Mice
Domestic Mice bred in captivity make friendly pets and come in a wide variety of
colours. If bred for showing, they are known as ‘Fancy Mice’. They are easy to
look after and should be kept in same sex pairs or groups to avoid unwanted
offspring. They generally live for 1 to 2 years and are fully grown at around 3
months.
HOUSING
A simple wire cage with a plastic floor or a glass tank with a wire lid will
make an ideal home for your pet Mice. Avoid wooden cages. Minimum cage size for
a pair of Mice is 45cm x 30cm with at least 25cm depth, giving them plenty of
room to stand upright. Remember Mice can squeeze through very tiny gaps, so
make sure there are no spaces wider than your little finger otherwise your Mice
could escape.
Your Mouse cage should be kept out of direct sunlight and away from
draughts.
Shredded paper nesting material should be provided, along with dust-extracted
wood shavings. Always provide a nest box filled with shredded tissue paper. The
cage should be cleaned once a week - a small litter tray can be provided to
encourage a hygienic environment, and always replace a little of the old
bedding and nesting material for familiarity.
FEEDING
A good quality commercial rodent mix makes an ideal core diet for your pet,
but care should be taken not to overfeed as Mice can easily get fat. This can
be supplemented with small pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables. Mice love
sunflower seeds occasionally and also enjoy tiny amounts of carrot, apple, and
broccoli. Contrary to myth, they don’t need dairy products like cheese! Clean
fresh drinking water should always be available from a gravity bottle.
EXERCISE AND ENTERTAINMENT
Mice will enjoy
playing with toys and they like cardboard tubes to run through and chew on.
Like all rodents, their incisors grow continuously, so provide them with
something to gnaw on – a mineral stone or wooden gnaw is ideal. By making a
sound - such as a whistle – each time you feed your Mice, you will train them
to associate the sound with food. Mice love to groom and play with each
other.
HANDLING
Mice are usually friendly and enjoy
human contact but can occasionally be timid. If this is the case, place your
hand in the cage whilst holding a treat (a few sunflower seeds). Your Mouse
will become more confident once he gets used to accepting the treats. You can
pick up a Mouse by gently holding the base of the tail, lifting the back
carefully,
and sliding your hand under its body.
TIPS
Mice naturally live in groups and
need their own kind as company. Never try mixing Mice with other species of
rodent such as rats – they will fight. Two or more Mice of the same sex, from
the same litter, should get on well. Female Mice under 12 weeks can be mixed
even if from different litters, but males should always be from the same
litter. Male Mice emit a musky smell for marking their territory. It’s not
unpleasant, but some people prefer keeping female Mice for this reason.
HEALTH
Mice are generally healthy creatures but
as with all pets, if you are worried about any aspect of their health, seek
veterinary advice. Mice have a short lifespan so most health issues will be
caused by the aging process. For a healthy life, your Mice need the
following:
colours. If bred for showing, they are known as ‘Fancy Mice’. They are easy to
look after and should be kept in same sex pairs or groups to avoid unwanted
offspring. They generally live for 1 to 2 years and are fully grown at around 3
months.
HOUSING
A simple wire cage with a plastic floor or a glass tank with a wire lid will
make an ideal home for your pet Mice. Avoid wooden cages. Minimum cage size for
a pair of Mice is 45cm x 30cm with at least 25cm depth, giving them plenty of
room to stand upright. Remember Mice can squeeze through very tiny gaps, so
make sure there are no spaces wider than your little finger otherwise your Mice
could escape.
Your Mouse cage should be kept out of direct sunlight and away from
draughts.
Shredded paper nesting material should be provided, along with dust-extracted
wood shavings. Always provide a nest box filled with shredded tissue paper. The
cage should be cleaned once a week - a small litter tray can be provided to
encourage a hygienic environment, and always replace a little of the old
bedding and nesting material for familiarity.
FEEDING
A good quality commercial rodent mix makes an ideal core diet for your pet,
but care should be taken not to overfeed as Mice can easily get fat. This can
be supplemented with small pieces of fresh fruit and vegetables. Mice love
sunflower seeds occasionally and also enjoy tiny amounts of carrot, apple, and
broccoli. Contrary to myth, they don’t need dairy products like cheese! Clean
fresh drinking water should always be available from a gravity bottle.
EXERCISE AND ENTERTAINMENT
Mice will enjoy
playing with toys and they like cardboard tubes to run through and chew on.
Like all rodents, their incisors grow continuously, so provide them with
something to gnaw on – a mineral stone or wooden gnaw is ideal. By making a
sound - such as a whistle – each time you feed your Mice, you will train them
to associate the sound with food. Mice love to groom and play with each
other.
HANDLING
Mice are usually friendly and enjoy
human contact but can occasionally be timid. If this is the case, place your
hand in the cage whilst holding a treat (a few sunflower seeds). Your Mouse
will become more confident once he gets used to accepting the treats. You can
pick up a Mouse by gently holding the base of the tail, lifting the back
carefully,
and sliding your hand under its body.
TIPS
Mice naturally live in groups and
need their own kind as company. Never try mixing Mice with other species of
rodent such as rats – they will fight. Two or more Mice of the same sex, from
the same litter, should get on well. Female Mice under 12 weeks can be mixed
even if from different litters, but males should always be from the same
litter. Male Mice emit a musky smell for marking their territory. It’s not
unpleasant, but some people prefer keeping female Mice for this reason.
HEALTH
Mice are generally healthy creatures but
as with all pets, if you are worried about any aspect of their health, seek
veterinary advice. Mice have a short lifespan so most health issues will be
caused by the aging process. For a healthy life, your Mice need the
following:
- A good balanced diet of rodent mix and small amounts of fresh food
- Clean dry housing, cleaned once a week with a mild disinfectant
- No extreme or sudden changes in temperature
- Water bottle and feed bowls cleaned daily
- Gnawing block or fruit tree branch to help wear their continually growing
teeth
- Other Mice for company