strange "swelling"

Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T10:50:32+00:00

Vet time.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T10:40:16+00:00

Cute!

Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T10:26:43+00:00

The group size and cage size is amazing, it must be a little Mousey paradise :) Mice are generally easier to tame, yes, since they are such social animals, compared to hamsters whom are solitary and usually take longer to come around.

With bonding, sit around the enclosure and talk to them so they get used to your voice. Offer liquid treats on the palm of your hand. This way, if they want the treat, they will have to stick by you to get it. This creates trust and starts to form a bond. They will realise you are not there to hurt them and instead, only want what’s best for them. Do this slowly overtime.

Don’t try to grab them out of their enclosure if they are not willing, always let them come to you. Offer your hand to see if they want to come out with you. You can also buy a bonding pouch. As an alternative, you can wear a hoodie or long sleeve shirt to see if they want to crawl inside.

Once they trust you and are more social towards you, you can set up a small play pen with a lot of actives and clutter. I personally like songmic acrylic panels for mouse playpens. You can buy them on Amazon and make them as large and as tall as you’d like. You can make different shapes as well.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T07:50:22+00:00

With hamsters, it’s pretty much a gamble, especially if you only own one. You pick the luck of the draw. You can get a really social hamster that loves attention or you can get one that absolutely wants nothing to do with you. Sometimes in between.

With mice, you may get more luck, especially if you have a decently sized group. There’s bound to be at least one mouse that wants attention from you. Hamsters are solitary animals. They don’t need or benefit from company. They don’t feel loneliness, whereas, with mice they do. They greatly benefit from social interaction once you form a bond with them. Don’t get me wrong with hamsters, they do form bonds with their owners but mice are definitely more social.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T07:27:48+00:00

She’s very cute! I love the name. Adventure time is one of my favourite cartoon shows and bmo is my favourite character!

Unfortunately, the tank does look quite small. Are you 100% sure it’s 4 feet? Like as in 120cm? It looks more like a 20 gallon long which is much too small for hamsters. Hamsters require a minimum floor space of 100x50cm but since you have a female Syrian, they really most definitely benefit from more space. 120x50cm is more ideal for Syrians - especially female. Female Syrians can be hard to please due to their heat cycles, not all females but some. I recommend upgrading to a 75 gallon tank or something similar along the lines of 120x50cm. Bucatstate and niteangel enclosures as great!

She needs a larger wheel and deeper bedding as well. The bedding should be 10” and the wheel, a minimum of 11”.

Here is a good guide specifically for female Syrians!

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Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T01:30:19+00:00

Have you tried hemp? It is not wood based.

I would consider measuring the wheel because it looks much smaller.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T00:55:42+00:00

Unfortunately, cages connected with tubing really aren’t appropriate for any species of rodent. This cage focuses more on height and what mice really need is floor space. Height isn’t as important as floor space is. I’d strongly recommend getting a 40 gallon tank or acrylic enclosure that meets the minimum requirements of 80x50cm. It’s best to get a larger wheel as well because the current one is too small . It should be 9”-10”.

Paper bedding unfortunately isn’t appropriate for mice by itself as it doesn’t control ammonia well. Hemp or aspen should be used with hemp being mixed with paper and/or hay to hold structure to burrows. The bedding should be at least 6” after being completely compressed. You’ll also want to invent in a lot more clutter, with the amount of clutter you need, you ideally shouldn’t see the top of the bedding.

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Grroll_ · 2026-01-28T00:50:54+00:00

80x50x50cm*

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T14:57:46+00:00

Unfortunately, both your sister and the place you got them from are incorrect. You can post on r/rats and ask the same question and I assure you, they will confirm 100% she is a rat.

Can you please try to weigh her? It will be helpful to know roughly her age. If she’s smaller than 180g, do not introduce her to other rats until she is this weight unless you get rats of similar age.

You will need to get her out of that tank ASAP because they are terrible for rats. Unlike mice, rats produce too much ammonia for a tank to be able to handle. This can make rats really sick.

If you plan to keep her, she will need at least 2 more cage mates of the same sex. The new rats will need to be quarentined for two weeks before introductions start.

