water bottle malfunction

Question
Hello - I have four pet feeder mice. One is just over a year old, and the others are about six months. I cleaned out their water bottle two days ago, filled it with fresh water (and vitamin drops) and put it back into their aquarium. I am upset that I didnt notice this earlier, but when I woke up today I saw that the bottle was still full. I tapped the ball and no water came out! Taking the cap off and putting it back on seemed to fix the problem. I put it back in with them and I also filled up an extra food bowl with fresh water - my mice must have drank for five minutes straight.

They went forty hours without water. They all appear to be alright, although one looked a little shakier than usual - I might have been seeing things, or she might just have been excited. Is there anything I can do to ensure they recover well? I usually check the ball before I put their water bottle back to make sure that it isn't stuck. I also usually feed them raw carrots and peas, and I know they have high water content.

I feel so terrible about this - I love these girls! Thanks so much for your help.

Answer
Hi Rachael,

It sounds like you caught the problem in time!  They should be back to normal in a day or two, all they need is hydration.  This has happened to me too a couple of times, and they seem to really bounce back quickly.  The carrots and peas are a great idea, too, in case they stopped eating as much from being thirsty.

You're doing it right, it sounds like they'll be just fine.  :)
-Tam