Tame mice

my neighbor's cat knew I had mice, and one day she sneaked in without me seeing
her. I walked into my room and found the cat sitting on top of the mouse cage,
staring down, while the mice were crouched completely motionless, staring up.

yes, tame mice do lose their instinct to run. mice of mine that have escaped
and run free for a few weeks before being recaptured seem to regain it.
--

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father, but
through me." john 14:6
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

Flykiller, I was just curious how you go about catching escapee's, I have
one on the lose right now, and it is quite young, much faster than my older
mice, it's so much harder to catch, what method's do you use or suggest. By
the way, I hope you don't mind me asking, but how many mice do you have.
Alikat

"Flykiller" <flykiller.DeleteThis@aol.com.com> wrote in message
news:20030924010403.11917.00000059@mb-m01.aol.com...
> my neighbor's cat knew I had mice, and one day she sneaked in without me
seeing
> her. I walked into my room and found the cat sitting on top of the mouse
cage,
> staring down, while the mice were crouched completely motionless, staring
up.
>
> yes, tame mice do lose their instinct to run. mice of mine that have
escaped
> and run free for a few weeks before being recaptured seem to regain it.
> --
>
> "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father,
but
> through me." john 14:6
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

In article <5Obcb.220740$la.4374980@news1.calgary.shaw.ca>,
kpetersen.DeleteThis@shaw.ca (Alikat) wrote:

> Flykiller, I was just curious how you go about catching escapee's, I
> have
> one on the lose right now, and it is quite young, much faster than my
> older
> mice, it's so much harder to catch, what method's do you use or
> suggest. By
> the way, I hope you don't mind me asking, but how many mice do you have.
> Alikat

There are humane mouse traps around, The mouse just trips on this small
bar that brings down the door.
Chloe <:3>>---
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

In article <5Obcb.220740$la.4374980@news1.calgary.shaw.ca>,
kpetersen.DeleteThis@shaw.ca (Alikat) wrote:

> Flykiller, I was just curious how you go about catching escapee's, I
> have
> one on the lose right now, and it is quite young, much faster than my
> older
> mice, it's so much harder to catch, what method's do you use or
> suggest. By
> the way, I hope you don't mind me asking, but how many mice do you have.
> Alikat

Sorry for butting in, but I've had to catch some critters at the "flea"
stage before and I've found that the best strategy is to corner them, make
your body as big as possible and cup your hands. Then, move your hands
towards them, trying to get your fingers underneath them. That's if you
get that close, which is unlikely. What often happens is that they see
your fingers coming, see no way of escape and think "I'll just jump onto
that person's hand and jump off the other side as quickly as I can." It's
when they jump onto you that you must be quick - lift the mouse upwards as
quickly as you can. If the floor's too far away, they won't jump.

Otherwise, you might consider buying a humane mouse trap from a pet-shop.
If you haven't see them before, you put some cheese or other tasty food
in the trap, wait for the mouse to run into the trap and trip on the
trigger, which shuts the door.

Good luck with catching your runaway.


Liam
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

>Flykiller, I was just curious how you go about catching escapee's, I have
>one on the lose right now, and it is quite young, much faster than my older
>mice, it's so much harder to catch, what method's do you use or suggest.

ah. you are speaking to the inventor of the world's best mouse trap. it will
take some work on your part, but it's free.

here it is.

Get two food cans, one slightly larger than the other so one fits inside the
other. Cut out the tops of each. On the bottom of the larger one, along the
sides, punch holes using one of those triangle-head can openers -- two holes,
not directly opposite each other and not too close to each other. Use a pair
of pliers to enlarge and smooth out the holes you've punched, so that a mouse
can fit through them. Take the smaller can and put it open side down into the
larger can, to make sure it slides freely all the way to the bottom. Now get a
piece of cardboard or paperboard, about 2 inches long and about 1 inch wide.
Fold it in half and cut a corner off the bottom and a nock in the tip such that
when unfolded it looks like this:

__ ___ __
| \ / : \ / |
| : |
| : |
| : |
| : |
| : |
| : |
| X |
| : |
\ : /
\ : /
\ : /
---------

Put a dab of peanut butter at the X, and fold the cardboard along the fold line
such that it forms a 90 degree angle and the peanut butter is in the groove.
Remove the smaller can from the larger can, and place the cardboard into the
larger can with the point down, the peanut butter side against the can wall,
and the nocks up. Now carefully slide the smaller can, open side down, back
into the larger can such that the edges of the smaller can rest in the grooves
of the cardboard. The trap is set. Carefully set the can assembly in a place
where you know the mice are, such that the holes in the larger can face likely
mouse paths.

The trap works in this manner. The mice, passing by the can holes, smell the
peanut butter, and go inside to investigate. Trying to get at the peanut
butter, they pull the cardboard away from the side of the can, dropping the
smaller can to block the entry holes.

It's easy to tell if the trap is tripped -- the inner can will be dropped. To
see if the mouse is in there, gently shake the trap up and down -- you'll feel
the mouse bounce.

Release the mouse by lifting the inner can, and letting the mouse escape out
the entry holes ( watch out, they jump ) . Or you can gently turn over the can
assembly, set it on the ground, lift the outer can off of the inner can, and
use your foot to tip over the inner can.

