Brumating beardie and mice in the house. How worried should I be?

DorgEndo

Sub-Adult Member
Photo Comp Winner
Beardie name(s)
Devlyn
This isn't about brumation directly. My girl brumates herself fine.

Unfortunately a few weeks ago in October my beloved kitty passed away of old age. She always did her job and kept the house rodent free.

It's very clear the wild mice from outside have found their old ways into the house and started to move in. The only evidence is for small field mice, no large rodents. I still don't know how much of a risk this might impose on a sleeping dragon. If she could get bitten by mice. I have a lid for her roaches so I'm keeping an eye open for signs the mice have chewed into her bugs (no evidence as of right now).

We have traps I can put out. I do also plan to have a cat in the future, but I might move up my cat plans like adopt an older cat that needs a home just to address the mouse problem right away.

Anyone else have to deal with mice and a brumating beardie?
 

parodyofagirl

Hatchling Member
I am so sorry you lost your kitty.

What kind of enclosure does your dragon have?

Ideally, you want to ensure nothing can access your beardie at night when rodents are most active (bites are a concern) and if at all possible, you want to figure out where they are getting in and seal them out of the living space of your house.
 

Gormagon

Extreme Poster
It is virtually impossible to keep mice out of a house if they are around. But it is possible to keep them away from your dragon. Make sure the enclosure is elevated and extends past the stand (side to side and end to end) this limits their ability to chew through or climb on it. Mice drive us crazy in the winter months here but I have had no issues with them and my dragons.
 

DorgEndo

Sub-Adult Member
Photo Comp Winner
Original Poster
Beardie name(s)
Devlyn
Thanks for the condolences, my kitty was the best. She only hunted mice, never any herps!

When we moved in we sealed parts of the house identified by the home inspector. Only in winter would a mouse ever appear to get in, and my cat quickly killed it. Like 2 or 3 the whole winter.

Beardie is in a wooden front sliding door 75 gallon vivexotic. It's on a wood table by itself but I'm sure a mouse could find a way to climb up. I do have a spare glass 40 gallon which seals up tighter. Top locking lid with a metal mesh screen. I could maybe move her there until she wakes up in a few weeks. She sleeps very deeply so I think she would fall back asleep. I also have a camera that catches motion and nothing has triggered it at night. I think I should move her to the 40. It's probably one mouse but if one can find a way in more will.

I'm not sure where the weak point in the house is that they can still get it. They can get in the garage and I know they do, maybe they push through the door seal if they're small enough?
 

Gormagon

Extreme Poster
Thanks for the condolences, my kitty was the best. She only hunted mice, never any herps!

When we moved in we sealed parts of the house identified by the home inspector. Only in winter would a mouse ever appear to get in, and my cat quickly killed it. Like 2 or 3 the whole winter.

Beardie is in a wooden front sliding door 75 gallon vivexotic. It's on a wood table by itself but I'm sure a mouse could find a way to climb up. I do have a spare glass 40 gallon which seals up tighter. Top locking lid with a metal mesh screen. I could maybe move her there until she wakes up in a few weeks. She sleeps very deeply so I think she would fall back asleep. I also have a camera that catches motion and nothing has triggered it at night. I think I should move her to the 40. It's probably one mouse but if one can find a way in more will.

I'm not sure where the weak point in the house is that they can still get it. They can get in the garage and I know they do, maybe they push through the door seal if they're small enough?
Nah, don't move her, she'll be fine as long as it's kept closed. Remember mice are after food and dragon is probably not on the menu, lol!!!
Mice make their way into the home through the tiniest spaces, as small as 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch.
I live in the middle of a 100 acre field and I battle them all year. We've worn out three cats in 10 years, lmao 🤣 😂 😆
3 mice is no problem, there are nights I set traps out and catch as many as 16 in one night (of course this depletes their numbers drastically). I have never had them attempt to get near my dragons. Could be the dragons give off a reptilian odor that keeps them at bay (SNAKE)!!!
 

KarrieRee

BD.org Sicko
Beardie name(s)
Hiccup he is 6 and Blaze is 4
Thanks for the condolences, my kitty was the best. She only hunted mice, never any herps!

When we moved in we sealed parts of the house identified by the home inspector. Only in winter would a mouse ever appear to get in, and my cat quickly killed it. Like 2 or 3 the whole winter.

Beardie is in a wooden front sliding door 75 gallon vivexotic. It's on a wood table by itself but I'm sure a mouse could find a way to climb up. I do have a spare glass 40 gallon which seals up tighter. Top locking lid with a metal mesh screen. I could maybe move her there until she wakes up in a few weeks. She sleeps very deeply so I think she would fall back asleep. I also have a camera that catches motion and nothing has triggered it at night. I think I should move her to the 40. It's probably one mouse but if one can find a way in more will.

I'm not sure where the weak point in the house is that they can still get it. They can get in the garage and I know they do, maybe they push through the door seal if they're small enough?
Set traps in the basement if you have them and in the garage- the food will draw them there
 

Xjrosie

Hatchling Member
Mice do indeed eat meat and plants. And they are opportunistic and will also eat dead animals. I would move up your cat plans.
 

Badwolfe

Hatchling Member
its not just the mice themselves. If you have a mesh top on your viv and the mice climb onto it they could potentially deposit droppings directly into your beardies home. Both droppings and urine of rodents can carry some serious diseases so this is something else to take into consideration
 

SPandS

Juvie Member
Personally I think you may be over worried about it. Granted I could be under worried about it but I also have mice (and 3 cats) and it never once crossed my mind to worry about my dragons because we have mice. It could be because having cats and dogs plus human food I guess I thought any of that food would look better to a mouse than a sleeping dragon. I'm not saying it could never happen but I would think it would be very rare and not something to stress over.

Oh and about getting another cat. It's great you want another one, and I'm sorry you lost your kitty. But getting another whether a kitten or an older cat is no guarantee they will be a mouser. As I said I have 3 cats. I know we have mice as I see the evidence they leave behind and my cats might catch a couple a year.
 

Fordispreme

Member
Personally I think you may be over worried about it. Granted I could be under worried about it but I also have mice (and 3 cats) and it never once crossed my mind to worry about my dragons because we have mice. It could be because having cats and dogs plus human food I guess I thought any of that food would look better to a mouse than a sleeping dragon. I'm not saying it could never happen but I would think it would be very rare and not something to stress over.

Oh and about getting another cat. It's great you want another one, and I'm sorry you lost your kitty. But getting another whether a kitten or an older cat is no guarantee they will be a mouser. As I said I have 3 cats. I know we have mice as I see the evidence they leave behind and my cats might catch a couple a year.
agree with you
 
Personally I think you may be over worried about it. Granted I could be under worried about it but I also have mice (and 3 cats) and it never once crossed my mind to worry about my dragons because we have mice. It could be because having cats and dogs plus human food I guess I thought any of that food would look better to a mouse than a sleeping dragon. I'm not saying it could never happen but I would think it would be very rare and not something to stress over.

Oh and about getting another cat. It's great you want another one, and I'm sorry you lost your kitty. But getting another whether a kitten or an older cat is no guarantee they will be a mouser. As I said I have 3 cats. I know we have mice as I see the evidence they leave behind and my cats might catch a couple a year.
If you are worried about your dragons, then make such conditions for them so that you are not nervous. I think this is quite logical. In general, everyone who has animals at home can call themselves saviors. I recently looked into animal testing, found https://edubirdie.com/examples/animal-testing/ for this. Learned a lot of not pleasant things for myself. I had no idea that so many animals suffer because of all sorts of research.
 
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