is Raising feeder mice for you?

[infernalis]

Especially to a MILK snake

[Hornets23]

I honestly think the males just smell like cheerios.. LOL!!

Cheerios....hmmm.....Yep it think i see it.

[Loren]

I honestly think the males just smell like cheerios.. LOL!!

Better start checking the expiration dates on your cereal more often.

[infernalis]

I have a serious question, and I hope someone here knows the answer.

One little runt mouse that Dorothy seems to have grown attached to is extremely small (lack of milk, too many babies not enough nipples)

It's hair is all scruffy (I suspect malnutrition) and it's starting to get harassed by it's siblings. I oopsed and let Samantha set up an enclosure for it, so it evolved from feed to pet.

Now I usually just feed these runts off, but the lady folks in the house have already named it

Is there any vitamin supplements or whatever to help get this little guy healthy??

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

Yes Wayne, there are. You can purchase a multivitamin supplement from most any pet store that is sort of a droplet type thing that you put into their water. You could also use a bit of nutrical (its a sticky molasses like paste in a tube) for dogs and cats which contains vitamins, is an appetite stimulant, and will help bulk the little thing up! We sell both products at my store and I use them with the female hamsters that are nursing.

[Stefan-A]

Wish I could help, Wayne. Any reason why you couldn't use the kind you give snakes?

I had one of those mice in my little "experiment", but I turned it into snake food.

[Garter_Gertie]

'Starry fur' usually, at least in cats, signifies great illness, dehydration and nearing death.

Get some Pediolyte and try and figure out what should be given a wee mouselette. I'd not give vitamins yet as the mouse is probably too weak to properly make use of them.

My vote is for Pediolyte and warmth - but not too as it will increase the dehydration. Is it possible to put Mom with baby for awhile alone? Then put her back; then back with baby, that sort of thing?

Kittens will harass the dying kitten; the mother will push it aside.

I wish you and Your Ladies luck, Dekay. But...

[Garter_Gertie]

The way to test for dehydration is to GENTLY and softly pinch a bit of skin at the back of the neck and lift up. If the skin 'stays' and does not settle down, 'flowing' back down over the shoulder blades to where it belongs - the animal is dehydrated.

[aSnakeLovinBabe]

yes, thats a very important point, if the skin feels tight and sticky as opposed to loose and baggy, that's dehydtation and pedialyte would be the first step.

[infernalis]

Thanks Shannon, I'll give that a try. I also just posted on the forum for "Mice as pets" at PH, Thankfully my signature did not show from the reptile forums

I generally try to cull off the runts before the women see them, its hard when I am the only guy in the house.

We had one last week that was the size of a pinkie, with hair. I knew it's prognosis at first glance, Gave him to the corn snake.

The mom is preggers again, and freaking huge, I will probably take half of the pinks right away, so the others will have a fair chance at getting fed by mom.

With bags of frozen pinks in the freezer, right now hoppers and adults are more useful to me.

Wow several posts as I was typing... You guys rock