adding a mouse

Question
my pet mouse died because she got sick and my other mouse ate her. can i add a mouse to the cage without them fighting?

Answer
Hi Michaela,

I am sorry to hear about your loss.  However, as strange as it may be, even though your surviving girl ate the remains, she is grieving as well.  It is a good idea to give her a little time and some extra one-on-one bonding before introducing a new friend.  This will also give you a chance to make sure she does not get sick as well, particularly because stress is very tough on a mouse's immune system.

Another thing to consider is isolating any new friends you do bring home.  Mice frequently bring home illnesses from the pet shop just by accident - it is easy for them pick it up in the store and not show signs until after coming home.  For this reason, and to protect your surviving pept, it is a good idea to give a new mouse about 2-3 weeks of their own cage in a different room before introducing them.  It also gives you a  chance to see her real personality before putting her in with your current pet.

I cannot predict if they will get along - all mice are different.  Some are very social and friendly, whereas some prefer to be alone.  You will have to supervise any introductions and keep an eye on them for the first couple of days.  Some scuffling is natural and expected, but biting, boxing ( standing on hind legs and punching outward), or tail rattling (a threatened, buzzing of the tail against a hard object) are signs they need to be separated for safety.

-Tam