mouse update

When I checked on the mice this morning I was glad to see that Keiko hadn’t eaten Miette. In fact, they were sleeping close together which is a very good sign. Miette hasn’t squeeked too much today, although she is still doesn’t want Keiko to goom her. Its fascinating to see how patient Keiko is – she does her best to show Miette that she isn’t a threat. She leaves Miette alone do her own exploration and doesn’t always try to be close to her. She tries to groom her but if Miette gets too upset she stops and leaves her alone for a while. The grooming is a sign that a mouse cares for another mouse but also a method for showing who is dominant so it’s a very important thing for them to work out. Its interesting how they can use so many non-verbal signals to communicate and although they appear simple, they are quite effective in allowing a group of animals to co-exist peacefully.

One interesting thing about Miette is that she is surprisingly calm. Of course she is frightened of Keiko as well as Dan and I, but once I manage to catch her she stays quite still and seems more curious than frightened. Keiko and Gretchen were never like this – it was almost impossible for them to hold still and they always seemed frantic about trying to escape. I’m starting to think that the pet store where I got them did not take very good care of them, especially after seeing how well the mice were treated in the store I visited yesterday.