Urgent Just a heads up about field mice- Warning: Graphic Images

I had mice as pets when I was little so I take a different view. I had no idea that they actually attack other animals. This whole post has been an eye opener for me. Let's hope this is a one off and not a whole family of mice living around the aviary.

 

Same injury but worse and from a different source ... we had a chicken chick born once years ago that had a pretty (to us) brown capped head with stripes starting below the cap. (The flock were all bantam hybrids -- larger than show bantams and very mixed in variety, but a lot smaller than, say, a pure Rhodey or Barred Rock or whatever). Anyway, fellow chicks in the brood pecked her head far worse than your little one. Had a friend, an equine massage therapist and holistic healer type, suggest using Vicks Vapor Rub on the huge and horrible wound - her whole scalp was gone farther down her neck than your bird.

Vicks \sounded kooky to me, I was going to use triple antibiotic and so on, but it was so bad looking, never thought the chick would survive. But I tried it, and "Sparrow" not only survived but grew to be a beautiful hen, and once she was all healed and a little bigger she was accepted by the flock just fine. She had a wild bird look to all her feathers, kind of grey-brown with fringe edged feathers.

Anyway, Vicks Vapor Rub can be used for wounds -- I never would have thought. But it's wonderful you pulled your chick through!!

 

Ouch... Poor little one! So glad you found her and she's alright!!

 

Mice are such horrible things to have any where near your home or your pets. They are full of germs and spread many very dangerous germs and diseases not to mention they leave trails of pee and poo everywhere for others to follow. They will eat literally anything they can sink their teeth into, including each other and their own babies. The more of them there are in an area the higher the chances they will become carnivores and a little psycho, apparently great numbers in small areas make them turn really feral and a little mental to the point where if you try to catch them in humane traps they will eat themselves!
I believe there have been studies done in many areas, and to completely eradicate field mice from many areas would only benefit most eco systems. They are only needed in very few places (as food sources) and I believe the mice that are needed are the native ones which are also affected negatively by field mice. I personally say kill the critters and kill as many of them as you can!
I hope you bird will be ok.

 

I understand the frustration towards mice, but killing them is not the answer, sorry, in fact, the fact you "don't like them" isn't a good enough reason, Mice have every right to be outside, wherever they want, it's YOUR job to keep your pets safe, if not, you suffer the consequences. It's not the mouse's fault for behaving like a mouse. I thought I'd add, a lot of misconceptions about mice are false, 100% and eradicate mice (even field mice) from any area would spell disaster, so I don't know where you're getting you're information from, but it's wrong. I'm sorry If what I'm saying comes off as harsh, or rude or insensitive, it's not meant to be that way. As a studying Zoologist, I feel it to be very important that we learn to co-habitat with nature and leave things be. While I believe cats should be kept indoors to prevent them from killing wildlife, especially birds, it is only nature that snakes, mice, raccoons, skunks, rats and birds of prey kill and eat birds/other birds. Again, not trying to be rude, but "getting rid of all the mice" is ludicrous to say the least. I'm not directing this comment at anyone is particular, just needed to get this off my chest. As a zoologist, I'm passionate about all animals, and it just bothers me when a particular animal is targeted for being.. well... an animal. I hope you all can understand where I'm coming from, and once again, know that I'm in no way trying to be mean, call out, belittle or be rude/harsh. It's in my blood to come to the defense of all animals, big or small <3

With that being said, Hope you birds are going to be alright, and that no more harm comes to them, I think pigeons are such unique and special birds poor baby, the injury looks painful, hopefully it heals up quick

 

While I won’t disagree that all animals have their place, and no species should be eradicated, their place is not breaking into dwellings. Rodents are prolific breeders and one field mouse (and I’ll point out that mouse species are easy for many people to improperly identify) can become 10 in short order.

While your training sends you to defense of the mice, mine leads me to the defense of people I have treated with hantavirus, leptospirosis, tularemia, lymphocytic chorio meningitis and rat bite fever to name a FEW. If an infestation occurs, there is real risk to humans and other animal species and the best way to prevent infestation is to not allow a population to form. There are products to deter mice and there are humane traps if killing a few mice is something too difficult for some.

I have no problem setting kill traps to help control my mouse/rat populations along with help from the ancient seven foot rat snake that lives in my tack room. He is allowed to steal the occasional chicken egg and has never eaten a chick. I rarely see a mouse now.

 

I understand your point, however, animal bites never happen without being provoked, for the most part, if a human is bitten, it can be hard to get sympathy from me, as you aggravated the animal to the point where they feel there is no other option or took them by surprise. Perhaps more people need to learn to leave well enough alone. As my biology teacher puts it, Human beings are a cancer like plague which does no good, only destroys and kills it's host.

