Sick mice

[onna_shinigami]

I believe the mice I've had for about 2 months now have a respiratory infection. Started off while we were out of town for a few days and since I've lost the first male and 2 hoppers over the past 2 weeks. I noticed the few other hoppers are sitting there sniffing and squeaking differently than before similar to what the male was doing before he died. The female and 10 hoppers have been separate for almost 3 weeks now from the other 2 females and male.

I've read on a few treatments to try but very little info out on results on trying them. One is using tetracycline powder packets for aquariums and giving it to them by dropper or running a hot shower once a day for 4 days to get the room steamy. I did try calling local vet and person answering must've thought I was a joke, said she would check on the price for a visit on a mouse and hung up on me......Keep in mind this is also the only place in town to take a snake to if it's sick outside of Nashville or Memphis. Anyone know of any other things that would work to help these guys pull through?


Onna

[sarahlovesmiike]

I've used dark chocolate to aid a respiratory infection, but it was minor and I caught it right off. I know you can use echinacea, but I asked a few days ago and got no responses on the correct dosage :/

[Rorschach]

Vitamin drops?

[kc261]

I think the respiratory problems are most likely a myco flare-up. It is common in rats and mice.

When I was trying to get my mouse colony started back in '08, I had a lot of trouble with sick mice. Luckily those days are behind me, but here is a link to one of the threads I made back then. It includes info on dosing the mice with echinacea, to boost their immune system and help them fight off the respiratory problems.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?73792

If you want to use Tetracycline, there is some info in this other thread. I was using it for an intestinal bacteria, but I would guess the dosage would still be appropriate.
http://ball-pythons.net/forums/showthread.php?79256

[Stewart_Reptiles]

The problem with both mice and rats is that they do get sick and at some point you need to decide if treating them is cost effective and worth your time if you breed them as feeders.

Now if they are pets it's another story however with feeders the best course of action is often to cull the sick animals and start over from scratch, it may take time but building a strong colony with good genes is worth staring over.

You also need to be very cautious when bringing in new blood if you do so and properly quarantine new animals from your established colony.

[Rhasputin]

Tetracycline will do the trick. It might cause sterility, though.
Just treat them by giving them 1 drop a day of one packet disolved in 1 cup of warm water.
Treat for a full 3 weeks. Even if symptoms stop. If you don't treat all the way through, it can come back, and be worse, and completely un-treatable.

[onna_shinigami]

I noticed someone had said using Tylan in the water but didn't say how much of a dosage to use. I'm guessing maybe a drop or 2 per water bottle but not sure. So far I've only lost 3 babies, the male and a female mouse. I've talked to a guy I know from the pet store that has a good line of breeding mice and planning on getting some males and females from him at a later date. I won't get them until I'm sure that the females are healthy. The babies once to size are for my baby RTB but I may keep some females out.

[kc261]

Deborah brings up a very good point. It may not be worth it to try to treat these guys. Since you say you have a line on some good breeding mice, consider just getting rid of the sick ones, thoroughly cleaning everything, and starting over.

[Rhasputin]

Ways to prevent respiratory infections are to keep your mice in a warm area around 75 degrees is best, I find. And stray away from dusty bedding.

[onna_shinigami]

The nice part is I'll only have to bleach out the water bottles before getting the other mice. I have a mouse rack already built but for now the mama and other female are staying in two separate 10g tanks in the bathroom.

These guys had gotten sick while I was out of town for 2 nights, so what started it I have no clue as the cages had been cleaned 2 days before we left town. The bedding is kiln dried aspen bedding, not much dust in it from what I've noticed.

I'm not entirely sure when I'll be getting those mice, last I talked to the guy he said it would take him a month or two before he had enough supplies for himself before I could get any. If anything, I would rather know what would be best to treat them if needed. Knowing my luck the new mice would get sick on me.