Mice carry diseases. Flush the cardboard trigger down the toilet, and
sterilize
your can trap by rinsing it in boiling water or bleach water.

Enjoy.
--

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father, but
through me." john 14:6
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

>but how many mice do you have

none right now. but I've owned about a hundred, with a maximum of about
forty-eight at one time. feeding them took an hour each night.
--

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father, but
through me." john 14:6
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

> ah. you are speaking to the inventor of the world's best mouse trap. it
will
> take some work on your part, but it's free.

Thanks Flykiller... this sounds incredibly cool... I am going to give it a
try.... Thanks.
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

> none right now. but I've owned about a hundred, with a maximum of about
> forty-eight at one time. feeding them took an hour each night.

You seem to be a wealth of information where mice are concerned. I was just
wondering what kind of food you fed your mice. I feel that the bagged
mouse/rat food can be blasé at times for them. Any suggestions?
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

In article <jpidb.33787$TM4.6509@pd7tw2no>, kpetersen RemoveThis @shaw.ca (Alikat)
wrote:

> > none right now. but I've owned about a hundred, with a maximum of
> > about
> > forty-eight at one time. feeding them took an hour each night.
>
> You seem to be a wealth of information where mice are concerned. I was
> just
> wondering what kind of food you fed your mice. I feel that the bagged
> mouse/rat food can be blasé at times for them. Any suggestions?
>
>
>
I had been wondering the other day, what food other people fed their
mice, so what does everyone else feed their mice? In the Uk, their is not
a food especially for mice, so I feed my mice hamster food. I'm not even
sure whether hamster food is the best for mice, let me know if any of the
other dry foods is better for mice then the hamster and thanks for any
suggestions.



Chloe <:3>>---
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

We get a mix for mice/rats, which contains pellets as well as dried fruit
and veggies and seeds/nuts, and supplement that with whatever we're having.
They are used to hearing 'Who wants toast!' in the morning, and come running
out for their little bits! They definitely get fresh fruit and veg, and
whatever else happens to be on the menu provided it's not preserved or
salty/spicy.

Y.
--
Lucat bene si ergo
Fortibus es inaero
O nobil demis trux
Sum es causen summit dux
-- Anon


Either Chloe or Liam <joebloggs RemoveThis @hotmail.fake.com> wrote in message
news:memo.20030928183723.53991A@rugrats.compulink.co.uk...
> In article <jpidb.33787$TM4.6509@pd7tw2no>, kpetersen RemoveThis @shaw.ca (Alikat)
> wrote:
>
> > > none right now. but I've owned about a hundred, with a maximum of
> > > about
> > > forty-eight at one time. feeding them took an hour each night.
> >
> > You seem to be a wealth of information where mice are concerned. I was
> > just
> > wondering what kind of food you fed your mice. I feel that the bagged
> > mouse/rat food can be blasé at times for them. Any suggestions?
> >
> >
> >
> I had been wondering the other day, what food other people fed their
> mice, so what does everyone else feed their mice? In the Uk, their is not
> a food especially for mice, so I feed my mice hamster food. I'm not even
> sure whether hamster food is the best for mice, let me know if any of the
> other dry foods is better for mice then the hamster and thanks for any
> suggestions.
>
>
>
> Chloe <:3>>---
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

mice 03.09.29 to escape


Either Chloe or Liam wrote:

>I was wondering if, when mice become tame, they completely
>lose their the instinct to run, if an animal comes up close
>to them, for example a cat.

Maybe not _completely_, but generations of selective breeding
have considerably reduced this instinct in pet mice, and
taming/handling further reduces its expression. (The mice have
learned to trust _you_ being close to the cage, and probably
they can't easily distinguish between you and any other
animal.) Apparently it can be re-learned, to some degree, if
the mice are exposed to animals/predators that move quickly
(but don't _quite_ catch them), or if they escape and live on
their own for a few days, but they seem usually not to become
really good at it and are comparatively easy prey.

>Even though the cat did not get in the cage, I will tell my
>friends to keep the door closed.

It's usually better to be safe than sorry, yes. Most of my
mouse cages are on an open back porch, and so far (about two
years) the neighborhood cat has remained in Galactic Observer
Mode, but I'm keeping my fingers crossed (and trying to make
the cages as cat-resistant as practical).

Don Fitch,
who notes that this newsgroup doesn't seem to propagate well
through his ISP/reader and some or many of the messages simply
don't appear.
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice 

>You seem to be a wealth of information where mice are concerned.

well, I don't know about _that_ ...

>I was just
>wondering what kind of food you fed your mice. I feel that the bagged
>mouse/rat food can be blasé at times for them. Any suggestions?

many people put a lot of thought into the "proper mouse diet". I don't believe
the mice themselves care. they'll eat anything. I fed mine seeds, bread,
cheese, peanut butter, oatmeal, left-over pizza, spaghetti, dry cat food, and
pumpkin pie. the universal favorite was a drop of vegetable cooking oil on a
piece of bread. a few liked corn (maize), and a tiny handful liked fresh
vegetables. as with any pet don't feed them very much fat (cheese, peanut
butter), otherwise just feed them a variety and they'll be fine. also, give
your mice an exercise wheel to run on. mice are made to run, and they'll run
until the day they die if they can.
--

"I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the father, but
through me." john 14:6
 >> Stay informed about: Tame mice