my mice are obese and i dont know why.

Question
so i have two fancy black and white female mice and i only feed both of them one block of rat/mice food a day and they have always been kind of fat, but now they are extremely obese. i dont know why. i dont feed them anything extra. one looks kind of normal like an oval looking shape and the other one looks like a round ball with a head on it. and im very worried. i dont take them out much because they poop all over me and im lazy. :/ but they have a wheel and they both use it all the time. i dont know what to do! is it normal for mice to be really fat? and how can i get them to lose weight??? im scared theyre going to die.

Answer
Dear Laura,

If the mice are only eating lab block and are using their wheel, they're as fit as they are going to be.  There's nothing else to do to keep them slim.  Mice have as many reasons as people to be large, many of which are perfectly healthy and genetic.  For the most part, fat mice are perfectly fine the way they are.  I have had many obese mice who lived long and happy lives.

Other health problems are possible, so a vet may be able to help or reassure you.  I just take my fat mice as they come and enjoy  how they fill my hand.

As for the pooping, putting on a dirty shirt before you hold them will keep them from soiling a clean one.

squeaks,

Natasha