stressed and freaking and depressed

nice car, my lis.. the best deal I've seen, particularly because your man can fix it up for ya. It looks like a great car.

I'm seriously freaked about my mice. They have uncontrollable itches. Mites or parasites or fleas or ticks or something. I tried treating them last night and sanitized their cage, threw out all the wood (where mite eggs could be hiding), accidentally dunked Gray Guy in water, and attempted to put anti-itch cream on at least one of them. After all my effort they were all writhing around itching and trying to get the poisonous rodent flea spray off of themselves with typical mouse behaviour - licking. My heart sunk, particularly because Gray Guy, who had the least amount of scratched-off-missing-fur, was the one who I had to dunk in water (he jumped into the pan where I had sprayed the flea spray because there was no way to try to spray the mice themselves as they were all too fast and I might get it in their eyes. So I was using my finger to rub it on their coats. I did ok with Minette and Thimble but Gray Guy got jumpy unfortunately.) I think I have traumatized Gray Guy for life, washed off whatever flea spray might have killed his mites (afraid it had gotten into his eyes), and as they were still scratching this morning (and hiding) I feel like I haven't accomplished anything but terrorizing them some more. :( Gray Guy is either frozen or hiding in terror. It's incredibly sad for me and for them. I wish a divine force would come in and make things better for them because I am trying the best I can but it seems like things only get worse. My only consolation is that Gray Guy did appear a lot plumper than when I last saw him. (He was hiding out the past day or two.)

However, I do feel something had to be done. They look horrible and were hiding out in the paper towel roll, letting those mites or whatever breed and take them over. At least now their cage is cleaner and missing a lot more of mite-breeding ground. I didn't put in any bedding other than a small animal tray liner and a washcloth. They might be allergic to the new bedding I had put in. I think it's most likely they have mites though. Poor guys. They are also hitting that 3 week old very jumpy stage which makes treating them all the harder. I hope they all make it, they can die from this and also from stress.

Seriously depressed over here.

By the way, if you're wondering why I don't take them to a vet - I can't. They're wild so vets won't see them. And Wildcare, the refuge I was considering - I spoke with a woman there who was supposed to help but she seemed callous - suggested releasing them at only 2 weeks once they start eating solid food. Everything I've read online says they get weaned around 4 weeks and to release them then or about 6 weeks. Anyway, the condition they're in now, they need treatment before I'd feel comfortable sending them out into the world.

I guess tonight I'll try the rodent flea powder I saw at Petco. Poor Gray Guy. He's now freaked if he even sees me. ;(