# Bawling...



## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Hey. Sorry for posting this here, no one in my family wants to hear about it... My dog has been on a mouse-hunting frenzy and has so far caught two and killed one. I found her with the second one, chasing it around the living room. I tackled her and grabbed the tail and started screaming at her to drop it. Lo and behold, my parents were then at the door, trying to get in after telling me to lock it when they left. I got the mouse from Daisy, my dog, ran to the kitchen and put it in a container and slapped a lid on it, unlocked the door for my parents and ran to the nearest light to check out the mouse. My mum started freaking out because she hates mice and my dad rolled his eyes and left the room. I could tell that my dog had bitten through the mouse's abdomen and had broken it's leg. My mum was screaming at me to get it out and I tried to tell her that it was hurt, but she said that nature would do it's thing and for me to take it outside. I walked down to the woods by my house and opened the container and stepped back. Nothing. I dumped it out of the container. It sat there staring at me. I shooed it. Nothing. I picked him back up and took him back home and told my mum that I couldn't kill him in the -20 weather with a broken leg and a bloody stomach and she started yelling for my dad. That was when I put the mouse down and ran out the room bawling. I don't understand why this is bothering me so much. I haven't cried like this since I ripped a tendon in my shoulder and my friend jumped on my back. I'm the one who's the animal expert and picks up the dead animals outside when something happens. What is wrong with me about this stupid little mouse?!


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

Hey there,

You said "what is wrong with you about this stupid little mouse", I will tell you now that there is nothing wrong with you.... you care and that is something to feel proud of not be ashamed of. The poor little mouse was suffering and you wanted to help it.... it isn't easy when sometimes our family does not understand about these things..... All animals have feelings and feel pain and fear just as much as they can feel love and contentment. Just because people label certain animals a 'pests' does not mean that these animals are just items to be disposed of they have feelings too. 

I really look up to you for trying to save the little mouse..... you were the only one who cared while others would look on and do nothing. I found a baby rat once.... she was tiny about 3cm long and something had ripped into her nest and her parents had either died in the attack or abandoned her. I heard her crying and knew I couldn't just sit back and let something come along and eat her or let her starve to death so I decided to hand raise it. It was hard work like I had never known and physically exhausting being up every hour through the night sterilizing her feeding equimpent, mixing up formula and heating it to the correct temperature, I had no idea what I was in for but I would do it all again tomorrow if I had to. I named her Pumpkin and yes she is a wild rat that everyone considers vermin and a pest but I love her. She is nearly three years old now and I kept her as a pet.

Mum wasn't too worried about me hand raising her...... she used to be scared of rats and mice until she got to know Pumpkin and now she just thinks they are cute. Dad used to poison all of the rats and mice at our place, he hated them so you can imagine the fit he had when I told him determinedly that I was going to hand raise her and keep her as a pet...... it took about 3 days for him to get over it..... he really came to like Pumpkin and was offering to pick me up fresh formula from the shops whenever I needed it..... he hasn't poisoned them since and instead allows me to trap them with humane live cage traps and then relocate them in the bush away from houses where they won't bother anyone and no one will hurt them. It was a huge thing for dad to change like that because he was bought up to believe that the only good mouse/rat was a dead one but him seeing how affectionate Pumpkin is has changed him for the better.

I get a lot of 'you are crazy' when I tell people about Pumpkin but I don't really mind. I know that I saved her from certain death and have given her a good home and she is a wonderful pet..... no different from the rate that you buy from the pet shops.

Anyway the point I wanted to get across is that caring can be hard sometimes especially if people have different views from us but when it comes down to it it is how we feel deep down that counts, you cared about the little mouse and to me that makes you a better person, don't let anyone change you


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

I had just stopped crying, and now I am again! Thank you, that was what I needed to hear. Even if I had come in and said I was keeping my parents would have just taken it from my room when I was sleeping, so I know that there was no hope... But I assume we'll be seeing him again soon, my dad just let him out in the front yard, so I hope he just climbs right back in :') And I didn't mean to say "stupid little mouse' harshly, I know there are a lot of mice lovers on here, like me, in fact. I just meant that he was one in a million and I had dealt with these guys for so long and never really gotten this upset. I guess it's because I was just cleaning up after the dogs and by then it was too late, but this guy... He was alive, unlike the rest. Thank you again, veggiegirl.


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

it's hard to see an animal in distress and know you can't help it. Totally understandable!

I was in the same position once with my dog going after a mouse in the house. I let him kill it and said "good doggie!". That was his job.

BUT after that I bought a haveAheart mousetrap and caught/released them before the dog even knew they were there.


