long toenails

Question
QUESTION: Hello,

I just took in three mice from a rescue and put them in with my other three girls a couple of days ago. They all seemed to be getting along well, except for one of the new mice. She is a bully. She will corner and attack the others and she is agitated all the time. She shakes her tail and pounces and nips anyone that she comes across. She picks on my baby with three legs violently and I noticed some sort of wound on one of my other girls today. The only one she leaves alone is the little blind one (who may be deaf as well). My other mice run as soon as they see her. I don't know what to do. They live in three connected cages. Should I just separate her from all of the others? They all got along fine until I put them in the cages together. I'm worried. I can't have this one mouse beating on the others all the time. Is there anything you can suggest? Thanks.

ANSWER: Dear Chelsea,

Yes, you should take the bully mouse out.  It sounds like all of the other little darlings (3-legged!  Blind and deaf! They really are the special ones) are getting along just fine.

I like to allow for a period of adjustment when mice get to know each other, but I never let mice stay together who actually draw blood.  That's too serious; it's no longer just jockeying for position.

The 'bully' mouse might be the sweetest mouse in the world who just can't get along with others.  Because she will be living alone, you will have to give her lots of extra attention, at least an hour a day of physical people time.  Don't be upset with her.  One of my very best mice was unable to live with the other mice, but the attention I had to give her as an only mouse turned her into an absolute doll.

It's terrific that the cages are connected. If you can, only separate the mice with a metal mesh, so that they can still sniff and talk.  Mice chat all the time in really high squeaks and 'only mice' are very dependent on being close to the others.

Luck and kisses to all : )

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much Natasha! I appreciate the quick response. I did have one more question. Justice, my little blind girl ("Justice is blind!" ~ Get it? ^_^) has some wild long and curly toe nails. I was wondering if I needed to trim her nails and how I could. And I have separated my bully mouse. She was living with other mice when I got her. I don't understand what went wrong. :-( She is in my travel cage right now. I will have to get her a new cage. I don't have the heart to take all the extra space away from the other girls. :-) Any ways, I appreciate your help! Thanks again!

Answer
Dear Chelsea,

If Ms. Bully Mouse CAN live with one other mouse that would be much better.  Remember, she doesn't know she is doing anything wrong.  She's obeying some little mousie instincts inside of her that happen to be that way.  Mice don't have a real understanding of morals, lol!  So the last thing you want to do is make her unhappy.  

Justice would be somewhat better off with her nails clipped, but you might imagine it could be quite a task.  It would be so easy to go past the 'quick' onto the part of her toe that bleeds, and hurt her.  I have never tried to clip a mouse nails, though I had a mouse once with one curled nail-- I think she was tame enough that I gently bit the tip of it off.  I don't think I should recommend that, though.

I don't know if you can find anything smaller than a nail clipper to use.  IF you try, make sure you have a really good, sturdy clipper, not one of those ones that flip sideways out of your hand from the pressure when you try to use them (a personal pet peeve).  Or a tiny pair of good, very very sharp sewing scissors.  Her nails are so little it would be so easy to just have them go sideways in a dull scissor or clipper.  Just go for the tiniest bit of the end of the nail.

In the end, I don't think the nails are that much to worry about.  If you find a way to clip them, good, but she won't be handicapped if she keeps them that way.  I was going to suggest nail polish might make her feel better about herself, but she's blind. hee hee.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha