chirping

Question
hi my sisters pet mouse S'mores is chirping a lot and shes pretty loud. when i went over to the cage she started. but the other day one of my mice, Rain, died. could that be the source? we have also had her for ten months now. most of our mice have never lived to a year....very sad to say. could that be it? i mean she also chirps quietly every now and then so I'm not really sure but she was really loud this time. for the moment she has stopped but i just want to make sure its nothing terrible(:  

         thanks,
         Aislinn

Answer
Hi Aislinn,

Chirping is usually a sign that a mouse either has an upper respiratory infection (like a cold but it can be much more serious if not treated for), or had one in the past and never fully healed.  Sometimes it sounds like a clicking noise coming from inside the mouse, sometimes it's sneezing or coughing, and sometimes it sounds like a hiccup or a chirp.  Squeaking is different, so if you think she is just squeaking and that it isn't particularly connected to her breathing, I'd check her over for injuries or sore spots that she might have hurt when she made the louder-than-normal sounds.

If it's a respiratory problem, you can either take her to a vet for verification and better medications, or treat at home using tetracycline.  Always give a full cycle of tetracycline once you've started it, even if the noises go away.  Here are excellent instructions from Natasha on how to administer tetracycline (a general antibiotic) in the water:

"This Tetracycline, which is available in the FISH section of your pet store or aquarium store, either comes in powder, tablet, or capsule form. If it is a tablet, you will need to crush it into fine powder, which you can do with the back of one spoon against the front of another. If it is a capsule you will empty the powder out of the capsule. One capsule is the same as 1/4 flat teaspoon.

"Take one capsule and mix it with a drop or two of water until you have a mustardy paste. Grab the mouse by the scruff (back) of the neck to open its mouth, and try to get a bit of the paste in the mouth. The mouse will struggle a lot and this may be impossible. In any case, smear some on the whiskers and sides, where it can easily wash it off and ingest it.
"Put another capsule's worth in a large water bottle (10-12 oz), or half that in a small water bottle (4-6 oz), and that should be the only source of water for about 10 days. Shake it up well. Change it every other day. Cover the bottle with tin foil so no light can get in. Tetracycline reacts with light."

She should be just fine if you can get the source of her chirping figured out and treated - if you have any more questions or if I was at all confusing, please feel free to write me a followup!  Hope she feels less chirpy!  :)

-Tam