Reducing smell from mice

Hello Everyone,

I have posted in other forums for advice but am still having problems. I have two female mice in a 10 gallon tank for about 2 months now. I found out recently that I am allergic to them, primarily the urine.

I changed there bedding to carefresh ultra... and I think it might have made the smell worse but am not sure. I switched from a solid wheel to a mesh one so the pee doesn't stick to it as much while they run. I clean in out weekly and spot clean as needed. I have had mice before, just never as young and usually only 1 at a time. My last mouse I had for 3 years (great mouse, I miss her so much) and never really had any issues with the smell.

Any tips to decrease the smell would be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance!

I hear your pain. Usually it's not the smell people are allergic to with pets, but the dander or saliva. I don't know if this is true for mice, though. I have been battling male mousie stink for some time now and have come up with some measures that seem to to work. Marshall's Bye Odor in the drinking water works, but the dosage has to be increased until you get results, then you can't skip a day. I've emailed the Marshall's customer service frequency and they have always replied and have been very helpful. I've been assured by them that the additive (made from mushroom extract) will not harm mice. The next thing has been adding Yucca Shidigera to his food. It comes from a plant and is used in feed for farm animals to decrease odor. I get capsules from health food or vitamin stores, open one, and sprinkle the powder over the food daily. The capsules are about 400mg but the mouse doesn't eat all of it. My mouse seems to like it best in unsweetened applesauce. Christina gave me the tip of using alfalfa pellets for bedding. They work really great in reducing odor. I wipe down the cage and the wheel daily with a mixture of vinegar and water (about 50/50 solution) or BioFOG, except for his favorite toys. I leave a few toys smelly so he doesn't feel the need to mark everything with his urine each time. I also change the bedding daily. A product called BioFOG that I buy online (SCOE10X.com) is awesome for cleaning the cage and is advertised as safe for rodents. The starter kit comes with a spray bottle and a pre-measured bottled of the concentrate to mix with water. I think it's better than Nature's Miracle or anything else I've used. I don't know what cage you have, but I switched from Habitrail Ovo to Critter Trail. Habitrail plastic holds odors, Critter Trail does not. I like the ventilation of a wire cage, but make sure the space between wires is 7mm or less. Critter Trail has cages suitable for mice. I've found that Critter Trail cages are not difficult to take apart and reassemble if I take it easy and don't force the pieces into place; they snap in easily. Hope this will help. My buck used to put out weapon's grade pee that would knock us off our feet, but now he smells as sweet as his disposition. Good Luck.

Yup...... better ventilation....... nature's miracle, and alfalfa pellets. Carefresh does make the smell worse. good luck!

Also..... per forum rules you are going to want to post an introduction so we know who you are.

I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks carefresh smells worse! I used to use it with my hairless rats years ago and was quite satisfied that it smelled better than wood chips and was easy on their skins. But I began using it with my mice because I worried wood chips would cause skin problems for my hairless. But mouse pee (even from females) in the carefresh seems to make a very distinct smell of moldering wet newspapers in a basement.