Cute pet sheep going for a walk CreekValleyCritters 2009-02-23 | My pet sheep Imogen and Tinkerbell love it when I am outside, they can then follow me wherever I go. Sheep make good pets, they are as smart as goats but they do not have the devil in them like goats do. This makes them trainable and much easier to live with. Sheep are sweet and become very fond of their owners. The dog is my standard poodle Rune.Note: Both sheep are cross breds. The young sheep, Tinkerbell, her father was a Texel and her mother was a Romanov, Columbian, Polypay cross. The old sheep, Imogen, is of unknown parentage but a sheep expert friend of mine thinks she is a Dorset or a Dorset cross. Sheep are easy to take care of. To keep them happy and safe, you need a little shed for them and a dog proof paddock. A field of grass is also needed for maximum sheepy contentment. They are fed hay in the winter. Once a year they have to be shorn ( I get a professional sheep shearer to do it) and occasionally they need their hooves trimmed, which is easy to do yourself with a pair of sharp plyers.Music by James Keelaghan, 'My Skies'
Nora inventing a Game CreekValleyCritters 2022-04-19 | My miniature Australian shepherd puppy Nora is very intelligent and constantly inventing little games to entertain herself. Here she is teaching me to play fetch lol#miniausie #minieaussiepuppy #miniatureaustralianshepherd #puppy #cutepuppy #smartdog
Feisty little Mice versus a cute Puppy: Nora, Finnegan and Tom CreekValleyCritters 2022-04-13 | I love how interested my new puppy Nora is in everything I do, especially the mice. I would love to share my joy of these tiny animals with her, but first we need to figure out how to do this safely. I am not quite sure yet what rules to give her so we are just going to go with the flow for now.The mice have very little fear of her, especially these two boys. Finnegan and Tom are feisty little guys and view her as a sparing partner. I had never expected them to behave this way. It is adorable, as long as I can keep things safe. The boys do not seem unduly stressed. Male mice get a high from fighting just like prize fighters and as long as things stay safe for everyone, allowing them this bit of enrichment seems to be o.k.This video shows Nora's first introduction to them, she is figuring out how to play with them safely more everyday. As soon as she enters the studio, Finnegan and Tom come running, she leans up against the wire and gently playfights with them, before everyone wanders off to do their own thing. Still under strict supervision though, want everyone to stay safe and Nora to learn appropriate behavior.For those of you who worry about the mice, don't, I will keep everyone safe. Male mice enjoy playfighting like this and Nora is becoming more and more gentle with them all the time. In a year's time she should be 100% safe with my mice, until then strict supervision. I want Nora to be as good with my mice as my previous four dogs were, but to achieve that I have to allow some interaction so she learns the rules and sees them as tiny people to be careful with, instead of fast moving objects. You could never train a terrier breed to be good with mice, but Nora has a low prey drive, just very energetic and playful. As soon as the boys know Nora is around, they come running, asking to play with her. She plays with them for a few minutes through the bars, then goes off to do something else. She shows no intensity, if she did, I would not allow this.For those of you who are interested Nora is a three month old miniature Australian shepherd. My sweet, 13 year old German shepherd Brooke passed away last September.#petmice #miniausiepuppy #miniausie #miniatureaustralianshepherd #puppy #cutepuppy #cutemice #cuteanimals
Archie and an Etsy Store, cute little mouse CreekValleyCritters 2021-10-07 | Just an update on Archie and my channel, working on an Etsy store! :) The store will offer naturalistic enrichments and decorations for terrariums and small animal homes. Most of the products are collected in the Yukon wilderness, dried and heat treated for small animal and terrarium safety. I have given these natural enrichments to my mice for years and they love them :) We are planning to officially launch the store in November, I will keep you updated.....#petmice #cutemouse #petmousecare #terrarium
A very, VERY Angry little Mouse, Finnegan after neutering lol :) CreekValleyCritters 2021-08-01 | Finnegan was not impressed with his visit to the vet at all! For the next two days there was a lot of squeaking and biting until finally he forgave me.....He was a very, VERY angry little mouse.#petmouse #cutemouse #funnymouse #mouse #biting
Archie is just too cute :) CreekValleyCritters 2021-06-12 | A little more of little Archie lolI am sorry for not posting much in the moment, it is just that summer has come and I am super busy finishing the mouse room and building new cages, plus getting ready for setting up an mousy Etsy store in the fall.....
Enola, Glory and Babies! CreekValleyCritters 2021-04-03 | Glory finally had her litter and everyone is thrilled, mice just LOVE babies :)
Will She or Wont She? CreekValleyCritters 2021-03-26 | Enola has become a terrible jumper lol Here I try to figure out how she got out.....Open concept mouseries are a wonderful way to keep pet mice but it does not work for all mice. It is rare for a mouse to jump but these little escape artists have to be kept in a regular mouse cage with a door until they mellow with age and no longer have such a strong desire to explore past the boundaries of their home.