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

No problems, I meant every word


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

Registereduser, that is what I like to hear (about the haveaheart mouse trap, NOT the good doggie bit, just thought I would clarify) Sometimes it seems like no one cares but when you hear things like these posts from you guys, well, it makes me feel good good on you both


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

veggiegirl said:


> Registereduser, that is what I like to hear (about the haveaheart mouse trap, NOT the good doggie bit, just thought I would clarify) Sometimes it seems like no one cares but when you hear things like these posts from you guys, well, it makes me feel good good on you both


I wasn't exactly happy about my dog doing that but he obviously enjoyed it and was proud of himself. It was a quick kill. Circle of life yadda yadda ;-)


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

Oh well I was just happy to hear about the haveaheart mouse trap, what type of dog do you have? My Aunt has Jack Russell's and always encourages them to chase and kill rats and mice which I must admit upsets me trouble is several of her dogs have died because she was egging the dogs on to get them to chase what she thought was a rat or mouse and it turned out to be snakes.


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## thekinetic (May 22, 2012)

Sometimes there is not much you can do Elsewhere. With the injuries that mouse sustained the best you probably could of done is make it comfortable.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

About the dogs, terriers were bred for rodent baiting. In fact, many terrier clubs still practice it, though it is done humanely. I would refrain from panicking and yelling at the dog anymore. Daisy is hardwired for it. It's like yelling at a greyhound for running after a lure or yelling at a german shepherd after it protects its family. *sorry, had to step in about the dog*

Sorry you had to experience this whole debacle. The poor little mouse will pass on and more will come. Having rodent infestations is hard because they're larger and mammalian and therefore killing them evokes sympathy and compassion (unlike insect pests)..


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## LadyVictorian (Nov 23, 2011)

Laki said:


> About the dogs, terriers were bred for rodent baiting. In fact, many terrier clubs still practice it, though it is done humanely. I would refrain from panicking and yelling at the dog anymore. Daisy is hardwired for it. It's like yelling at a greyhound for running after a lure or yelling at a german shepherd after it protects its family. *sorry, had to step in about the dog*
> 
> Sorry you had to experience this whole debacle. The poor little mouse will pass on and more will come. Having rodent infestations is hard because they're larger and mammalian and therefore killing them evokes sympathy and compassion (unlike insect pests)..


Our dogs are hardwired to kill rodents too, thankfully my rats are hardwired to kill stupid obnoxious small dogs xD.

Our minpins went into my bedroom while my rats were in their playpen so I could clean the cage and Fili FORCED herself through the bars of the playpen so she could attack the dogs. Both ran from the room screaming and Fili was chasing them down the hall with tail raised. She's such a monster, god I love her. 

But I can understand your compassion for the mouse. As someone who has owned and loved pet mice every time I see a wild mouse in need I jump into action to save it. They are such wonderful and brave little beasts, it's no wonder they and rats are seen as holy animals in other countries.


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## Saphira101 (Nov 14, 2012)

A few years back, my friend, brother, and I once saved a mouse from our cat... We had her in an old fish tank lined with newspaper, we fed her cat food, rice, corn chips, etc. One day she started shredding the paper and hiding in it. a few days later we looked under it and she had given birth to seven babies!!! they were raised successfully to their teens at which point we released the lot of them. They always acted wild in the tank, never got the whole domesticity thing... I think they made it in the wild. Mama taught them well. ;-)


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## Elsewhere (Dec 30, 2012)

Daisy is a mutt and I believe is a German Shepperd/Hound/Jack Russel Terrier/Whippet, so I know she's wired to hunt, she always gets the mice and chipmunks, but usually when I'm not around and I just clean up the mess. I was screaming because she wouldn't let go XD I'm so glad to see all of you other mice and rat lovers here... My mother is terrified of them and will never, ever let me get one. I broke the news to her last night that with three mice now being found by our dog in the house, they most likely have a nest. Which I have no problem with, but she was hysteric. She wants to go out and buy as many mouse traps as possible, and I told her if she did that I would move out. Humane traps only. Hopefully she listens.


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

I lived in a +100 year old house before I moved here, that house was OLD (newspapers as insulation) and the entire inside of the walls was just a gigantic mouse maze. There were holes everywhere, they were able to get into our bedroom on the top floor and steal my bunny's hay. I hated to see them around, they were on the counters (I soaked my dogs food in water and ACV which they ate until I discovered them IN the bowl) they were just ugh.. The home owner used glue traps and since he worked all day it was me and my bf who had to release them off the glue traps with oil. Such a sin it was, glue traps are the worst even if they do survive. 

I don't know but humane traps don't work unless they are brought like a Km away because they will just come back. Or end in someone else's house/barn to be killed. It's a vicious cycle. Before we moved, matt and the homeowner were setting snap traps and baiting them with ACV dog food (the mice really seemed to enjoy that treat) and then snap they were dead. I hated it, I was anxious and tense every time I was in the kitchen bc I did NOT want to hear a trap so I made a ruckus and lots of noise so they would stay hidden. 

I had a lot of pet mice as a kid. They were GREAT little pets! Males smell a bit but they can be so affectionate. 

Lol LV, your minipins were probably very embarrassed about the incident. My terrier was bitten and chased by my sister's first couple of rats. He knew not to chase them afterwards and was in fact, quite docile around them.


