Wednesday, August 29, 2007

A Day in the Life of Butter

Okay, so this is really a picture of Peanut, but Butter just moves too much for the Camera.

Butter is my pet mouse. He has had quite an interesting day, but I don't want to spoil it. Here's the story from his perspective:

Today started like any other day. I woke up - itchy as usual. I've got to stop scratching because my skin is really taking a beating. Anyway, today was, like I said, pretty normal. Early on, one of the big hands reached into my cage to give me some more food. The big hand let me climb around on it some. Then it gave me a treat - that's the best part.

I kinda like that big hand. It feeds me, and gives me water and treats. It even lets me snuggle up in it sometimes. There's something comforting about it. It's nice.

It didn't take long for this normal day to become not so normal. All of a sudden, the big hands picked up my house. What was going on? Next thing I knew, I was in this hot, muggy thing and it felt like everything was moving under me. I went forward and backwards. I didn't like it and I started to get sick. I just wanted out!

Then, suddenly the moving thing stopped moving. And the big hands picked my house up out of the big, moving, hot thing. It was great! I was done...or so I thought. After moving my house around several times, the big hands finally left it alone in one place for a little while.

The big hand rested in my cage like it usually did, waiting for me to climb up on it. I quickly went to it, hoping that it would have something comforting to offer me, but it didn't! It gave me to another set of big hands I'd never seen before and then put me on this cold, black, hard thing. That was scary. Then, I was able to go back to my home.

Not long after that, the new, strange set of hands came and got me again. Then, another set of strange hands put some kind of liquid on me and scraped one of my scabs - ouch! That hurt! I DID NOT LIKE THIS! Why couldn't the day just end?

Soon, I was placed safely in my home again, but not for long. Again, I was picked up by that strange pair of hands. This time they held me tight and I was forced to eat something. It actually tasted kind of good, but I didn't understand why I had to be held so tightly, or why I was forced to eat it.

When I was put back in my cage this time, I was also put back into the hot moving thing. Would this ever end?! It did end. Soon, I was safe with my house in it's usual spot. All was peaceful and quiet. However, I have just been moved to a different home. It's smaller, and I'm not sure I'm happy about it. The wheel is even smaller.

What is with today? It must be the worst day of my life!
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The story from the perspective of the big hands (me).

I noticed that Butter had been scratching a lot lately. He had scratched himself so much that he was beginning to scratch big hunks right out of his skin. After much online hunting, I concluded that he must have mites. Mites cause all sorts of itchiness for mice (it's the equivalent of Scabes for humans), and if untreated, can actually kill them. After some more research, I concluded that this must have been what caused the death of our beloved Peanut.

I hunted for the prescribed cure at area pet stores, but to no avail. There was only one solution to rid my mouse of this terrible itch and save him from (sort of certain) death - a trip to the vet.

I loaded Butter into the hot vehicle, blasting the air and driving slowly and gingerly so as to cause the poor mouse the least possible stress. When I got to the vet they weighed Butter at a healthy 0.4lbs. Then they took him off for a skin scrape. This was to make sure that my initial conclusion (about mites) was correct. The vet tech returned, informing me that the vet had found half a mite and was looking in his books for further information.

Butter was given a dose of oral medication, and I was left with strict instructions on a several days process of sterilizing his cage. Fortunately, we have a small cage from before that would suffice while Butter's larger cage when through rigorous sanitation. We moved him over as soon as we had a chance this evening.

Next Friday he goes back to the vet for another dose of medication and an exam to check on those pesky little critters. Hopefully that visit will find him mite free, itch free and without the danger of dieing from those pesky varmets.

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Oh how often I feel like Butter. Everything seems to be going wrong; nothing right. Yet, I must remember that there is a loving pair of hands taking care of me. He knows the whole situation, and He sees far more than I can imagine. It is my prayer that I may learn to trust Him more. To trust even what I don't understand.
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight."
~Proverbs 3:5-6

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

You should submit these blogs to a publication, or get them published. Great perspective from the mouse and a great tie in to the care we always have and take for granted.
Mom