The mice died???

[Bellabob]

Ok, so I went to the pet store to buy 2 adult mice, and one small rat. The 2 mice were for my kingsnake, and the rat was for my ball python. When I go and get them I put them in large plastic cups that are used for mixing car paint (of course they were brand new and never used) with a lid on top. I poked holes in the lid with a kife so they were rather skinny holes that didn't let a lot of air in. But, I kinda riped a small hole in the top to let the mice have some air.

When I got back to the car I put them under the seat and drove home. Then, when I got home, THEY WERE DEAD? Maybe they over heated, or something was wrong with them, but i know for sure they didn't suffocate. When I otok the 2 dead mice they were soaked with sweat, so, i'm thinking maybe they died because they were too hot or something? Anyway, I fed them both to my very hungry kingsnake and ow he's fat and happy and sitting in his hide.

But the thing is, the rat was in the same type of container, and under the same seat, but it didn't die! Any explaination for this?

[wolfy-hound]

I think mice stress more easily and are more sensitive to fumes also. So under your car seat could have not only been hot, but might also have had some sort of fume, like cleaning product, carpet fumes, oil or fuel odor?

[llovelace]

The rat was bigger, can sustain the heat better. Why put them under the seat to begin with?

[Shadera]

The floorboard of a car can get pretty hot in the summertime. Think about it - It's only a few inches from that hot pavement baking in the sun, and you have all that mechanical stuff moving around under there generating heat too.

[Alexandra V]

Yeah, since they were drenched in sweat it's probable that they overheated in the container, because not only were they in a hot car, but they were in a container that traps heat and has limited air exchange. The rat didn't die because they're bigger and for one don't stress as much as mice do and two are bigger so can handle the heat a bit better.