Fleas are a menace to all of our pets, and that counts for mice as well. If a mouse has been outside or exposed to other animals with fleas, they are likely to get them.
Luckily, there is a method to remove all of the fleas from your mouse and even prevent the babies from hatching.
Can pet mice get fleas?
Because they have fur and live in the forest, mice can get fleas. But it doesn’t matter where a mouse lives if it’s in nature or the safety and comfort of your home, fleas are everywhere, and you must protect your mouse from getting them or kill all of them as soon as possible if they have them.
What are the effects of fleas on a mouse?
The amount of pain and irritation your mouse goes through depends on how many fleas it has. If there are only several fleas, your mouse will experience some scratching and a few bites. However, fleas lay eggs, which then hatch into more fleas, laying more eggs. Too many fleas could lead to a flea infestation on your mouse. When a mouse has been infested with fleas, everybody will be riddled with bite marks. They will be tired from not sleeping well because they are being bitten all day long. And your mouse will get an infection if it has too many open wounds from the flea bites.
Even though fleas are small, they are a serious matter and must be taken care of swiftly. Fleas can even hurt you too. If they go around your house and are left unchecked, they can get into your plants, wedding, and clothing. Any fabric materials that are around your mouse’s cage will be immediately affected by lice.
How do I know if my mouse has fleas?
First, you must know how mice can contract fleas. If you purchase your mouse from a pet shop, that is the most likely place to get fleas. Over 100 animals in a single solitary area with little ventilation is a perfect breeding ground are these biting jumping creatures. When you are at the pet store, buy a flea comb, and run it through the first of the mouse we were looking to purchase. Check the mouse’s fur thoroughly so you can know if it has fleas or not. If it does have fleas, you can still take it home with you, but you must buy your new furry friend all new cage bedding and a new bed to sleep in. And it’s also a good time to buy flea shampoo.
Another way to know if your mouse has fleas is to scratch more and more every day. If your mouse scratches its fur or face once in a while, that doesn’t mean anything. But if you see your mouse constantly scratching a specific area or more than usual, it could be a warning that he or she has fleas. There will also be small bite marks on your mouse’s feet and legs.
How do I get rid of the fleas?
Wash everything
After you have identified that your mouse has fleas, you must thoroughly wash in hot water every item that the mouse comes into contact with. If your mouse’s cage is on a towel, you have to watch that too. You must watch the bedding, change out the cage bedding, wash any toys they play with, even if the toys are plastic.
Bathe and comb your mouse
To kill the fleas plaguing your pet mouse, you must bathe your mouse in warm water with soap. But not just any soap, you need to purchase flea shampoo. Generously apply flea shampoo from the neck down on your mouse. Gently but firmly lather the soap into your mouse’s fur and let it sit for about 20 minutes. When the fleas feel the sting of the flea shampoo, they will scurry around your mouse’s body because they are trying to find a place where they can escape. So it is important to make sure every part of the mouse below the neck is thoroughly soaked with shampoo.
The flea comb
More often than not, all of the fleas find their way to the mouse’s face since there is no shampoo there. When you start to see the little bugs crawling on your mouse’s face, and it will start to scratch vigorously, it is time for you to bring out the flea comb. You can purchase a flea comb at any pet store or online store.
A flea comb is a tool with tight infirm and firm bristles that can lift fleas out of an animal’s fur. The combs are used on dogs, cats, hamsters, gerbils, mice, and rodents.
When you have the flea comb in your hand, you must brush underneath your mouse’s fur without poking it. Brush the comb over its face and lift it up. You should be able to see, wedged between the bristles, little black creatures with six legs. These are the fleas. Continue to brush out the fleas and remove them from the comb. Take the flea and drop it in hot water. It will survive the temperature of the water.
After twenty minutes, wash off all of the shampoo. Continue to comb its fur until you cannot find any more fleas. Remove the mouse from the bath and dry its fur. You will have to bathe and comb your it several times in the next two weeks to kill all of the fleas. Before you bath your mouse, rewash all of its possessions and change out the cage bedding.
Conclusion
- Because of their fur, mice are prone to getting fleas
- Many mice get their fleas from the pet shop they are from
- Proper bathing and combing can remove all of its fleas
- All of the mouse’s possessions must be washed thoroughly in hot water
- When a mouse has fleas, they were scratching excessively at their own fur, and you will see bite marks on their feet
