Help!! Fast!! Please!!!

i do not know what is wrong with my mouse i am not sure if it is male or female but i went on vacation for 5 days to CA. and when i looked at my miceand one is all swollen like in the stomach area and if you flip it one its back it spines around tons of times to try to get back up and like it seems like it hurt to use some of it legs and just tucks them up. Please help fast. thanks
Christopher

Is it pregnant? A female mouse's nipples will noticeably increase in size during a pregnancy. By the way, I have found it easier to sex mice/rats by if they have visible nipples. Even when a female is not pregnant, her nipples will be visible through her fur. Hope this helps.

Well also judgeing the distance between the anus and the external genitalia. It's greater in mice...and yes the nipples.

Just to state the obvious... male mice have large testicles that are very easy to notice (unless its in a bachelor hovel, sometimes those males' testicles are harder to find, as they can actually recede inside the body (in a bachelor hovel, USUALLY only the dominant male is able to produce viable sperm, or produce sperm at all))

If you aren't sure its pregnant, or just sick... I'd take it to the vet to be sure. I have had 2 mice look pregnant, and not be (I knew they weren't, as they hadn't been in with a male) one had a gas bubble outside her gastric passage (was easily drained with a hollow needle) the other had gastroenteritis, and had to be euthenized (or pay $350 for surgery to fix it).

About how old is the mouse?

My obvious guess would be megacolon. A condition where the normal motions of the intestines don't function properly, and on a high fiber diet they cannot have normal bowel movements and they slowly start to swell up from the impaction. They're typically lethargic, hunched, and don't move much because of the pain internally. Most will develop symptoms 2-3 weeks after being weaned, as they're eating solid food that causes the condition to deteriorate. There is no cure, and it is genetic. So if it ends up looking like that, your best bet would be to euthanize the mouse before it has a chance to reproduce.

Megacolon Information


:-offtopic

Gintha, good grief. ALL male mice produce viable sperm, regardless of housing arrangement. They're not creatures that naturally live communally, therefore they don't have reproductive strategies that are adapted for only one male being fertile. The receding testicles is usually a social tactic used to avoid getting them bitten off in a fight. It doesn't mean their testicles are shrunk and barren. I for one would like to written documentation proving such claims. Or unless its like that mythical National Geographic episode that you keep "forgetting" about.

Actually... I got that from "Veterinary Guide to the Care of Mice" the sterility part. As for the NG episode.. look it up for gods sakes... I have better things to do than search websites for people who are too lazy to do it themselves!

Gintha said:

Actually... I got that from "Veterinary Guide to the Care of Mice" the sterility part. As for the NG episode.. look it up for gods sakes... I have better things to do than search websites for people who are too lazy to do it themselves!

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But you have time to post your intelligence cridentials in irrelevant threads? :shrugs:

If you actually read the entire thread Joe, I was defending myself.

Gintha said:

If you actually read the entire thread Joe, I was defending myself.

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I in fact did read the entire thread, and I don't agree.

Regardless, this whole 'look it up yourself' bit it akin to me saying "Cornsnakes do best on a diet of kielbasa. I read it somewhere, but if you want to know where you go look it up."

Lazy, that's funny. Actually I spent two hours last night trying to look it up and came up with zilch. I was unable to find a single National Geographic video pertaining to mice.

If you've seen it and have suggested it for viewing, then you should know the title and be able to quickly jot it down for the rest of us. It's called 'being considerate'. I mean, I watch a lot of programming that most skip by, but if it catches my eye enough into things I'm interested in, the title sticks to me like a glue trap.

But Joe's right..you've got the time to list all of your credentials and what makes you speshul rather than indulging us into answering questions that you *should* know the answers to. :shrugs:

*sigh* I told the its NG... got to the NG webpage, type in your login info.. and use search... not exactely hard. And no, I'm not doing it for them, why should I? Do I care if they watch it? No. Its up to them... if its so important to them.. look it up.

the little mouse is already gone now. I do not think it is what you said because it was a few month old.


:-offtopic Gintha you shouldn't give out information that is provocative without backing it up and i am officially kicking you out of this thread :grabbit:
jk I'm just messin :noevil:

Gintha said:

*sigh* I told the its NG... got to the NG webpage, type in your login info.. and use search... not exactely hard. And no, I'm not doing it for them, why should I? Do I care if they watch it? No. Its up to them... if its so important to them.. look it up.

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Are you serious? You made a claim---and you need to provide proof. You have the burden of proof. Do you expect to be taken seriously here if you just go around spouting 'facts' without any proof to back it up?

Should I start calling you Vinman already?

Gintha said:

Actually... I got that from "Veterinary Guide to the Care of Mice" the sterility part. As for the NG episode.. look it up for gods sakes... I have better things to do than search websites for people who are too lazy to do it themselves!