 

Your teacher is so wrong that it isn't even believable

 

Not going to start an argument with you, lmbo, my biology teacher is a man who doesn't give a s*** about what anyone thinks, or what he says, he has no filter, many biology and zoology teachers are like this... xD but please enlighten me and tell me one good thing humans have done for the planet, I'll wait. Not saying I agree with everything he says, but that's who my teacher is. You'd be surprised what teachers say now a days. My high school teacher once told our class that statistically, half us us would be assaulted.

 

Please forgive me if I come off harsh.. too many things going on at once, and honestly I haven't slept for 28 hours. I do not mean to be rude or disrespectful, it's not anyone's fault, this comes with writing a thesis due August 24th and working 35 hours a week.

 

This entire post is wildly inaccurate.

Are you not far enough along in your studies to know that all of the illnesses I mentioned can come from exposure to soil where these rodents have urinated or defacated, or even be contracted by cleaning up items they have shredded or touching a surface you had no idea they had been in contact with and then rubbing your eye? Perhaps finish high school then complete your degree before telling me that people who contract the plague are responsible because they obviously misbehaved and provoked an animal. Next you’ll be telling me that it’s okay that mosquitoes kill over 2 million people a year from malaria alone because obviously we have somehow provoked mosquitoes.

If your biology teacher believes that of herself, I feel sorry for her. Why is it we can save the mice but disparage another race of animal, the human race?

 

I said *bites* not once did I mention the illnesses you were talking about. Your response is completely in the opposite direction, not relevant to my comment at all, so to make it clear, which, I thought it was but apparently not, animal bites from healthy animals are never done without being provoked, or being startled. I'm 3/4 to my phd.. so... I know exactly what I'm talking about. And seriously, mosquitoes? your argument is incredibly weak, as you are comparing sentient beings to insects driven by instinct to breed, as blood is only needed to produce eggs, otherwise mosquitoes eat nectar.

 

You did come off very harsh. Enlighten you? Okay.

Humans were placed on and evolved on this planet just like every other animal and have the same right to do what they do as any other occupants. Natural selection has been occurring longer than we can actually determine and throughout ALL of that time species have come and gone. Some have failed because of the success, migration and adaptation of other species long before humans rose out of the swamp.

It’s because we continue to evolve that we learn and make valid attempts to improve the way we interact. Comparing humans to cancer is a ridiculous comparison but if people choose to believe they are a blight, they are free to remove themselves from the gene pool. Lol

 

And I apologize for that.Okay, but parasites, bacteria, germs and viruses are some of the most adaptable, survivable things on this planet, doesn't make them good and, to clarify, I don't think the way he does about the human race, rather I was just repeating what he said. But what I meant was, what actual good have humans brought with them? This teacher is old, and crazy, he offends many people and takes his job a little too seriously.

 

I grew up on a farm and let me tell you mice will and do eat baby chickens, pigeons and doves alive if they get the chance. The experts need to spend more time in real life out in the cruel, cruel world.

 

I didn’t mention bites in my post at all and didn’t see them mentioned anywhere so why would you bring them up at all. Rodent born illness is a serious problem in many countries and control is necessary.

The mosquito comment was obviously sarcasm. Reading comprehension is everything. As I said, when you’ve completed your studies we’ll debate until then you’re just going to run on emotion and not experience.

 

Excuse me, but an animal with rabies will attack unprovoked, and there are enough reports of people being attacked by dogs in cities, just because they were walking by. As for the mice, I have no quarrel with them as long as they are not inside my house.By the same token, I don't have a quarrel with insects as long as they are not inside my house. The only ones with a "carte blanche" would be spiders but I don't know that they fall in the insect category. And certain ones, since they may be poisonous do not get "carte blanche".

 

Many animals eat other animals alive though :/ it is sad indeed.. but mice aren't the only ones who do this. Cheetahs for example bring back live baby impalas and gazelles to teach their cubs to hunt as do the millions of other predators raising babies. My mom grew up on a farm too, though, she never told me any graphic stories of baby animals being eaten alive.

@Sandra, that's why I wrote healthy animal, and actually, all dog attacks can be explained by either fear, surprise or being provoked, pain (injury) stress ect ect ect.

Many birds of prey also eat their prey alive, it's nature, in it's rawest, natural form.

 

Really? Vaccinations against what were once deadly diseases, treatment for some that used to be deadly, antidotes to poisons ... Please, people, jump in here and add to my list.

 

Haha I remember when I was in school I was going to save everything that swam, crawled, slithered or flew. Experience is the best teacher and you eventually learn that too many of anything in the wrong place upsets the balance in the force.

@Ocean is a good and caring kid and the world could do with a few more. Off the cuff comments about eradication of mice isn’t a hill worth dying on. They do have their place too, my tack room isn’t it. Although Blackie would love it if a few more found their way in dinner, HIS dinner. Lol!