Scared mouse, always wants to escape.

Question
I originally had 2 mice, which were tame when they were very young (I know this because I used to hold them as I know the breeder). As soon as I took them home they changed and became scared of me and always trying to jump out of my hands and this was after I gave them time to settle in. They both escaped and it took ages to capture them using humane traps. Then, I was taking them out to handle them when one jumped and ran away. This was a couple of months ago and is no longer in my house, as I know of.

Today when I was cleaning out the cage the other mouse jumped out of my hand while I was putting it back in. It is very fast and I cannot catch it. I read your reply about the toilet roll and have trapped it in one room.

I really hope that I can catch it but I am afraid that it's going to keep running away from me when I do. I can't take it out unless I need to clean it's cage but it's a nightmare just to try and pick it up.

I don't know what's happened to it. Please I could really do with some good advice.

Thanks.


Answer
Dear Sarah,

The following post from my archives explains how to gently hand-train a mouse:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2008/12/hand-training-mice-yellow.htm

The timidity of the mouse can come from different things.  If it isn't handled every couple of days it can get less friendly.  Mice also panic when they are loose in the house and can sometimes have dramatic personality changes.  Or the smell of another animal such as a dog or cat on your hands can frighten it.  

Mice are programmed to panic at anything coming at them from above, because that's where birds of prey come from.  Thus a hand coming into the cage from the top can frighten them.  The best way to get a shy mouse out of the cage is with a toilet paper roll.  Set up the cage such that there isn't really anyplace to go where the mouse can't be easily accessed, and then keep several tubes in the cage.  When you go to pick up the mouse, it will soon run into one of the tubes and you will be able to pick it up with a hand on each side of the tube.

It is ok to use the tail when catching a difficult mouse.  The only safe way to do this is to grab the mouse by the base of the tail near its butt.  Grabbing the end can cause the tail to break.  Then the mouse must immediately be placed on the other palm.  For a jumpy mouse, never let go of the tail while holding it on the other hand.  For cleaning, put it in a box where it can't get out.

Good luck!

squeaks n giggles,
Natasha