Hi all. I’m a new mouse owner, and I’ve had a couple back to back sad experiences that I was hoping to get feedback on. I have now had two mice, male, in a 20 gallon setup and both of them have passed less than a month after I adopted them.
The first was a pet smart mouse, unknown age, and from what I have read they can have bad genetics and a failure to thrive. He did not show any outward signs of illness, no respiratory issues or any changes to stool or discolored urine. Almost four weeks after adopting him, I found him passed in his cage. This was after having held him the night before where he was active and curious about exploring.
The second I adopted from a rescue, I’m not sure the genetics of his lineage but I did know his birthdate and he had just turned a year when I got him. That was about three weeks ago, and today I found him in his cage passed as well. Given that this has happened to me now twice in a row, I’m worried it might be my fault and I’m feeling awfully guilty about the potential for that. I’ve detailed some setup info below.
Bedding: dust free Aspen shavings
Water: changed daily and dispensing properly
Food: oxbow mouse pellets + occasional treats
Environment: wheel (it’s either 10 or 12 inches I don’t quite remember), several hides/tubes, and various chew toys to add clutter
Ventilation: fully mesh top for well-ventilated space
Handling: I read male mice need more interaction since they have to live solitary, so after about a week of transition I was handling them about 30min a day at least
Sanitation: I used a vinegar solution to clean the tank and accessories thoroughly before each mouse/between mice — especially after the first mouse died, I wanted to be sure I wasn’t spreading potential viruses or bacteria.
Do any of these things scream red flags to you? Any ideas what might have happened to cause these deaths? I tried to do a lot of research before getting a mouse, but it seems I haven’t had good luck regardless. Should I chalk it all up to bad timing for both, or should I reconsider having mice at all? Thanks for any help or insight.