Enola has to Move CreekValleyCritters 2021-03-16 | Enola has become so bad, she needs to move in with Leo and Summer, something she is not happy with at all! lol :)
Glory is Pregnant and Enola is a Jumper CreekValleyCritters 2021-03-11 | Glory is pregnant and becoming large and hormonal. It won't be long and there will be new babies. Enola is too smart for her own good and now needs a door to her cage, although she seems to have found a solution for this too lolHusbands are a little like mice, always demanding to be fed :)
Evening routine with the Mice CreekValleyCritters 2021-03-07 | The mice are super cute in the evening because they know this is the time for dinner, treats, attention and loving. They become so enthusiastic and interactive :)0:00 greasy mice and potato chip bags2:38 Enola the Velcro mouse and a lot of Archie8:21 Enola running9:03 Finnegan and Glory (Enola pops a lot too lol)16:00 supper time, everyone gets their evening meal16:21 Archie gets his food17:16 Percy and Pia18:21 Caleb and his Percies19:52 Asriel and Saidie22:53 the big cage and porridge for Faye27:47 Leo and Summer28:20 shy little Elliot29:56 Finnegan escapes30:55 cheezie hunt in the big cage32:10 catching Finnegan33:21 turning off the lights and saying 'good night'
WAY Too Many Gingers! CreekValleyCritters 2021-02-28 | I am starting to get so many ginger mice I should rename my mousery 'The Weasleys' lol :D
Baby Mice learning to eat cheezies from the Pros CreekValleyCritters 2021-02-22 | Once a baby mouse's eyes open they are ready for adult food. They learn a lot about what they can and cannot eat by watching their elders. In this video Midas and Faye show Enola and Elliot just what cheezies are all about :) Enola and Elliot are just over two weeks old in this video. They are the daughter and son of Archie and Lily.
Just a Little Mouse enjoying a Cheezie CreekValleyCritters 2021-02-19 | Archie enjoying a cheezieMice just love these baby food cheddar flavored corn puffs :)
Amazing little Mice CreekValleyCritters 2021-02-15 | My mice have become incredibly interactive, I have never had mice like this before, except for hand raised ones. I think it is because I am breeding my own now plus have changed a lot in how I interact with them and my expectations of them. Scientists are right, mice really are as intelligent as dogs and if you treat them with this in mind, they become so amazing.0:00 Archie on my desk1:38 Archie coming when called2:54 Faye and Midas want cheezies too3:54 Needy little mice wanting attention6:44 Bell building a nest8:11 Clingy little mice8:53 Asriel and Golden11:03 Asriel's troop gets cheezies12:32 Faye is adorable13:00 The Percies12:21 Archie wants out13:45 Bedtime for everyone
Bedtime for the Mice CreekValleyCritters 2021-02-11 | Routine is important for pet mice, it makes them feel secure and loved. My little guys get super excited in the evening because they know that this is feeding time. Not just feeding but also loving and treat time :)
Winter and Knox caring for their little ones - Heart of the Universe - where love was born CreekValleyCritters 2021-01-04 | Winter and Knox caring for their little ones, being parents is the greatest joy for a mouse. If you look carefully, you will see a clip of Winter 0:17 and then of Knox 'eye-boggling' 3:26 , a behavior that expresses supreme happiness and contentment, something they do when the feeling of love just overwhelms them. Mice are such an interesting animal to study and film since in many ways they are an ancestral animal, very similar to the ancient mammal that all the rest of us are descended from. You can see so many core behaviors in them, that are also present or modified to greater sophistication in other mammals, including us humans. Love is an ancient emotion, evolving because without it, social interactions, social bonding and caring for young is not possible. We humans hold this emotion in highest regard, often liking to think that only we are capable of it. It is just more complex in us, but still very real in even the most tiny and insignificant of mammals, the domesticated mouse.Notes: - we are going back two years in time with this video, I still have so much beautiful video to edit from Rachel's science fair project.....- this little cabin was just for the film shoot, the rest of the time they were in their regular home with a nest box full of soft, warm tissue paper and plenty of food and water, just in case someone out there is worrying about their care. Most of my mice really seem to enjoy film shoots in miniature sets, they really get into it :) - Knox is not the biological father of the babies since he was neutered by a vet. He is their grandfather though and watched them get born, so he thought he was the father and acted like one, he was so good with babies.Music by Peter Kater and Snatam Kaur (Heart of the Universe)
Fluffy Butt Caleb, a very angry mouse and an Overcrowded Nest Box CreekValleyCritters 2020-12-11 | This video was filmed yesterday, so very recently compared to the previous video I posted which was filmed around two months ago, I am a little behind in editing as usual. I am probably going to confuse you, many of the mice in this video have not even been born in the last video, but it was so cute I just had to post. Sometimes they are just too funny :)Caleb is a little mouse who knows what he wants and won't let anyone else get in the way, literally lol
An Unexpected Litter CreekValleyCritters 2020-12-02 | Archie seems to still be fertile, despite what I had hoped. He managed to make Storm pregnant and she had to be moved with her babies to Midas's large mousy group. Introducing new mice is tricky but in this case it went super smoothly, Midas's troop is just so into babies :) I made a chapters list for this video so you can jump to what you are interested in if you want to save time:Introducing Storm and her babies 00:00 Archie is upset 03:00Everyone loves babies 05:33Caleb and the Percies, I finally can tell them apart 09:32Finnegan gets cuddles 11:34Midas's troop get porridge 13:23Archie, bad boys must live alone 16:35Cute little babies 19:53Mice get cheezies 23:13Archie gets a cheezie 25:29Moving every one to a larger cage, very happy mice :) 25:54Sorry about the length but this video needs to be all in one to get the feeling of what it is really like to have pet mice.This was filmed in early September, I am a bit behind in video editing, just too much on the go in the moment.Warning: breeding mice is dangerous, you can end up with WAY more mice that you can properly take care of in a very short period of time, plus maternal death rates are high once the mouse is over 4 or 5 months old. Join a few mouse breeding groups on Facebook to find out all that is involved in being an ethical, responsible breeder. When it comes to breeding mice, quality of life is always the most important consideration and finding good homes for pet mice is not easy.
