I get sick sometimes. You get sick sometimes. We all get sick sometimes. It’s just a fact of life. And as much as I’d rather be sick than have my animals sick (I know... I'm THAT pet mom), it's gonna happen, even with little, tiny mice. Often though, when you're talking mice, it's much harder to tell if they've come down with an illness. They'll often disguise their sickness so predators don’t see them as weak or easy prey. It’s in their nature, whether wild or domestic. So how can I tell if my pet mouse is sick? We’re going to share some clues with you. However, if you have ANY concerns about your pets, you should contact your exotic vet right away. This article isn’t meant to diagnose your mouse’s illness.
Know Your Pet
Mice are really a lot like us humans. Lots of the germs we pick up, mice can catch too. If you have the flu, unexplained vomiting, or any other contagious disease, wash your hands. All. Of. The. Time.
Avoid sneezing around their cage. Or, if it's possible, move the pen to a place you don't frequent and have a friend or family member come to care for them while you're under the weather.
Remember, too, that mice have MUCH tinier immune systems than we do. If their bodies can't fight off a human illness, they may die from it. To support their immunity, fresh food and water should be available at all times. Also, their cage should be kept clean and dry. Their cage's location should be in an area with a comfortable temperature and without drafts. The ideal room temperature for mice is between 65F-75F/18C-24C degrees.
As mice don’t hold up a big sign telling you “I am sick,” the key is to monitor them closely to determine if something is off. If you wait until they've reached the point of displaying severe symptoms, they might be sicker than they appear. This is the easiest way to determine if my mouse is sick.
More Signs
- Eating less than usual: Typically, hoomans don't eat a lot when they are sick. Your appetite is diminished, and your senses are dulled. Mice, however, should always want food. If they don't, that’s a big hint my pet mouse is sick.
- Drinking less than usual/diarrhea: Mice don't vomit. But they can have diarrhea. And dehydration can kill a mouse in less than 48 hours. Because mice think differently than humans, they don't understand that they need to drink more water to keep themselves hydrated if they have diarrhea.
- A Cold (Sneezing, Upper Respiratory Tract Noise, Difficulty Breathing): Colds in mice are pretty similar to colds in humans and mostly clear up by themselves. Sneezing, watery eyes, shaking, and tiredness are all common symptoms telling you my mouse is sick.
- Skin issues (lumps and bumps, sores, scratching, fur loss, not grooming regularly, visible mites): Mice are prone to mites. Dirty bedding is usually the main culprit, so make sure you're entirely cleaning their enclosures regularly. If you've been outside in the grass, touching other animals, etc., make sure you're washing your hands thoroughly before touching your mice.
To answer the original question: "how can I tell if my mouse is sick?" Well, these are just a selection of the clues your pet mouse can give you. There are many more (really, there are). But as always, if you feel your mouse is feeling under the weather and you're not sure what to do, take them into the vet. It's still always better to be on the safe side.
Has your mouse been sick? Did they display other symptoms than then ones we listed? Please send your comments and suggestions to hoomans@smallpetselect.com or post on our socials.