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I agree Joejr14. :-offtopic But wait Heather. were you not the one who said you would look it up?

So let me get this straight..at 2 you knew your ABC's? At 4 you were READING ? You've been a MENSA member since you were 5. at 9 u started breeding mice AND working on a Genetics project. Truly this sounds like a load o Horse s***. Yet your in College at the age of 23, and as soon as some people on the feeder forum ask you to find the name of the NG...you flee, and don't answer. I may be young. But at least I have the guts to tell the truth. Oh wait......What have you been doing from the ages of 9 through 23, other then breeding? Seriously. I really am starting to join the side of Taceas. I find it kinda funny with someone of your intellect, you would be a someone out in the world. Really.

Gintha~
A direct quote from your post:
"theres an excelent National Geographic documentary on why male mice do this... it also talks about why females eat their own pups too. If you have a decent library, they should have this on CD or DVD."

uuuummmmm.........WHY would you need to spend any time looking up the info? Just go to your libraries web site and look it up.

YOU used the supposed information on that video to directly contradict my personal experience in rearing mice~ I'd just like to know where you could have possibly gotten that info......as I am pretty sure it is WRONG~ but I'm sure you wouldn't dare lie or exaggerate anything...........so just clue me into the name of the program and I’ll learn something new about mice.

I really don’t understand why you would promise to get me the info on Monday~ and then refuse on Wednesday??

Thanks

Feeling clucky all of a sudden?



I just find it humorous that EVERY thing you've recommended with rodents is counter-productive to feeder breeding as a whole, and the exact opposite of the tried and true methods everyone else uses. Your practices may work for breeding for pet or show mice, but definitely not for those of us who are more interested in constant output.

And when you have one bit of evidence to back up your claims, a video you've purported to say just that. You said you'd get the title for Cheryl and two days later you're reluctant to pull out the information especially when its so easy for you to find. But you can't lift a finger to back up your claims.

Tell me how when given that one day to mate you expect the female to get pregnant? Do you have it charted the last time they ovulated? Because they're only in estrus for a few hours at a time every so many days. Rodents are made for breeding, because lots of other animals find them tasty to eat. Intentional breeding of Male A to Female C might give you the desired traits for a show animal, but its not all that practical for feeder rodents. I stick mice I like the looks of together and am surprised at what I get in a month. The health and number of the offspring are all that concern me.

Having oodles of intelligence is one thing, being able to use it to benefit things other than yourself is something else. I think you have a LOT of growing up to do. And hopefully you can find a life outside of "imaginary land" long enough to realize that bogus claims really aren't that impressive to others. Now I can actually say I've met a pathological liar.

Well i dont think she will be posting in the feeder Forums for a while :grin01:

Yes I chart their ovulation, and I have stated... oh... 16 or so times that my experiences are with pet breeding, and may be different for feeder breeding. And I'm refusing to look it up because I have no time to do it myself, I'm barely managing to stay out of the hospital, and I have finals to study for... I've given you folks everything you need to look it up.

Things that make ya go...Hmmm?

Gintha said:

I can try to find the link for you tomorrow night.. need sleep right now. Should be home at.. erm...9-11 EST tomorrow night. Toss me a PM tomorrow evening so I remember =)

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Copied from the "Seperating pregnant mice..." thread posted on 11-21-05.
Pertaining to the requested name of the National Geographic documentation.

Gintha said:

As for the NG episode.. look it up for gods sakes... I have better things to do than search websites for people who are too lazy to do it themselves!

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Copied from the "Help!! Fast!! Please!!!" thread posted on 11-23-05.

Gintha said:

*sigh* I told the its NG... got to the NG webpage, type in your login info.. and use search... not exactely hard. And no, I'm not doing it for them, why should I? Do I care if they watch it? No. Its up to them... if its so important to them.. look it up.

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Copied from the "Help!! Fast!! Please!!!" thread posted on 11-23-05.
My oh my how your tune changed in just 2 days from trying to be helpful to down right rude. Even after you requested a reminder!

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Gintha said:

I also use a home mixed food source, not a store bought one as they are high in preservatives and "fillers", which, according to the companies, in most cases is paper mill products ~,~ I fed on store foods for the first 8 years and switched to home mixed for the last 7 years, they are MUCH healthier and produce many more babies =) When I get home I can do the math and post on here the ingredients I use and in what ratio I use them.. don't think anyone needs a supply for 2000 mice hehe

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Copied from the "Peanut Butter? thread posted on 11-07-05.
We never did see the math on this makeup.

Gintha said:

There is a recipe in one post I did for the food I use... home made diet, tried and tested by 100s of breeders hehe =) By far the healthiest and no additives or preservatives! I'll try and link to the post tomorrow.. need to go to bed now hehe... midterm tomorrow ~,~

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Copied from the "Rabbit pellets..." thread posted on 11-21-05.
No linky linky?

