MAMA Quarantine Procedures
MAMA offers these
guidelines for proper quarantine procedures and disease control at a
show. Please read this section thoroughly to help keep our mice safe.
Quarantine Procedures before the Show
MAMA asks that all members quarantine for a minimum of 4 weeks, before and after a show. Most diseases have a 3 to 10 day incubation period. The following guidelines are for MAMA’s before show quarantining policies:
Disease Control during the Show
While all members of the MAMA hope that anyone attending a show have properly contained their animals, there is always the chance that a mouse has slipped by the health checker or someone attending has handled their pet mouse at home right before the show. Follow these guidelines while at the show to help protect your mice:
Quarantine Procedures after the Show
After arriving home, any mice that attended or were purchased at the show should go through a 4 week minimum quarantine from your other mice. Ideally, they should be kept in a separate air space, but if one is not available, they should be kept on opposite ends of the house from the rest of your mice. Follow the same general guidelines as a before show quarantine, and feed, water, and tend to quarantined mice after you tend to your colony.
Even with all precautions in place, sometimes things still slip through. Please see our forms for a blank copy of the Quarantine Form. Quarantine Forms will always be available at all MAMA shows and in the show packet. If anything should happen to your mice after a show, please fill out the Quarantine Form and send it in to MAMA.
Quarantine Procedures before the Show
MAMA asks that all members quarantine for a minimum of 4 weeks, before and after a show. Most diseases have a 3 to 10 day incubation period. The following guidelines are for MAMA’s before show quarantining policies:
- The entire mousery
should be quarantined before a show.
- No new mice should be
brought into the quarantined area during the 4 week quarantine. Any
mice purchased from a pet store entering the quarantined area will
need to be there for, at least, 4 weeks.
- If any signs of illness
or parasites are observed during the 2 week prior to show
quarantining, then the mice should be left at home.
- Quarantine must take
place the 4 weeks before the show, the mice can not be quarantined
for 4 weeks and then new mice brought in a few days before the show.
The attending mice must stay in quarantine until the show, and the
quarantine must have started 30 days before the show date.
- It is recommended that
during quarantine, no one be allowed in the quarantine area that has
recently handled or been around any other rodents without first
showering and changing their clothing, to prevent the spread of
possible contagions.
Disease Control during the Show
While all members of the MAMA hope that anyone attending a show have properly contained their animals, there is always the chance that a mouse has slipped by the health checker or someone attending has handled their pet mouse at home right before the show. Follow these guidelines while at the show to help protect your mice:
- Any mice being shown
should be left in their cages until just before their class is
called, and then placed into the show box for judging purposes. They
should not be taken out and handled at any other time after being
health checked.
- Do not allow mice from
other breeders to intermingle with your own.
- Make sure that you do
not allow your mice to get on your clothing or anyone else’s.
Anyone handling your mice should be asked to use hand sanitizer
before and after handling your mice. If you handle anyone else’s
mice, then use hand sanitizer before and afterwards.
- Do not allow your mice
to run loose on your person, tables, or the top of their or anyone
else’s cages.
- Mice coming to the show
should arrive in glass aquariums, plastic critter carriers, or lab
cages. Do not bring wire cages or cages with large amounts of
ventilation on the sides. Mice should not arrive in show boxes, but
should be placed in them just before being judged.
- Please bring your own
white bath sized towel in case your mouse wins anything and needs to
have his picture taken.
Quarantine Procedures after the Show
After arriving home, any mice that attended or were purchased at the show should go through a 4 week minimum quarantine from your other mice. Ideally, they should be kept in a separate air space, but if one is not available, they should be kept on opposite ends of the house from the rest of your mice. Follow the same general guidelines as a before show quarantine, and feed, water, and tend to quarantined mice after you tend to your colony.
Even with all precautions in place, sometimes things still slip through. Please see our forms for a blank copy of the Quarantine Form. Quarantine Forms will always be available at all MAMA shows and in the show packet. If anything should happen to your mice after a show, please fill out the Quarantine Form and send it in to MAMA.
- Allison Hamilton. Used with permission