Asriels Troop gets a new cage and Midas helps out, cute little mice CreekValleyCritters 2020-11-08 | Once Asriel's troop is getting along well, they are all moved from the small introductory tank to a large, open concept mousery. Just some day to day mousy care....with a lot of Midas thrown in :)Note: Asriel is a little handicapped due to an injury he sustained when he was younger. He is fine though, almost two years old, he lets nothing set him back. Music by Matt Harvey (Walking Harp) audiosocket.com
Treats before Bedtime, cute little mice CreekValleyCritters 2020-10-29 | The mice know the bedtime routine and really look forward to the treat dispensing portion of it, a lot of little beggars at this time :)
Archie distracting me from Video Editing, he is just too cute :) CreekValleyCritters 2020-09-23 | Archie is very demanding of my attention when he has free run, although even he does not always know what he wants lol He is such an intelligent little mouse, super interactive and curious about everything. He is more like a little cat or dog than what one would expect of a mouse. Archie is the best :)
Cleaning the Large Mousery Part 2 CreekValleyCritters 2020-09-11 | Cleaning the large mousery is always a big undertaking, but once it is all done, it looks super and the mice are happy :) Cleaning regularly is very important for mousy health. My cages are so large and have such good ventilation that I only have to do a thorough cleaning every two weeks with spot cleaning in between. With smaller cages, especially terrariums, cleaning has to be done more often.Music by Angela Easterling (Field of Sorrow) audiosocket.com
Cleaning the Large Mousery Part 1 CreekValleyCritters 2020-09-08 | Cage cleaning time is always a lot of fun, especially if you have a bunch of super adorable little 'helpers' :)
Little Archie, some of my favorite clips CreekValleyCritters 2020-09-01 | Archie is an amazing mouse. He is extremely intelligent and super cute. He always wants free run and is not shy about letting me know. He is a true micro-puppy: very interactive, very communicative and very demanding lol When I was editing this video, he climbed onto my lap, then onto the desk, put his little front paws on my arm and stared intently at the screen for several minutes. He definitely is able to recognize what is happening on a screen. Then I gave him a baby food cheezie, which he ate in the fleece mouse hide I just bought him. After that he climbed back onto my lap and started nuzzling my hand. Then he started nibbling and when this got no response, escalated to soft biting. Finally I grasped what he wanted: some pets and ear massages. He was in pure bliss for 15 minutes until he felt it was time to run around some more. Catching him is usually easy, just call his name and he comes running, unless he really does not want to go back to his cage and the cheezie that awaits him there lol Then catching him can take a while :)Music by Luke Brindley (I Got a Light) audiosocket.com
My Handicapped Mouse Asriel, a bit of extra footage CreekValleyCritters 2020-08-28 | When Asriel was around four months old, he injured his back and became partially paralyzed. My best guess is that he got stuck in a wire mesh wheel, between the frame and the wheel as other mice were running on it. I no longer use these wheels, too dangerous if more than one mouse is using it. Now I just use solid wheels. Sad though, they really enjoyed those wire mesh wheels since multiple mice could run on them and have lots of fun. Not worth the occasional paralyzed mouse though.Animals can do very well living with a handicap. At first Asriel was very scared but within a week or so he had adjusted to the new situation and now he scoots around with the best of them. He is my oldest mouse currently, close to two years old, but is in super health, he does not look his age at all. He even still has an interest in the ladies lol As a neutered male, he lives in a harmonious little group of females and is very happy with his life, even if he cannot scratch his ears :)He has an injury on his tail right now that is healing. I tried to introduce him to Leo, but Asriel would not back down from a fight, he is still just too male. Leo was very patient but eventually he had enough and tried to bite off Asriel's tail. This is when I separated them. The wound is healing nicely but I know that I can never put Asriel or Leo in with another neutered male. In contrast Caleb and Percival are getting along super. You just never know when you introduce mice who will get along and who will not.Note: the reason he is in such a small tank is because I am introducing a new mouse (Gabi) to his group and this is best done in a small, neutral area. Once they all get along, usually takes a few days, sometimes longer, then they will got back into their permanent home, which is much, much larger.