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## registereduser (Jul 30, 2010)

yep, my dog was a JRT! My favorite breed! Altho I don't have one now. :-(

Any critter that gets into my house is fair game, spider, gnat, mouse, ants, whatever. That's MY domain and the dog's & cat's, so if they want to go after something they can. 

I would never use any kind of trap besides a catch 'em alive type. Any other kind just makes a mess and of course causes suffering.


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## Saphira101 (Nov 14, 2012)

*Another one...*

Just found another field mouse today :roll:

I think it might be a pregnant female, as she had this nest of fluff that we found her in. (no babies.) 

She's in pretty much the same setup as the other one. My brother and I had some trouble getting her to go in though. My brother picked her up, and she jumped out of his hand across the room. We spent a while chasing her, and after much frantic cursing and screaming, we caught her. We agreed to never pick up a wild mouse inside of the house again. Instead we'll *gently* tip her from her container into the big tank/habitat/enclosure/whatever you call it. My parents say we can keep her, (as long as she doesn't escape) and they don't really mind if she has babies. I asked them why they won't let me have a mouse from the pet store, but will let me have a wild *possibly pregnant* one. They said that it's because the pet store ones always look sickly and smell weird, and the wild ones are way cuter. :lol:

Her name is Emma.


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## thekinetic (May 22, 2012)

Be careful saphira, wild mice could have all kinds of diseases or parasites!O_O

They are cute though, I've caught them before! ^_^


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## Laki (Aug 24, 2011)

Be aware too that the babies might not survive and if they do they might not socialise to humans. They are awfully cute though.


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## trilobite (May 18, 2011)

My dog kills hedgehogs that wander onto our property  and brings their prickles inside for me to stand on


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## veggiegirl (Nov 20, 2012)

I rescued an orphan baby mouse once (aka wild house mouse) she was a pinky and so very tiny her eyes were closed too. Raising her was very difficult because it was hard finding a tube that was small enough for her to suckle from. I did it though, her name was muffin and I loved her dearly, this was years ago now and she is no longer with me but I felt like she was my baby, I spent so so so much time hand raising her (a kookaburra got into her nest and ate some of the other babies and either ate the parents or scared them away. I saw it happen, when I realised what was going on I ran over and saved her, unfortunately her sister cupcake did not survive. 

When muffin was a week or so old and had the beginnings of fur but her eyes were still closed I would sit on the floor and sit her on the floor in front of me while I cleaned her cage. She would wander around blindly calling desperately for me and when she found my hand she would quickly climb up on it and curl up for a nap. As she got older if I placed her on the floor she would follow me around. She was very stubborn and never wanted to sleep in the nice warm bed I made her, she was only ever happy sleeping in the palm of my hand. When I tried to put her in her cage she would desperately cling to my finger and attempt to climb back into the palm of my hand to sleep. She was very tame and no different to a petshop mouse, probably tamer because she was hand-reared. It broke my heart when she died, she left a hole in my heart

My rat was also a rescued orphan wild rat , I posted about pumpkin in this thread already. I have some domestic pet mice currently (maisy, daisy and chickpea) I love them dearly but the only thing I do not like about owning mice/rats is that they are prone to tumors and it is just so heartbreaking. We do not have any vets in the area that have the experience to remove a tumor though they are willing to do research for more simple rodent illnesses that simply require medication. I would recommend a pet mouse or rat to anyone who loves cute, friendly pets it is surprising how much they can touch your heart, such special little creatures wild ones and all.


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## Saphira101 (Nov 14, 2012)

thekinetic said:


> Be careful saphira, wild mice could have all kinds of diseases or parasites!O_O




She actually seems WAY healthier and more energetic than any mouse I've ever seen at a pet store. IMO, the pet store ones are always lethargic (In the store, at least) but she's not. She just scurries around her cage, gathering up pieces of food and whatnot. I hope she has babies, even if they aren't social!! ::-D


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## Little Leaf (Jul 7, 2012)

trilobite said:


> My dog kills hedgehogs that wander onto our property  and brings their prickles inside for me to stand on


maybe he wants to make a doormat for you! go thank your dog xD


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## Skyewillow (Dec 28, 2012)

I grew up in a farmhouse, I've had pet mice and rats. My dad had a wild mouse he used to leave cornflakes out for. We had cats and dogs to keep the wild beasties hidden (they were terrible mousers). We've always relocated them when they were caught out in the open. We also relocated a bat from the living room ceiling fan to outside. lol

However, I had a dog who was "rat control", I don't mind the rats climbing in the feed bins, or even living in the basement, but once they attack my livestock (we'd lose chicks/ducklings all the time), or leave massive tunnels for me to twist my ankle in through the stall floors, then we have an issue.


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## Saphira101 (Nov 14, 2012)

Arrrgh!! rats are the worst!! lost like 50 ducklings to them once. :'(


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## MyRainbowBettaFish (May 9, 2012)

this has happened to me countless times, and i am deifnetely not as strong as you are when it comes to wounded animals. I cant even watch Humane Society commercials, yet again i dont think anyone can.

Im so sorry you had to witness such a horrible thing. I feel like crying 
R.I.P Mouse


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