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Gintha said:

(I have around 1400 ATM =D)

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Copied from the "Mouse with sore nose?" thread posted on 11-04-05

Gintha said:

(Yes, 2000... thats the breeding age adults, sub adults, and the weenlings, my base breeding set up it 400 breeding pairs).

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Copied from the "Peanut Butter?" thread posted on 11-07-05.
Only three days after you claimed to have 1,400 mice.

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Gintha said:

Many of mine are checked for estrous on a daily basis and are placed in a glad-ware container with a male for 4 hours, then put back with the other females.

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Copied from the "Peanut Butter?" thread posted on 11-07-05

Gintha said:

My males are all housed in separate homes, and the breeding is selective, I chose the male and the female and give them 1 day to breed, but I breed cause I like it.. not for food.

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Copied from the thread "Seperating pregnant mice..." thread posted on 11-21-05.
So which is it? 4 hours or 1 day?

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Gintha said:

The females are all in one hovel. (room has 3 walls of males lone housed, and a huge 18' hovel in the middle for the females, shaped like a square-ish U... takes around 21 hours a week to clean all the lones and the hovel, them females go into a 60 gallon tank while we clean the hovel)

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Copied from the "Peanut Butter?" thread posted on 11-07-05.
I would absolutely love to see pictures of this setup. Oh and 18' to a 60 gallon tank? 100's upon 100's of females as you claim?! Hmm...

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Gintha said:

I've been breeding mice for 12 ish years now, and they've always been on pine, have never seen a problem with them yet.

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Copied from the "Big Pile of Babies!" thread posted on 10-24-05.

Gintha said:

I can tell you 100% sure pine DOES cause problems for mice, since I stopped using pine my brood has endured longer lifespans (51.75% longer to be exact).

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Copied from the "What Substrate/Bedding Do You Suggest?" thread posted on 11-21-05.
Interesting, nearly a month ago you laid claim to no problems at all with pine bedding and had been using it for "12 ish" years. I'd sure like to know where your 51.75% longer life span statistic comes from, in less than a month!

Gintha said:

In 15 years I have NEVER had an infertile mouse... not one! Thats 0 infertile in... oh... over 10,000 approximately... would have to get the ledger out for exact numbers. I've also had litters 25+ from fancy mice, which far exceeds my largest "lab mouse" litter of 17.

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Copied from the "infertile mice" thread posted on 11-20-05.
Cool, in less than a month you gained 3 years of rodent rearing experience.

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Gintha said:

Certain breeds of mice cannot breed until they are almost 3 years old, others breed at 4 months.

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Copied from the "infertile mice" thread posted on 11-20-05.
I know you are the expert here, but I have had females go as young as 5-6 weeks.

Gintha said:

My first 100 mice were bought as "feeders" and I have 1000s now, have bred and sold over 10,000 babies hehe... *proud mousey momma*

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Copied from the "infertile mice" thread posted on 11-21-05.
These numbers just don't add up. We've produced somewhere in the neighborhood of 5,000 mice this year alone and have no where near the number of breeders you claim to have (400 breeding pairs or 1000s, depending on which post you want to recall). And before you ramble about selectively breeding pet and show mice, therefore you don't accumulate the number we "prey item" breeders do. Why would you have 1000s of mice (producing as high as 17-25 count litters, as you seemingly are bragging about in another post from just a day earlier) if you weren't going for numbers?

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Gintha said:

Actually... I got that from "Veterinary Guide to the Care of Mice" the sterility part.

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Copied from the "Help!! Fast!! Please!!!" thread posted on 11-23-05.
Please disclose the reference source for this, I'd love to read it! (Of course, I know that won't happen.)

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Gintha said:

My ex fiance has a HUGE Boa... shes at least 15 feet (non sure what her exact species is... not the normal kind.. shes green =P) and shes a pain in the butt!

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Copied from the "new snake!!!" thread posted on 11-21-05.
Wow, a 15' green boa, huh? Better call the people at GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS about this!


These are just snippets from your last 100 posts. For some reason it would only allow me to call up 100, I 'spose the forum software was trying to spare you. As I'm fairly sure I could come up with at least a few more interesting reads.

Oh, and I did not include some of the trival things. Such as when you argued with Katie about Hagen being a Canadian company. In fact, Hagen is a international company, however their world headquarters are located in Montreal, Canada and was founded there by Mr. Rolf C. Hagen in 1955 as a one man operation. Here's a link to further your education on the subject.

http://www.hagen.com/usa/about.cfm

DAMN quigs!!!

15' green boa? No such thing hun...just for the record.