Introducing a New Mouse CreekValleyCritters 2020-08-23 | I have decided to add Gabi to Asriel's troop but introducing new mice can be tricky. Mice are very territorial little animals and do not like intruders. It is very important to do introductions in a neutral area, one that has no odor of either party and is the territory of neither. I usually clean my small tank thoroughly, clean any furniture thoroughly, line the tank with paper towel and give them minimal toys and huts to fight over. Then I monitor them well for a few days and if all seems well, transfer them to their permanent home, which I also thoroughly clean. There is always a little squabbling as they re-establish pecking orders, but with most mice after about a week or two, they are getting along fine. Basic rule is: allow a little fighting, but if there is blood, separate the mice and try again later.The following is a more conventional way of introducing new mice, especially for very difficult mice (my home grown mice tend to be easier to introduce than pet store bought mice):1. make sure you have an extra cage for the new mouse/mice;2. set up a playground in a neutral territory like a table or a bath tub, clean thoroughly, clean any toys, you do not want anything smelling like your old mouse/mice, so they do not see this as their territory;3. some people dab a little Vicks Vapor Rub or vanilla on their mice to mask scent and make them all smell the same, you can also switch toys and bedding from the different cages so the mice can get used to each others scent beforehand;4. introduce all the mice under strict supervision in the neutral territory, be right there to break up any serious fights. If there is no blood, it is not that serious and you can let them sort things out, but if there is blood, you need to step in. I use my hand to separate fighters, if I get bitten too much, a Popsicle stick :) I also say 'no' gently but firmly when I see any body language that signals a mouse is about to attack another mouse. Mice learn quite quickly what this means and will often abort an attack once they have learned this word;5. Leave them together in the neutral territory to play for about an hour (if they are getting along reasonably well) and only for ten or so minutes if they are intent on murder (mice are fully capable of murder, the reason why introductions need to be done carefully). If some mice seem to get along better than others, allow them to have extra playground time, mix and match the mice in smaller groups. Use toys as distractions, make playground time fun so they learn to look forward to this and to each other;6. continue introductions in neutral territory until all seem to get along;7. now put them in a small terrarium or cage that is very clean, so still neutral territory. Leave them there for a day or so, keep the cage always close, just in case you hear squeaking and can intervene in any fights. You can also skip this step and go directly to step 7. A lot of mousy introduction is an art, you have to go by what your gut tells you;8. once they are getting along you can introduce them to the cage of the more submissive mice, usually the new comers. Again make sure everything is very clean to minimize territorial odors. Supervise initially, be close by in case there is squeaking and you have to intervene;9. once everyone gets along here, they can be introduced into the main cage, again clean thoroughly. Supervise initially, watch/listen for fighting in the next day or so. If everyone is getting along after a few days, then things should be fine. If serious fighting breaks out, backtrack to the previous step.It can take only a few hours to many weeks for new mice to accept each other, it all depends on the individual personalities of the mice. If there is no blood, then they are just sorting out their pecking order, if there is blood, they mean to kill. Females and neutered males usually accept each other within a month or so. Intact males should not be kept together, especially North American male mice, who tend to be more aggressive than European and Australian mice. They may be fine for their whole life and the best of friends, but there is a high risk that one day you will find a severely injured or dead mouse, intact male mice can snap at any moment and become murderous. If you do keep intact males together, never separate them, even for vet visits or cage cleaning, otherwise they can become territorial once you put them together again. The best companions for intact male mice seem to be female African soft furred rats, although intros need to be done carefully.
