes two from scratching herself. Her neck is missing LOTS of fur on the botom and right side and its bloody with a deepish (deep but not deep enough to be concerned with a bunch. Not life threatening or serious damage) scratch. She also has fur missing on her muzzle, forehead, and small spots on her pelt a bit.

At first we thought she just had a habbit of scratching herself (Midnight) which is why i'm only posting this now (and she could still have that habbit and its probable) but i've seen Pepper chaseing her around and jabbing at her with her claws and stuff. She's done it to Spot too and she and Spot full blown fought a couple times! Its never the other way around and never Spot and Midnight fighting. The odd thing is there are never any wounds other than what i've mentioned. This has been going on since Lucky died maybe... a monthish ago? More or less. Its recently gotton worse than before though.

Are they fighting and how do we stop it? We thought at first mites but we've had them tried mite stuff a long time ago but it didn't really work and the fact Pepper is unaffected by all of this. Any suggestions? Please help.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

It would appear Lucky was the one that kept the others in place so there is now a dominance battle going on.

The method I would use in such a case is separate all the females into their own cages for a week to 10 days having no contact with the other mice. thoroughly cleaning the communal tank so as to remove all scent and then after the week to 10 days reintroduce to the clean scent free tank again.


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## Doveflight (Jul 15, 2012)

I thought so. The only problem is that our dad hates mice (even though we take good care of them and they are friendly) so i don't think he would buy more cages or travel cases for them to stay in for ten days. We only have the tank and one travel case. Is there anything else that could work? We might be able to make a cage or two out of a spare bin thats to thick to chew through and big enough (though still cramped) but thats it.


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

Correct me if I'm wrong but I'm going on the assumption that Spot and Midnight are good together and it is Pepper that is causing the arguments.
While I agree that separation is potentially the best route, I would do it a little differently to what pro-petz has suggested. Instead of separating them all and then re-introducing them in a clean cage..
I would do a full cage clean, scrub EVERYTHING and place Spot and Midnight together in that cage and Pepper in another cage. Re-introduce Pepper after 3 or more days. By this time, Spot and Midnight would have made the cage their own, it would have their scent and none of Peppers meaning she would be the new mouse to an existing heirachy.


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## Doveflight (Jul 15, 2012)

Thats right and sounds like a great idea. Pepper has been causeing all the problums. Would it hurt for them to stay like that for 12 hours? Its like midnight here and we have school and work in the morning. If its urgent we could do it now.

Would pepper (being one mouse) be able to live in a travel case that long. Its about (judgeing by looks) four inches by seven inches floor space and maybe five tall. We also have something probably 5/6 inches by 12/14 inches with 5/6 tall. Its all we really have. We could still have room for food, a dish of water changed/cleaned regularly, a tube, and a small nest boxish thing. We could also play with her.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Having limited cage space would mean separating the most dominant (Pepper) leaving the other two in the 10 gallon after removing all traces of scent from the tank. I would still recommend the week to 10 days as does take longer in scent marking their territory.

There is also no guarantee that after following the advice that Pepper will not start the dominance fighting again which is a possibility.

Out of the two possible alternative containers I would use the largest you have available which would suit her for the duration of the separation.


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

The only reason I suggested 3 or so days is because I would still be doing the weekly cage cleaning


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## Doveflight (Jul 15, 2012)

Alright, in the morning i'll have the cage and all their stuff cleaned really good and replace the toliet paper rolls with new ones. Then i'll put Midnight and Spot back into the cage since they never fight and get along great. I'll wait a number of days (at least three) before trying to put Pepper back in. With any luck she'll at least be less agressive.


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