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Phil
AnonyMouse
10/05/2005
14:40:01
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 Subject: Kaytee
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OK, everyone tells their deermouse stories, so here I go!
We live in an area that is WUI-- Wildland Urban Interface. I had been live trapping deermice and rats fairly regularly, catching them in my garage and setting them free in areas that seemed good for deermice but not too close to people. Well, this last winter, we had some incredible rains. In the midst of one downpour, I caught another deermouse.
I was going to let her (it was a female) free, but my wife said: "You can't do that, its RAINING!" So we named her Kaytee, after the first bag of food I bought for her, and she went into a cage. Then she went into a larger cage, and now she has a nicer place to live than I do.
She eats just about anything, and I supplement her "Kaytee" diet with the seed tops of tall grasses, vegys, nuts, fruits, and an occasional piece of catfood (I figure her diet needs a little protein to supplement her lack of bugs in captivity).
Inside her cage, Kaytee built herself a truly magnificent house out of a large piece of tree bark and clean litter.
I put a chew stick on top of her house everyday. In a short while, the chew stick disappears. The next day it reappears in exactly the same spot where I left it, only all the bark is chewed off. When I see that, it just cracks me up! I replace the old stick with a new one, and the dance continues.
I've got more stories, but for now the I'll just say that damn deermouse is more fun than I ever would have imagined!
Oh, one last thig. If you keep your deermouse in the bedroom like we do, keep that wheel well oiled (or the noise will keep you up all night).
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paul
AnonyMouse
10/08/2005
12:24:58
| RE: Kaytee
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Hi Phil,
Thanks for sharing your story with us. A good source of protein is sardines. A good lube for the wheel is chapstick.
paul
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Ann Vole
AnonyMouse
10/19/2005
11:05:19
| RE: Kaytee
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Recent studies in deermouse behaviour showed that deer mice use markers when they are foraging. This is especially usefull in crops like corn where everything looks the same for a half a mile in any direction. The mouse carries a distinctive object to a new foraging area, sets it down and then explores and regularily heads back to the object to start a new search loop. De-barked twigs, brightly coloured stones and even food items like berries are often used as the marker. Just a possible take on your mouse de-barking the twig and moving it around: look to see if the mouse explores a bit then suddenly heads back to the stick before heading back out again.
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Alex
AnonyMouse
10/23/2005
22:07:36
| RE: Kaytee
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Ha! I know that wheel problem all too well! I've had hamsters in my room before, but they never seemed to bother me with their wheel running, but then when I found my Matty, all I had was a rather old and very squeaky wheel for him... I couldn't even keep him in my room it was so loud!
Your mouse sounds like a real cutey. That stick thing must be too adorable.
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laura
AnonyMouse
10/24/2005
01:16:36
| RE: Kaytee
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i've raised a wee deer mouse since he was nearly bald with closed eyes. (found him alone on a hay truck) he's now almost 2 months old and wild active at night. my boyfriend's ingenious solution was to use a bit of beeswax on the wheel. silent as can be and not so toxic as some solutions.
sardines? wow.
so glad to find this site!
laura
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Phil
AnonyMouse
10/28/2005
17:13:54
| RE: Kaytee
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Thanks to everyone for your comments! Ann: I have watched Katyee and she does return briefly to the stick, like it is her base camp, before she continues her travels around her cage. While I like to think that Kaytee is trying to communicate with me with her stick routine (anthropomorphism?), your explanation certainly makes more sense. I have a question: This might be more anthropomorphism, but I am beginning to think Kaytee is getting a little bored. Do you have any suggestions for toys or other items I could put in her cage to amuse her? I haven't seen anything at Petco or Petsmart. Or am I just being ridiculous?
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Ann Vole
AnonyMouse
10/29/2005
00:31:40
| RE: Kaytee
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I read some research on that deermouse marker thing. They figure it is part of the reason Deermice have spread with agriculture while most other rodents are reduced in number or gone extinct.
Any animal with a brain can get bored. The most varied experience you can give to an animal is another animal. Other then a cage mate, here are other things that will be interesting for deer mice:
They like climbing ropes. Sting ropes all over the place. Tubes are fun especially with lots of different openings and changes in direction. There are different types of run wheels and they are a different experience for them using them (especialy those "satalite dish" ones). I find mouse food is real cheap (especially if you mix your own) so I spread their food in the litter so they have to look in the litter for food (stuff to do) and not worry about the food I throw out with the litter. You should give a good variety of foods so trying out new foods every day is a good experience for them.
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laura
AnonyMouse
10/31/2005
01:06:35
| RE: Kaytee
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i hold my deer mouse quite a lot, which seems to keep him somewhat occupied. he has become an expert in sweater sleeve dives (up, across the back and down the other side). which i find hilarious.
he also seems to enjoy running around my house in one of those small clear balls. he's gotten much better at maneuvering around corners without bashing into them, and getting over humps by backing up first. tricky and smart.
laura
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