Cleaning day for Calebs Troup, cleaning an Open Concept Mousery CreekValleyCritters 2020-08-18 | Over the years many people have asked me to make a video on how I clean my open concept mouse cages, so here it is :) Sorry it is a bit long, but there was a lot of stuff to cover plus the mice were being adorable.Open concept mouseries are a wonderful way to keep mice. The reason they work is because most domesticated mice have an instinctive caution of heights and will never leave. Only very young mice, mice who are being severely bullied or highly motivated un-neutered males can sometimes jump. Since moving my mice into my new mouse room, I have not had a single jumper, not even the youngsters. This means they are very happy with their homes. I also think my older mice are teaching the younger ones, or maybe there is some epigenetics involved, but my new generations show zero sign of even thinking about jumping, it seems to no longer be in their DNA. This is making things easy since I do not have to put the youngsters in a cage with a door for a period of time as they mature. Open concept mouseries are wonderful because access is so easy, the mice feel free, the air circulation is excellent, you can give them so much more space and they can look really nice.If you do decide to try keeping mice in an open concept mousery, here are a few safety guidelines: make sure the room is 100% mouse proof and uncluttered so recapture is easy should one jump, put a bit of carpeting under the mousery to make any falls softer, ban any predatory pets, e.g. cats, from the mouse room, make sure the door is always closed. If you design the open concept mousery so the mice feel safe (6 inch bedding barrier, large enough space, lots of hides and toys, plenty of food and water), a mouse who jumps is rare, but it can happen.Steps to cleaning:1. put mice in a safe container (if you do decide to leave them in the cage during cleaning, be hyper-vigilant of where they are at all times so you do not accidentally hurt them)2. remove all toys, hides, food/water bowls, enrichments and bedding3. sweep the cage4. mix warm water with a little vinegar and use paper towel, sponge or wash cloth to clean the cage thoroughly5. dry as best you can with paper towel or a cloth towel6. wash all toys, food/water bowls, hides and enrichments with vinegar water, dry with paper towel or cloth towel7. put down fresh bathmat carpeting/fleece (trim any loose threads with a pair of scissors) and dust free paper based bedding e.g. Uber bedding8. return and arrange clean toys, food/water bowls, hides and enrichments, put torn up tissue paper into the sleeping huts 9. return mice and watch them enjoy their new, clean set up :)10. carpet/fleece clean up: shake vigorously and then brush used carpeting/fleece thoroughly; put in a washing machine, depending on how 'used' it is, it can take anywhere from one to three cycles to be completely odor free, then dry in the dryer or air dry.
My Mouse Breeding Program CreekValleyCritters 2020-08-15 | I started breeding mice about two years ago. I waited so long to start breeding my mice due to all the ethical issues surrounding breeding, but I am so glad I took the step. The mice I am getting now are just so much better than the ones I used to get from the pet store. They are not just healthier, they are also so much more interactive and friendly. They are raised in the best of circumstances, are not traumatized by rough handling and transport, are healthier both physically and psychologically. On top of that I am selecting for fluffy good looks as well as great personalities. As a result I am enjoying my mice so much in the moment. Just wish there were more good homes out there for pet mice. I have to keep my breeding program to a bare minimum so I am not overrun by mice and can take good care of everyone.Warning: before you start breeding mice do your research. Join online mouse breeding forums and Facebook groups, learn about all that is involved. Breeding mice is not for everyone, there are some major ethical concerns. You have to be emotionally strong, have a pragmatic streak and a lot of knowledge. Breeding mice should only be done by experienced mouse keepers and then only with a strong sense of responsibility. If you do not know what you are doing, before you know it, you will have WAY too many mice and no longer be able to care for them properly. Then everyone will suffer. Do not assume you will be able to find good homes for them. Good homes are rare for mice. Therefore, when you breed, always assume you will be keeping everyone. You have to remember than quality of life is always way more important than quantity of life. Breeding mice is not for the faint of heart. And then there are the stinky un-neutered males. Do not underestimate the power of male mouse stink lol :)Notes on where to get your pet mice from: The best place to get a mouse from is a good, responsible breeder who really loves mice and takes good care of them. These can be hard to find though. Most of us are stuck with buying mice from pet stores. When you buy a mouse from a pet store, you are most likely getting a mouse who was bred in a factory style mouse breeding facility with little care for a mouse's needs. Overcrowded, dirty, rough handling, plus no selection process for breeding, are the norms here. Then there is the stressful trip to the pet store, often long hours via air or road. By the time you get your mouse it will be psychologically and physically compromised, often unhealthy and very fearful. Some never tame down. On top of that you are giving your money to people who treat mice with little respect and sometimes abusively. But when you buy a mouse from the pet store you are also rescuing it. Most mice sold in pet stores in North America end up as live food for all sorts of other animals. For the mouse you rescue, being rescued means the world. You can also breed your own but this comes with a lot of ethical concerns. Those ethical concerns are also present when you get your mouse from a good breeder, you just let them deal with the difficulties surrounding breeding mice. Either way, keeping mice comes with a multitude of ethical considerations, but this is the way it is for most domesticated animals. This is why extreme animal rights groups want the keeping of all domesticated animals stopped, they feel there is just too much abuse involved. But they forget all the joy and good that keeping animals can give for both animal and human if done right. The world is not black and white, there are many shades of grey. Educating people and implementing laws to enhance animal welfare is the more sensible way to go. Otherwise we will have a very bland, sad and lonely world without the connection we have to our companion animals.One more thing: you can also get mice from rescues, here there are few ethical issues, but mouse rescues are rare, mostly they are just for larger animals. If you can find one, then this would be a good place to get a mouse from, although you would have to be accepting of health and temperament issues. Un-conditional love and acceptance is very important when getting rescue animals.
Super Friendly Little Mice :) CreekValleyCritters 2020-08-14 | My mice have become super interactive and friendly. I have been breeding my own mice for the last two years and what a difference. When you select for intelligence, outgoing personalities and friendliness (plus fluffy good looks) and take very good care of them, this is what you get. So pleased with my little guys in the moment :)Warning: breeding mice should only be done by experienced mouse keepers. If you do it incorrectly, without a sense of responsibility, you can be overrun by mice in no time and everyone will end up suffering. Only breed as many as you know you can keep and take care of well. Do not assume you will be able to find good homes for them. Good homes are hard to find for pet mice.If you do decide to breed, join mouse breeding forums and Facebook groups to find out all that is involved.
