friend for female mouse; travel with mice

Question
Dear Natasha,

Three months ago, I took two female mice from research lab of my university. Unfortunately, after three weeks, one of them died due to extreme cold temperature (my fault for not realizing her condition). Since then, my mouse, whom I named Gary, had been living alone until now. There are two reasons why I didn't bring in another friend: the lab has put all other mice to sleep, and I couldn't convince myself to buy a mouse from pet stores because I'm not confident of their health condition to be as good as lab mice.
However, recently I've done some readings regarding pet mice and all the articles advised to keep at least two instead of just one. I'm thinking about introducing a new friend to Gary. However she's now four months old and has grown quite big and all the mice I've seen in pet shops are just half her size. Do you think it's still a good idea to bring another mouse in? Can you teach me how to do that correctly?
Another thing, I'm a student and my course required me to change locations at least every four weeks. The furthest journey I've made took about 5-6 hours by car. Since I had Gary, I've been taking her around with me. I've come across an article which said pet mice is not suitable to be taken along while traveling. But there's no way I'm leaving Gary behind. Could you please advice me on this?

Thanks in advance!

Answer
Dear Dila,

Female mice do need friends. And the smaller the better at the introduction. It is important that Gary not feel threatened by the new mice. Three or more is best because when one dies, the other is not not only sad, but also lonely.

When you introduce the new mice, do so in a completely clean environment that doesn't smell like Gary. Put some REAL vanilla extract on their necks and rumps. Chasing and squeaking is fine.

Here are the cases where fighting mice have to be separated:

1. if there is blood.
2. If someone is denied access to food, water, wheel, or nest.
3. if someone becomes depressed, lethargic, unhappy.
4. If the fighting is constant and/or continues for more than a month. (I did have a cage where a new, dominant female was still aggressive fairly often for about 6 weeks, but I watched them carefully and it worked out in the end; this is unusual).

During the chasing and squeaking you  may see the less dominant mouse rear up on its hind legs and show its neck and belly to the other. This is a sign of total submission. This happens most often when the less aggressive one is a baby (I see it as saying "I'm only a baby! Go ahead and kill me! I'm at your mercy!").

If you feel like the submissive mouse is getting rather a lot of abuse, you can take either mouse out and hold her for a little while to break it up.

**

If you don't trust your pet store, you may be able to find a private breeder in your area-- or one of the areas you are traveling to. If you can let me know where you can travel to to get mice, I can try to hook you up with someone. It's a little hard to keep track of private breeders, because due to it being a home hobby, often home responsibilities take over and the person has to close shop. But I do have a network I can ask around in (on Facebook of course : ))  ). Privately bred mice will be healthier, often live longer, be tamer, and are usually show quality.

There are plenty of wonderful pet mice who came from pet stores. In fact I didn't even find out about private breeders until I was 30, after 25 years of mice, and I have had tons of awesome mice. However, you have to be careful.

When you go to a prospective pet store, look around. Is it clean? Do the mice and the other animals look well cared for, not sick, and the cages are not overcrowded? If you see a 30 gallon tank with 30 mice in it that's fine. 50 is not. You can judge the other animals as well. Now look at the mice. Do any look sick? Healthy mice have glossy, well kept fur. There is no discharge from the eyes. Their posture is fluid, not hunched over. If there are any sick mice, don't even take a healthy looking one. The illness could either be contagious or due to poor breeding or poor care. If they keep feeders separate from fancy mice, the fancies will be the healthier; however, most places just have decent mice for both.

**

As for traveling, no problem. I have traveled in all sorts of situations-- even, poor things, on subways-- and the mice are always just fine. The important things are: there must be a source of liquid in the carrier such as a piece of cucumber, carrot, or celery; and there must be (at least, if there are several mice) a wheel. Mice will often run in the wheel practically constantly while traveling. Of course there must be a cozy nest made from the old bedding as well

When you arrive, keep the mice in the carrier in a quiet spot for half a day. This lets them get used to the new smells and sounds before leaving the place they have now become comfortable in. When you put them in the new cage, keep the bedding you took from the original cage and put in the traveler. Maybe you can even bring the cage uncleaned. Put them in the cage and don't disturb them for another half day-- unless they ask to be picked up. Then everything should be normal.

Best of luck. Contact me with more questions; if you want to find a breeder; and/or to tell me what happens.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha