29
August
2007
Having a horrid time here. Went to give Felix and dutch-foster their dinner last night and found Felix laying on his side on the floor. He wasn’t moving at all and his eyes looked glazed over so I instantly thought he was dead, only as I picked the cage up his tail moved. He felt almost cold to the touch so I sat with him in my cupped hands for a while totally expecting him to slip away there and then. Instead he started to warm up and blinked a few times after which his eyes lost the horrible glazed over look and it soon became obvious that he’d had a stroke and couldn’t move. 
Basically to cut a long story short I spent last night propped up in bed with my poorly boy alternating between laying on my chest to keep warm and in a fleece pouch in an open hospital tank next to me. He’d drunk a fair bit of water when I offered it to him soon after finding him and seemed to pick up a little bit after that so I made up a jug of lactol (puppy milk) and kept offering it to him from a syringe throughout the night. At one point he tried to sit himself up and started to wash his nose with one paw but his balance failed him so I had to hold him up. What is etched in my memory though is when I stirred from a doze at about 4am, picked him up from the tank and he started bruxing at me. He took a good amount of the milk, had a scratch, had a wash and then sat and nodded off in my hand as I rubbed behind his ears. After that I hoped desperately that he’d get some more movement back and that perhaps with some steriods he might be OK but unfortunately it wasn’t to be and by this morning I knew I had to make the heartbreaking decision to have him put to sleep. I’ll admit that several times I picked up the phone to make the appointment with the vet and put it back down again - he was sleeping quite comfortably at the time and having battled all night to keep him alive the guilt was horrible but with it having been 12 hrs since I’d first found him by this point I knew he wasn’t going to recover. So we made that last journey together.
As usual I’m sat here now faced with the prospect of burying a much loved mouse thinking that I can’t do this anymore. There are times when all little ones I’ve lost over the years and all the circumstances I lost them in just become overwhelming. Because all my mice are rescues and therefore from unknown and less than ideal backgrounds I think its fair to say that I deal with more illnesses and premature deaths than the average mouse owner and I wouldn’t have it any other way but on days like today it can weigh quite heavily. Fortunately I know the feeling will pass and I’ll start to remember all the positive things as well but right now I need to go say goodbye to my little fighter.
Posted: News
22
August
2007
Well unfortunately things have not been good here since my last blog entry. On Monday I found Benji dead in his bed and today little Fanulla aka Lucy. Both have upset me very much as I hate loosing young mice, Benji died on the 1st anniversary of him coming here and was only 14-15 months old and Fanulla wasn’t even a year old by my estimation and has only been with me since April. Both looked quite peaceful but they were too young to go and I just hope desperately that it is a horrid coincidence and that their deaths aren’t connected in anyway. I can’t see any reason they should be but I shall be keeping a very close eye on the remaining 4 in that cage none the less, although thankfully with the exception of my now elderly Whisper (around 18 months) everyone else looks in perfect health.
Rest in peace my two sweet little meeces, I shall miss you both.
Posted: News
18
August
2007
I’m pleased to report that Elliott foster had his neuter yesterday and that it went perfectly. 
He apparently came round and was eating, drinking and running around in such a short time that it was almost as if he hadn’t noticed - I however dislike the time in between dropping one of them off and hearing that they’re OK so much that I almost wonder if it was a worse experience for me than it was for him!
Anyway when we went back in this evening for his post op check the vet on duty happened to be my favourite one. They’re all great at my local branch but she’s just fabulous and natters away to the meeces just as she would a dog or cat. She picked Elliott up to check his op site (’come on monkey lets have a look at your boy bits’) and promptly exclaimed ‘Oh that looks beautiful’!! Now I’m really pleased with how clean and neat his little scars are but had to laugh, not sure there are many people that would describe a mouses recently operated on scrotum as beautiful!! 
Posted: News 1 Comment »
15
August
2007
I acquired a new foster boy Monday lunchtime after seeing a thread about him on the fancy-rats forum. He was to be homed on his own having proven to be extremely aggressive with other mice so after asking about any health problems I offered to have him here in order to be neutered and then (hopefully!) introduced to dutch foster. The lady who was looking after him kindly offered to bring him to me which was great, it’s always nice to meet another mouse person. 
There is some confusion over the new boys age, he’s been in rescue for 6 months and the person who handed him in said he was a year old at the time although its obvious at a glance that he’s nowhere near 18 months, not even a year now by my estimation! Anyway he is a gorgeous, healthy and active little guy who goes by the name of Elliott. I don’t name my foster mice to try and prevent myself becoming too attached to them but as he came with a name it seems a shame to drop it so he’ll be Elliott foster whilst he’s here. I plan to book him in for a check with my vet to discuss neutering later in the week.
Whilst we’re on the subject of fosters I had an update on lilac foster from his new foster home. Happily he and his hammie friend have been successfully introduced and now get on well and sleep together (bless!) and will be able to go up for homing very soon.
Finally I wanted to thank everyone who follows this blog and especially those of you who have sent me emails or added comments since I started it. I didn’t know whether people would be really be interested when I decided to add the mouse diaries to the site so the lovely comments, enquiries and condolences over the past few months have been very gratefully received, thank you!
Posted: News 2 Comments »
12
August
2007
My old girl Hazel passed away this morning. She was already full grown when she arrived here on 22nd March 2006 so she was fast approaching 2 if not already and has been looking elderly for a while now but even so I’m very sad to lose her. Sleep tight sweet girl. x
Posted: News 1 Comment »
3
August
2007
Well there really hasn’t been much to report here lately, which is either a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it!! However since it has been ages since my last blog entry I thought I’d share with you some photos I took during tonights cleaning and play time.
^ Whisper
^ Ebony the sniffer-mouse!
^ Felix looking fab since his op
^ Dutch foster (on my shoulder)
^ And Grace and Hoggle now the best of friends and enjoying their new toy
Posted: News 2 Comments »
