Susannah
Not so new Member
- Joined
- Mar 23, 2020
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Hi All
I've had Russell about 2 years now. He's a happy, docile boy who's always been a good eater. He does tend to go off food for long periods while shedding (been up to 6 weeks at one point!) but then always went back to weekly (or every 10 days) after a shed.
He went up to full adult mice around May last year, then at the end of last year I thought I'd try him on 2 mice (rather than going up to the extra large mouse. This is what I have done at each stage of upping his food...make sure he'll eat the two for a couple of weeks, then move to the next size up). He took both of them once, then went to a shed cycle (didn't eat for 6 weeks, though I'd offer every week). Then he fed twice and went to another shed cycle very quickly after that...so I put him back to one mouse, and now he seems to have gone off food again, but he only shed a couple of weeks ago.
I know you're all going to say just keep offering and he's fine - I know, and I will - I just need some reassurance that I'm not missing something else.
His enclosure is nice, clean, heat is good, water is filled daily, hiding rock is there...he's active enough and never seems stressed, nor does he bite (maybe once a year - so we are probably due for a bite now!) and I handle him daily (except when he's shedding - I tend to leave him when he's about to shed). He is pooping and doing a decent wee after each feed and I see him drinking plenty of water. Basically nothing seems wrong other than me being a human wanting to feed him to much!
thanks in advance
I've had Russell about 2 years now. He's a happy, docile boy who's always been a good eater. He does tend to go off food for long periods while shedding (been up to 6 weeks at one point!) but then always went back to weekly (or every 10 days) after a shed.
He went up to full adult mice around May last year, then at the end of last year I thought I'd try him on 2 mice (rather than going up to the extra large mouse. This is what I have done at each stage of upping his food...make sure he'll eat the two for a couple of weeks, then move to the next size up). He took both of them once, then went to a shed cycle (didn't eat for 6 weeks, though I'd offer every week). Then he fed twice and went to another shed cycle very quickly after that...so I put him back to one mouse, and now he seems to have gone off food again, but he only shed a couple of weeks ago.
I know you're all going to say just keep offering and he's fine - I know, and I will - I just need some reassurance that I'm not missing something else.
His enclosure is nice, clean, heat is good, water is filled daily, hiding rock is there...he's active enough and never seems stressed, nor does he bite (maybe once a year - so we are probably due for a bite now!) and I handle him daily (except when he's shedding - I tend to leave him when he's about to shed). He is pooping and doing a decent wee after each feed and I see him drinking plenty of water. Basically nothing seems wrong other than me being a human wanting to feed him to much!
thanks in advance
