Loss of Mouse Companion

Question
My son has an 18 month old mouse that lost its companion last week.  She has never been alone and seems very depressed, she even appears to have mites pretty bad. We are not planning on getting anymore mice and I don't want to purchase another mouse and just continue the cycle. I feel awful for her and am need of some advice of how we can make things easier on her.  She is a pretty nervous mouse and doesn't seem to take comfort in being held by us.

Thanks
Kristina

Answer
Dear Kristina,

I'm sorry about the loss of your mouse's companion. You are right that she is depressed. The mites often show up the mouse's immune system is compromised due to depression, or when the mouse lives alone, because it no longer has a friend to groom it. Your mouse has experienced a double-whammy.

She needs to be treated for mites. Because she doesn't like to be held, this isn't going to be easy. But she will be miserable and eventually die from the mites if she isn't treated.

You may have already found one of my posts explaining how to treat mites. Here is an example:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2010/7/mice-losing-hair-around.htm

That is for a Pyrethrin spray you can get at a pet store. There is a somewhat more effective way that is easier on the mouse but harder to obtain the chemical, Ivermectin. I explain how to do that here:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2010/9/cure-mouse-mites-ivermectin.htm

In either case, you will need two people to treat a scaredy mouse. One holds the mouse on one palm and holds the base of its tail with the other hand; the other applies the spray. With the ivermectin spray, not every part of the mouse must be soaked, because it absorbs into the bloodstream, while the pyrethins work on the actual mites.

To cheer up your mouse you can try to distract her with toys and treats. At that age you don't have to worry about her getting really fat, so she can afford some nuts, cheese, popcorn, etc.

I wish her the best of luck.

squeaks,

Natasha