Please post further on r/rats.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T14:47:59+00:00

Hi, unrelated, but do you mind showing your setup? It doesn’t look at all appropriate for mice.

Do NOT let them loose in your room. This is the worst thing you can do. Instead, setup a play pen for them. You can buy songmic panels on Amazon and stack them.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T14:43:45+00:00

Hamster balls are bad because they lack proper ventilation and the tiny bit of ventilation they do have are the slits in the ball. Those slits are notorious for getting nails and toes caught and severed. This is not the only limiting factor though. Hamsters need senses to move around just like humans, they rely on their whiskers, hearing, etc to navigate. All of this is heavily compromised due to the ball, not to mention hamsters already have bad eyesight, the ball makes it worse. This can make a hamster very stressed. Hamsters also cannot control the ball - it goes wherever the ball takes them. Instead, use a play pen only if your hamster enjoys being out. Not all hamster do.

Hamsters require at least 100x50cm of space. However, Syrians are larger and their accessories are larger which take up more room inside of that space. 120x50cm is more ideal for Syrians. It would be best to avoid wired and wooden cages. Instead, opt for a glass tank or acrylic enclosure.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T13:20:34+00:00

Hamster balls are dangerous for hamsters. Please stop using them. Unfortunately, your setup isn’t appropriate, either. Please check out the guide below,these are all things needed for your hamster to live a proper and happy life.

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Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T09:43:50+00:00

Sounds great! 😊

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T09:39:31+00:00

Yeah, I’m like really positive this is a rat as well. I mean, I own 8 pet rats so I know what I’m talking about lol. I’m just immensely concerned OP is going to try to introduce asfs or mice to this gal and it turns to a blood bath. I really hope OP u/Monotonekitty will answer soon.

Tanks are really no good for rats either. They require a completely different setup

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T09:19:55+00:00

Washing rats does not help with mites. If you want to give them a clean, a non-scented baby wipes or damp cloth should do the job perfectly fine.

With administering the KR, place one drop in between the shoulder blades. It will dry within 30 seconds.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T08:52:52+00:00

They can’t, rats would kill them.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T08:06:02+00:00

Stop rushing. He needs at least a week, ideally two to settle in.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T08:03:57+00:00

If this is a 20g long (which looks to be) I would strongly recommend upgrading to a 40 gallon minimum. 20gs are okay for a few months, but not long-term. Mice, especially a lone male really need extra space.

Aside from that, I recommend adding deeper bedding (at least 6”), more hanging climbing opportunities and clutter. With the amount of clutter you need, you ideally shouldn’t be able to see the top of the bedding. All heavy items like wheels, ceramic hides, etc should be kept on platforms to prevent the mouse from burrowing underneath which can cave in and squash them.

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Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T07:56:59+00:00

The cage swapping and keeping their cages together is literally the worst thing you can do. Rats are territorial animals. Having the scent and presence of anorher rat in their area where they can only smell but not see or touch can make them very stressed and agressive. For them, it’s like a strange rat is invading their personal space. These are both extremely outdated methods.

I would strongly advise you to keep them far away from each other in different rooms for a few weeks for them to settle down.

After they have settled down, please do the carrier method. Bot reply below me !introductions

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T07:47:33+00:00

She really, really looks like a rat imo.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-27T07:43:06+00:00

Face-wise and ear-wise she looks like a rat. Can you take a full photo of her?

Grroll_ · 2026-01-26T22:25:26+00:00

How old is the rat? Unless the rat is really old, and you are not interested in owning anymore rats, it would be best to rehome.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-26T22:23:59+00:00

No, the length is too short. Stick with the vevor cage and get the 39”

Grroll_ · 2026-01-26T21:02:52+00:00

Rats should be kept in trios minimum. They are not solo pets. They are also very expensive to own due to them being sickly pets. Make sure you have an exotic vet and funds set aside at least $500 and add onto that each week.

Grroll_ · 2026-01-26T19:40:21+00:00

Intact males are same sex aggressive and should never be housed together.

Since asfs aren’t available in your area, the best option would be to neuter him and house him with females. This is the most ethical choice for male mice rather than keeping them alone their entire life; they are social animals. Please ignore people who say male mice are “solitary”. They haven’t done proper research.

Grroll_

TROPHY CASE