Amaras Last Video CreekValleyCritters 2020-06-23 | This was the last time I filmed Amara. It had been a struggle to keep her alive and healthy the last six months and finally her tumors came back, this time inoperable. Mousy lives are just too short, especially so for extra special ones who you wish could live forever :( Midas was in shock of a day or so but since he still has his mom Faye, who he loves very much, he was back to normal in no time and is now his happy little self again. Pixie just had her babies and I so wish Amara could have lived long enough to care for one more litter, she just loved babies so much. She had a wonderful life though, full of adventure and loved ones, travel well my little one.Music by Luke Brindley (Heaven) audiosocket.com
Caleb has the Zoomies and Archie wants Out!!! CreekValleyCritters 2020-05-21 | As un-neutered males, Caleb and his brother Archie have a ton of energy. So every day they get to have an hour or so of free run in the mouse room. They LOVE this time. They spend most of their time running around like crazy, trying to get to the girls and if I am not careful, each other to fence fight :P Eventually their attention turns to me and they will spend a lot of time playing on me, snoozing on my shoulder or just being petted. Caleb is especially cuddly and Archie especially smart. Archie knows exactly when it is treat dispensing time. When he feels it is time to go back into his cage, he will find me, get my attention, run to his cage and stand expectantly with his little front paws on his food bowl. He knows he always gets a cheezie when I put him away and does not want to miss out by going to bed by himself. Catching them is super easy, just call their name, present my hand and they are right there. They are so much like little dogs, my little micro-puppies :)In this video Caleb is having his free run and Archie is very jealous and unhappy about this, he wants out too! Brampton makes an appearance at the end. He is neutered now, but still always very aware of where his rivals are lol plus he is also hoping for a treat.....mice do love baby food cheezies.Music by Forest Sun (Love's Last Arrow) audiosocket.com
My Tiny People, The Joy of Keeping Pet Mice CreekValleyCritters 2020-05-19 | Having a mousery is a bit like having a village of tiny people, each with his or her own unique little personality and story to tell.Music by Forest Sun (Morning Bird) licensed by www.Audiosocket.com
A Lazy Afternoon, Faye and her Family, cute little mice CreekValleyCritters 2020-05-02 | Faye is a wonderful little mouse, friendly, affectionate and always cheerful. She is Amara's sister and Midas's cousin and like them she just LOVES babies. She is super family orientated and in this video she is being a mother to all: Tabitha, Midas and Aurora's kids Storm (light grey with a lightening bolt marking on her forehead) and Gerry (a little gold and white boy). Amara also makes a brief appearance in the beginning of the video, but because the nest box was so crowded, she decided not to join them.Music by Forest Sun (That Kind of Blue) audiosocket.com
The Little Trouble Maker, young wild stallions playing and causing trouble, Salt River Arizona CreekValleyCritters 2020-04-10 | Don't worry, more mouse stuff to come, it is just that a month ago I was in Arizona and got to full fill a bucket list item of mine: film the Salt River wild horses, some of the most beautiful wild horses in the world. We got back to the Yukon just in time, a few days before all hell broke loose. We are doing the well, the mice are fine, but it is a very anxious time and anxiety and creativity do not mix well. I am adjusting though and slowly but surely getting back to video making. I want to edit the wild horse footage though first before I get back to mice. It is very interesting so I hope you guys do not mind.The Little Trouble Maker: One of the best thing about wild horses is you can see male horses the way nature intended them to be. Stallions and domestication may not go well together but in the wild they are so much fun to watch. Always busy and doing something, with complex relationships and behaviors. This young grey stallion with a black mane really stood out. He is not just very pretty, he is also very high energy, full of personality and very charismatic. He is quite the little trouble maker :) In this video he challenged quite a few other stallions, but what was most interesting is his relationship with a young white stallion. It was like he was playing 'house' with him, the white horse taking over the role of a mare, to be cared for and defended by a dominant stallion. When a rough and tumble game became to much for the white horse, he ran to his protector. The little dun kept the other stallions away from his 'mare' and spent quite a lot of time just hanging out with him, like a stallion would do with a favorite mare. Neat how play is so often practice for adult life :) At the end of this video he gets chastised by a dominant stallion because he dared approach one of his mares. He sulks and then a dark dun stallion comes up to him as if to comfort him. Stallion interactions are so cool, they are rivals but also 'bros' :)Sorry about the background noise, the horses were close to the highway and the Phoenix Airport is not far away, humans are really encroaching on the habitat of these horses :(
My Wonderful Little Amara CreekValleyCritters 2020-02-18 | Going back into the past a bit, when the Percys were still babies......This video shows just how trusting and sweet my little Amara is. She has no concept that I could ever hurt her, complete trust, and if you place a baby mouse, any baby mouse, in front of her, she will immediately go into baby care mode. She is a very empathetic mouse and will also comfort anyone of her family if they are not feeling well. She is the sweetest little thing :)Music by Forest Sun (Sometimes My Mind) licensed by Audiosocket audiosocket.com
