AboutPanya Expertise Currently, I have 33 mice 12 boys and 21 girls. I also have 2 cats and tropical fish.
I can help with behavior problems (I've encountered plenty), breeding, most health problems etc. I don't know a lot about genetics in mice.
Experience I have kept mice for 7 years and I have a lot of experience with mice (some they don't tell you in books!). I would like to share what I have learned. To the left is Freckles, who had 68 offspring in his lifetime (he was 1 year when I adopted him). Behind him is one of his sons.
Expert: Panya Date: 7/4/2008 Subject: Pulling out her hair?
Question I have one female mouse at the moment, Krile. I've had her for about a month or so and up until this morning she has been perfectly healthy as far as I can tell. But a few days ago my cat toppled the cage and set both the mice I had at the time loose. The second mouse I had was caught by cat, but Krile escaped and she seemed fine when I tried to look at her. But this morning I noticed that there was a large patch of hair missing from her back. Before this morning, she had all of her fur and looked normal. The skin on her back also looks very red, shiny, and sensitive (I'm afraid to touch it at the risk of hurting her).
I don't know if maybe the cat did manage to hurt her and Krile is now over cleaning it or something, or if maybe this is completely unrelated. I clean the cage once a week and use carefresh bedding. She's still eating, drinking, and using the wheel like normal.
Any suggestions? : (
Answer I'm sorry this happened. This must have been very stressful for you and the mice despite the fact you cat was his job!
It would be difficult to find a place where you cat can't reach the cage(they have way and means). Even if the cage was kept in a room the cat wasn't allowed in I'm sure he'd find a way in. If the cage was kept on the floor then at least you couldn't have a repeated incident of what happened before. Make sure the mice have plenty of hiding places in case you kitty comes to visit. I have 3 long haired cats who take a healthy interest in my mice but learned their lesson when they sat on top of the cage and the mice pulled their hair out for nesting material! Now they watch from a distance.
I think the hair loss is stress related. If the cat had hurt her physically then there would have been signs such as puncture wounds or bleeding when you found her. She has also lost her buddy which is adding to her stress. Mice are social creatures and will quickly become depressed if kept in solitary confinements. As she is so young (I'm guessing about 10 - 12 weeks) you need to find her at least 1 mouse friend. Try to find one around the same age and size, preferably from the same litter.
It's a very good sign that shes eating, drinking and that its coming out the other end. I'm confident she will recover but if you are still concerned take her to your vet.
I hope she gets better soon, please feel free to ask any more questions.
