What does my mouse have?

Question

louse pic   QUESTION: Today I went to clean the and change my pets cage and notice that my mouse had several red spots on her. I've notice she hasn't been active as much and I would like to know what it could be. They do not move It looks like what this mouse has
Also I can't pay for a vet visit either

ANSWER: Hi Tina,

The photo you included is from this site, http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/hair-loss.cfm#Lice which mentions that lice tend to move very noticeably.  If the dots are in the same positions, my first instinct would be spots of scabbing from scratching at the face.  This, if not from an injury like fighting, is usually the result of irritation from something, either from mites (in which case it's usually localized to the head, neck, and shoulders areas) or from allergies (which can cause irritation and hair loss in other areas of the body, too - blow the fur back to look for spots under the main coat).  There are other things that can cause skin irritation, itchiness, or scabbing, and most of them are explained within the link above.

Since you say she has several red spots, I would first try to treat for both mites and allergies.  If she is with any other mice, move her to her own home until the problem is resolved in case it's being worsened by other cagemates - but keep an eye on them in case they develop a similar issue (which would point to mites over allergies).

Mites are easily treatable using a spray you can find online or at your local pet shop called 8-in-1, and comes in a small animal form and a milder (but effective) avian form that I'd recommend starting with.  If the problem is mites, you should see improvement within a few days.  Full instructions on how to treat your mouse and the cage are written out by Natasha here at Allexperts at this link:  http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2009/2/Mouse-mites.htm  This spray actually works on both mites AND lice, but you have to shake well and follow the instructions carefully.  Be sure to keep it out of her eyes!

Allergies can also cause some weird symptoms - have you introduced anything new recently into her diet, bedding, or environment?  Allergies can be tricky because of how tough it is to figure out what is causing the problem.  Corn is a common allergen, so if you feed a mouse mix, try removing any corn kernels before feeding.  Wash the entire cage thoroughly and try changing the bedding - aspen shavings, carefresh, and yesterdays news are all good choices when changed at least once a week.  Avoid pine or cedar beddings, or unlabeled wood shavings.  Since it seems to be affecting her behavior (which is a big deal for mice, since they don't show discomfort until it is serious), it would be a good idea to make her cage as hypoallergenic as possible first and see if it helps.  Then if it does, you can identify the specific allergy by introducing possible triggers one at a time over a long period of time - at least a week or two between to look for reactions.

If neither the mite spray nor altering her environment makes any difference, write me back with as many details as you can (if you can get a photo of her, or can tell me how much of her body is affected, or if they are bumpy or scabbed that would help) and we'll see what else we can try.  I am not a vet, however, and if her problem gets worse or if she becomes more lethargic, you may need to consider asking local shelters, small animal rescues, pet shops, vets, or other people who work with pocket pets and mice to help you find an affordable professional to help - nothing beats being able to see a pet first hand and give trained medical advice.

I hope I helped, and let me know if you have anymore questions!
-Tam

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello I got a new mixed of food that was meant for gerbils and hamsters. I asked the clerk was working there if I would be fine if I gave it to my mouse he said it was. It does contain corn and If I remember correctly none of the other actually mouse label foods gave her before contained any corn. The red dots are on her backs and sides and she about 4 or 5 of them in different places. They look more bumpy and she is not loosing any hair as well. besides   the small dots are located. I do not have any other mice or pets besides her. I know it's not the bedding because since I only change her cage once a week and I have had the same bag for a long time it would of shown up sooner.

Answer
Gerbils and hamsters actually eat a different blend of food than mice need, so it might be best to try going back to her old food.  It isn't the clerk's fault or anything - not all mice respond the same to changes in their diet.  Hopefully going back to her mouse food should fix the problem if it is an allergy, but keep a very close eye on her in case it's one of the many other things that may cause skin problems.

Let me know if you have more questions, I'm happy to help!
-Tam