Midas and Amara are Absolutely no Good for the Film Project CreekValleyCritters 2020-02-11 | I entered this short film in the Available Light Film Festival here in Whitehorse. Originally it had a French song that I carefully choreographed the video to, but then three days before the screening the music rights fell through and I had two days to find a replacement song. Then a day before release, I found out that I had only paid for a music license to ENTER the film in a film festival, not to actually PLAY it. So all of Saturday I frantically e-mailed the music company until in the very early hours of Sunday they got back to me, giving me permission to play it that Sunday afternoon. After three very stressful days the film finally played in front of 300+ people on a huge screen at the Yukon Arts Center. It was awesome seeing Midas and Amara on the big screen and I got a lot of positive feedback. The second piece of music actually fits better than the first one. A bit of a roller coaster ride but a really good experience overall :)Notes: Amara had surgery a week before to remove a tumor, hence the shaved belly. The surgery was very successful and she is doing great. The babies are not Midas and Amara's, Midas is neutered and Amara is too old to safely be a mom. This is Summer's litter, but if you place any baby mouse in front of Midas and Amara, they instantly go into 'baby mode'. They go into a 'baby high' and just LOVE caring for little ones :)Music by Forest Sun (Trampoline) licensed by Audiosocket audiosocket.com
The Mice at 40 below, very cold right now CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-21 | Up until now our winter up here in the Yukon has been very warm but now finally winter has really hit. -40C!!! and even colder. It has lasted a few days now and keeping the mouse room and house warm is a challenge. I have given everyone extra bedding and, with an evening warm porridge, everyone should be warm and cozy.
The Cabin behind the scenes CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-17 | I did this little bit of filming for an intro to a short film that I will be showing at the Available Light Film Festival here in Whitehorse. It was so pretty, I thought I would show you guys too. The mice in this video are Tabitha, Faye, Amara and Midas (in order of appearance). Tabby has never been in the cabin before so she is super curious, as is Faye, who only was in it once, months ago when is was much less finished. Midas and Amara are old pros so spent most of their time in the cozy little bed, but they do make an appearance at the end. The mice view the cabin as a fun enrichment :)
Tour of the Mousery Part 8, Calebs Free Run CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-06 | The little un-neutered males live in very small cages so once a day they get around an hour of free run in the studio. They love this, but it is not without risk and you have to set things up so things are as safe as possible. First you need a 100% mouse proof room. It needs to be escape proof and have nothing where a mouse could get into trouble. It needs to be clutter free so you can easily find and catch your mouse. The biggest danger for a free running mouse is you, it is just too easy to crush them in a moment of inattention. It is very important to take off your shoes and socks, and maybe even wear shorts, so you can easily feel if your mouse has run up to you. You always have to be super aware of your surroundings and move carefully and slowly. The last thing you want is a hurt (or worse) mouse. But the risks are worth it, mice love nothing more than freedom, especially if they are kept in a small cage. Eventually I will make the center cage of the main mousery into a mousy playground. Then complete free run in the whole room will no longer be needed. Mousy playgrounds are not quite as much fun, but they are much, much safer.Caleb is having a wonderful time in this video. Except that once he has explored the whole room he becomes obsessed with being 'up'. This is because he knows the other mice are up high and he is desperate to get to the girls and fight with the boys :) Un-neutered males always do everything in extremes, neutering calms them down quite a bit and they are much less frustrated. Plus they get to live with the girls which means much, much happier little boys. Caleb, Archie and Charlie will have to wait until the next round of breeding in March/April, then they too will be neutered and a much fuller life living with other mice in larger cages will begin.
Tour of the Mousery Part 7, entrance area, mouse bedding, conclusion CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-05 | The last video in this series, it is all about the kitchen area, the entrance area, mousy bedding (my favorite bedding is Uber paper based bedding, the only bedding dust/allergen/irritant free enough not to make my mice sick) and then an overall conclusion.
Tour of the Mousery Part 6, the Cabin, the Balloon and the film project CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-04 | For the last year I have been working on a film project. 'Growing up Mouse' will be about a mouse family growing up in a little log cabin set in the Yukon wilderness. It is a very challenging project and is taking way longer than I thought. Here I show you how far along I am with the cabin construction and tell you a little about the balloon as well. So far I am really happy with how everything is shaping up :) I love having something really challenging to work on, that will grow my skills as a film maker, lead me into new, exciting, creative directions and make the connection I have with my mice even more beautiful and special.
Tour of the Mousery Part 5, building a Mouse Home, special care for Amara CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-03 | A lot of you have asked me to make a video showing how I build my mousy homes, so here is a brief overview of how I built Midas and Amara's mousery. Amara has health issues, she is super sensitive to dry air and dust. So I have had to take extra measures to keep her comfortable and happy.
