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Mice can make great pets for young children! Mice come in a variety of colours and coat types. They are generally intelligent and easily tamed. Even though mice are relatively low maintenance, they still require lots of care, attention and exercise to stay happy and healthy.
The following information should be used as a guide to ensure your mice are well cared for and that you can share a long, happy, healthy relationship.
General Information
The life expectancy of a mouse is approximately 1-2 years. Generally mice reach sexual maturity at 6-8 weeks. Therefore, mixed litters need to be separated at about 6 weeks of age to prevent breeding. Mice have a gestation period of 21 days.
Female mice are called does and males are called bucks. Baby mice are called pups.
Mice are very social animals and are best kept in pairs. To prevent unwanted litters, 2 females are best. 2 males will often fight. Also, the smell of female urine is not as strong as male urine therefore many people prefer to keep 2 females.
Diet
Mice generally eat a herbivorous diet but they are actually omnivores. Herbivores eat plants and plant products where omnivores eat both plant and animal matter.
In the wild mice mainly eat grains, fruits and seeds. However they will eat other dead mice and insects at times of poor food supply.
Pellets
Most commercial rat and mouse pellets are excellent well balanced diets. You need to ensure that the pellets are manufactured specifically for rats and mice and that they are fortified with vitamins. Pellets should make up 80% of a mouse's diet. They should be offered ad lib and should be kept in a heavy ceramic bowl so that the mice can't tip it over.
Fruit, vegetables and treats
Mice love a varied diet and the remaining 20% of their diet should include fruit, vegetables and snacks. These 'wet' foods should be offered in a separate bowl to the pellets to prevent spoiling the pellets.
Generally mice enjoy seeds, nuts, bread, banana (ripe), grapes, apple, peas and corn. They also enjoy occasional sweet biscuits and crackers.
Mice love sunflower seeds however as they are high in fat, we recommend that they are used as treats only.
Water
Fresh water should be available at all times. As mice will climb into water bowls and soil the water, we recommend the use of water sippers instead so that you can be sure your mice always have fresh water.
Housing
There are a number of different cage types designed for mice. There are pros and cons for each type.
Wire cages - These cages offer superior ventilation. They also offer rungs for the mice to climb on and they do not restrict their view of the world. It is important to ensure that the cage is secure from predators and that you have a solid flooring. Unfortunately, mice are very cunning and often escape from wire cages.
Aquarium style cages/plastic cages - These cages are best for protection of your mice from predators. Mice are not able to escape and they are kept away from drafts. However it is difficult to create an interesting environment in these types of cages. Also as these cages have poor air circulation, the level of ammonia (toxic by product from mouse urine) can get very high very quickly resulting in respiratory disease in the mice. And finally, some plastic cages can be very difficult to clean.
Wooden cages - Similar problems occur with these as with the plastic cages. Also mice often gnaw on the wood and can tunnel their way out!!
Cages should be at least 50cm x 30cm for 2 mice. (This is a minimum, the bigger the better!)
Regardless of the type of cage you have, mice MUST be offered a nesting area. This is a designated sleeping area and their 'safe area'. It should be covered so that mice can hide. Mice will fill the nest with materials found in the cage. The nest should be cleaned/changed weekly.
Cages should be cleaned weekly as a minimum. Mice will often choose a toileting corner and this can be cleaned more regularly. Male mice will mark their territory by dribbling urine all over it!! Ammonia in the urine is what causes mice and their cages to smell. If you can smell 'the smell', then the ammonia is at a dangerously high level for the mice. Therefore, as a general rule, cages need to be cleaned before they smell.
Bedding
There are a number of different options with respect to bedding.
* Straw is fine although not very absorbent so we recommend that paper or cardboard is placed underneath.
* Wood shavings are controversial as many are made from treated wood and release volatile compounds which can be toxic to the mice.
* Recycled newspaper pellets such as cat litter pellets are great as they are highly absorbent and help to reduce odours. They are completely safe and are our bedding of choice.
Mice should also be offered some nesting materials for their nest - strips of newspaper, strips of facial tissues and cotton wool are all excellent nesting materials. These nesting materials should be placed on the bottom of the cage. The mice will gather what they want and need and shred the materials to create a nest.
Exercise and environmental enrichment
Mice are nocturnal creatures. They are therefore very active at night and will sleep most of the day. It is for this reason that they need to have things to do and play with in their cage when you are asleep. This is also the reason why we recommend you have 2 mice - so that they have company when you are not around.
Mice love to run in wheels. Wheels provide great exercise for them. They also like to play in pipes, to shred paper and empty egg cartons, to run up and down ladders and to eat!!
Mice should not be offered free run in the house until they are tame and easily caught. Mice are small and can easily escape under doors and through holes! They are easily lost and can get up to great mischief!!
Handling
In general mice are quite skittish creatures. However, they are easily tamed with lots of love and lots of handling! Tame mice will climb up onto your hand. If your mouse is not tame yet, then the best way to pick it up is by the base of the tail (not the tip)! This is not painful for them. You then transfer the mouse to the back of your other hand.
If you are unsure how to handle your mice safely, please contact the clinic.
Medical Information
Mice suffer very few ailments.
Mites -
Mice can suffer from mites which cause extreme itchiness of the skin.
If you think your mouse has mites, please make an appointment to see the vet at the clinic.
Vaccination -
Mice do NOT require vaccination
Worms -
Mice can suffer from worms - mainly pinworm and tapeworm. Pinworms are not pathological and therefore they do not harm the mouse. Tapeworm can be pathological however unless your mice roam free in the house it is very difficult for them to contract tapeworm.
Photos on this page by iStock Photo
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