Swollen eyelid

Question
Hi. i recently bought 3 new mice and i have noticed since i brought them home that one has a swollen eyelid. There is no pus. or anything around the eye its just red and a little inflamed and also, she sleeps a little more than her sisters. but she eats and drinks fine. could this be an allergic reaction? should i move her into her own cage for now? how do i treat her. i really cannot afford a vet just yet though i found one i like prices are too high. i hope you can help. thanks in advance

Answer
Hi Zhaniah,

Any number of things could cause the swelling and irritation, and since she's brand new, it's even tougher to guess.  I do not think it could be a reaction, as she probably wouldn't react in only one of her eyes, but she could have accidentally scratched it, either by itching, fighting, or something sharp in the cage.  It would certainly be a good idea to move her to her own cage for now with a very soft, low-dust bedding (yesterday news is a good choice, or carefresh), just until it heals.

Since she is new to your home, it may be difficult to treat the eye like you could if she were used to you.  If she is especially docile you can gently dab the closed eye with a cotton swab dipped in warm water that has had a small amount of salt dissolved in it, but if she is still nervous about her recent move, don't risk poking her poor eye.  If it's just an irritated scratch, or dust that's gotten in her eye, it should clear up on its own after a few days of being away from irritants.  However, if it gets suddenly worse (can't open, crusts over, leaks anything nasty), calling a vet may wind up being your only option.

Sleeping more but eating and drinking regularly may just be a part of her nature, not to mention the natural stress in going to a new home.  Feel free to write me back if anything changes and we can try and figure it out - I know vets are expensive (especially for such small creatures)!

Best of luck,
-Tam