So Small, So Many, So Loved

[Muffinluv]

Hello BB

I tried to write this post a couple of weeks ago but I was still too emotionally distraught.

You don’t know as I haven’t posted about it anywhere, but me and a friend have been hand raising baby mice.  We found one orphan months ago that had been inexplicably left by her mother to die.  (Later we found out she had neurological problems and the mommy left her there because in the wild she would have died and been a waste of milk/energy) so we took her in and cared for her.

“This is Teeny,  She is still alive.”

A couple of months passed with Teeny living as a pampered pet when my friend saw her cat digging in the compost bin.  She ran outside and found him munching on a adult mouse.  In the bin were six orphaned baby mice.

After our success with Teeny, we felt obligated to at least TRY to raise the mice.

  

“Look at those cuties!”

We did the same routine (Only six feedings every two hours instead of one…)  The population was an even split.  Three girls, Three boys. The girls, Melon, Raisin, and Habit. The boys, Pumpkin, Monroe, and Digger.  Everything was going well.  And suddenly they opened their eyes and their world expanded.

 

“They even started eating on their own!”

We still continued to feed them, however we gave them the option to eat solid food if they wanted to.  We were sure we were passed the point of worry when we found Raisin…  Dead.

We bawled our eyes out.  But we still needed to take care of the rest.  That’s when we noticed Monroe convulsing and gaping (Opening his mouth wide and *gasping*) we were very worried and called the vet.  While we were on the phone he started clicking.  We knew he was going to die.  We petted him and he was rushed to the vet but he died at 9:33 PM.  The vet suspected a contagion and we removed the mice and sterilized the environment.  She couldn’t prescribe antibiotics because a) We had no clue what we were dealing with and b) They were all too young.  It was all in vain.  One after the other they developed the same pre-death symptoms.  The order of deaths, first to die at the top and last at the bottom:

Raisin

“She was always ‘raisin’ trouble!  Squeaking till our ears were sore and nipping at her siblings.”

Monroe

“So classy, he was always well behaved and ate plenty at feeding time.”

Melon

“She was round and pudgy, and have the cutest little permanent 90 degree bend in her tail. She was picked on by Raisin alot.”

Habit

“She ALWAYS felt like eating more than her share, and HAD to sleep in the corner of HER box.”

Digger

“Always on the move, he would try to push his head between your fingers and dig and squeak if he couldn’t.”

Pumpkin

“He was the last, and the fattest.  He probably ate more than the others and that kept him alive so long.  He was looking everywhere in the cage when the others were gone.  Looking for his brothers and sisters.  I’m sad he’s gone, but he would have been so lonely if he was the only one left.  He was so social.”

I miss you all

R.I.P

[Stickerbunny]

Aw. Sorry you lost them, but at least they had a chance and were loved rather than starving cold in the compost bin, so you gave them more than most would. R.I.P little mice.

[LongEaredLions]

Oh MuffinLuv, I am so sorry. You clearly did best by them, but sometimes nature just has its ways. Thank you for giving them a chance at love and life, I am sure they were very happy with you. Thinking of you, Muffin and Teeny.
((((((Scamper free Raisin, Monroe, Melon, Habit, Digger, and Pumpkin))))))

[Deleted User]

Soooo sad Muffinluv, but how wonderful are you. Take comfort that you tried – you at least gave them a chance at life, a lot wouldn’t.
Take care and pass on our best to your friend too.

[Sarita]

That is so sad – I love mice too.

I once found a little white mouse out in a parking lot where I lived and well, of course she was pregnant and had 6 babies – 3 boys/3 girls.

Funny how these tiny creatures make such a big impact.

[Muffinluv]

Thanks guys

Teeny is doing pretty well too. She’s learning to cope with her little twitches and spasms. So far the vet says she’s going to be fine… I just hope she doesn’t catch the clicky flu as well..

[MoxieMeadows]

I’m sorry that this had to happen to you, we went through something similar with ducklings. We had bought a new parrot and she gave our ducklings a disease. It was horrible.

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