Tour of the Mousery Part 4, Midass Troupe, mouse food and medications, dried leaves CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-02 | Midas, Amara, Faye and Tabitha are my most interactive and affectionate mice, I just love them. I also really like the cage I made them and they do too. I will tell you more about this cage and how I made it in the next video in this series. I am still figuring out the best feeding regime for them, once I have this all worked out I will make a video all about it.
Tour of the Mousery Part 3, The Boys CreekValleyCritters 2020-01-01 | I have three un-neutered males right now: Caleb, Archie and Charlie. They each have to have their own cage because if I put them with other males they will fight to the death and if I put them with females they will have WAY too many babies. Eventually I will take them to the vet to be neutered, but for now I still need them for breeding in a few months time. Their cages are a little small, but there is limited space in the mouse room plus once a day they get to have free run in the studio for close to an hour, something the really, really love :)I am experimenting with a mousy birth control, Conntraceptol. It is meant as a way to control wild mice so I am going slow with it, just in case there are some negative side effects. I used it first on two new girls I ended up giving to my intern Rachel. They were on it for about three days. No negative side effects, in fact they really liked it :) This time I went a little further: when Charlie was 4 weeks old I separated him from his family (like one has to do for all little boys at that age) and put him in with Tabitha. I put the birth control in their cage and they both really liked it. They were on it for two weeks and now they have been off it for two weeks. No negative side effects and so far Tabitha does not seem to be pregnant. Tabitha though really loves being with Midas's group, so I have stopped the experiment because she is just so unhappy being away from them, although she gets along well with Charlie. In a few months time I will try again and this time for longer. If it proves to work without any negative side effects, it could mean the end of lonely un=neutered males. So it is really worth doing these early experiments.Update: the mousy birth control does not work lol So much for that :P
Tour of the Mousery Part 2, The Main Mousery, Las Vegas mice, breeding, feeding and wheels CreekValleyCritters 2019-12-30 | Sorry, this video got a little long, there was just so much to say and these three parts somehow needed to stay together. This is the main mousery, divided into three sections, each with 9-10 mice. There are the Percys, Brampton and Trixie's lot and the Oldsters, each with their own stories to tell. Open concept mouseries are my favorite way to keep mice. Domesticated mice have a natural caution of heights so most can be safely kept this way their entire lives. It makes for happy, free mice and a wonderful mouse keeping experience for the human.
Tour of the Mousery Part 1, First Look, open concept mouseries CreekValleyCritters 2019-12-29 | A lot of people have asked me to do a tour of my mouse room. The studio is not quite finished yet, it still needs a lot more work, to do next summer, but here it is in its present form of incompleteness. I am very happy with it so far, it is a wonderful place to work on videos and art and the mice love it too :) There will be a few more videos to come in this series, there is just so much to say. This first video gives you a rough overview and some details about the main mousery.
Epic Nest Building, Midas and Amara CreekValleyCritters 2019-12-20 | Midas and Amara became WAY too enthusiastic about nest building during their film shoot lol One thing I love about filming animals, you never know what you will get, they are always surprising you :) Note: the film shoot lasted only about half an hour, the rest of the time the babies spent in a torn up tissue paper nest in a nest box with their parents Leo and Summer, and all their aunties. I just borrowed them briefly for the film shoot. Midas and Amara LOVE babies, ALL babies, including those that belong to another family of mice. They have super strong parenting instincts. Amara had tumor removal surgery a few days before, hence the shaved tummy. She is doing fine :)
Midas and Amara eating Potato Chips, Mousy ASMR CreekValleyCritters 2019-12-16 | I love this video clip of Midas and Amara eating potato chips during the film shoot, it is a bit ASMR, so I thought I would upload it in its entirety. It took them around 3 minutes to polish off the chips lolNote: This is only a film set, they were not here for much more than 30 minutes. If you look at my other videos, you will see that they live in very natural environments the rest of the time. I got some government funding to work on a fantasy film with the little mice. It is very challenging and this is a practice film session, to see how they react and how things look. Every film session I learn more and eventually there will be a completed film :)
Midas being the best little Daddy CreekValleyCritters 2019-12-15 | Male mice can have very strong baby care instincts and Midas is no exception. He just LOVES baby mice, even babies that belong to mice he does not live with. I had some extra video from the recent film shoot in the cabin showing how wonderful he is with Summer's babies (Charlie, Midnight, Aurora and Velvet). Not only is he crazy for babies, so is his favorite girl, Amara. Both he and Amara had the best time doing what they love most, being together and caring for babies :)Note: Amara had tumor removal surgery a few days before, hence the shaved belly. The surgery was very successful and she is doing great. Also the babies were fine, the room was warm and the film shoot did not take very long. I do though need to work on the bed a bit more to make it a little cozier. Midas is neutered, this is why he can live with Amara and not make her pregnant. Mousy birth control, very important since mice can reproduce at an alarming rate, best to keep things under control.For my favorite mouse products, check out the CVC Amazon store: amazon.com/shop/creekvalleycritters
