Rat
Rescue :: Mice
Guide
Mice
Mice make great pets, being intelligent,
friendly and relatively low maintenance to keep. They live on
average for 18 months – 2 years, are easily tamed and if handled
properly very rarely, if ever, bite. Sociable by nature mice
are best kept in pairs or groups, although there maybe occasions
when an aggressive male may have to be kept singly. For this
reason females are recommended for first time owners.
Mice are very active little animals and a pair or small group
of them will keep you constantly amused with their antics as
they play, eat, groom and sleep together. No two are ever quite
the same, either in looks or personality and each will have
their likes and dislikes as well as their own little habits.
Mice also come in an astounding range of colours and varieties
and can be extremely pretty to look at, especially if you have
several different types living together.
Housing
As with all animals the more space you can offer the better.
Most 'mouse' cages are far too small so are best avoided. Good
sized hamster cages are great, providing the bar spacing is
1cm or less as mice are very good at escaping through small
gaps! Large glass and plastic tanks offer good escape proof
homes although they will have to be kept spotless to combat
the potential problem with ventilation.
Sawdust and other wood based litters can be extremely dangerous
to mice, causing respiratory problems and allergies and should
not be used. Safe alternatives include things like Carefresh,
Megazorb, Hemp and cardboard based products such as Ecopetbed,
Easybed and Bedxel. Shredded paper, newspaper, hay or torn up
tissues and kitchen towel (or a mixture of them all) can be
used as bedding for mice to sleep in.
Suggested toys for mice can include: tubes from the middle
of toilet roll/kitchen towel; solid spoked exercise wheels;
ropes and ladders; things to shred (tissue/newspaper etc) and
pesticide free sticks/branches from safe source (oak, fruit
trees). The list is pretty much endless, as most toys sold for
small animals are safe and free household 'waste' items such
egg boxes, cereal packets etc can also be used.
Diet
Mice can be prone to skin problems and allergies if fed a diet
that is too high in fat and protein, so hamster mixes, which
usually contain sunflower seeds and peanuts, are best avoided.
If buying a commercial dry food go for a mix for rats food as
they have the closest nutritional needs out of all the rodents
to that of a mouse. When choosing be on the look out for 'fillers'
such as alfalfa or grass pellets as these are things the manufacturers
add to ‘bulk’ the mix up and most animals won’t even eat them!
Other things to look out for include large amounts of flaked
peas or ash and foods that have been artificially coloured or
flavoured.
The dry mix should always be available in small quantities
and not topped up until most of it has gone to prevent the mice
from only picking out their favourite bits! They will also require
fresh foods a few times a week, such as small amounts of vegetables,
cooked pasta or fruit. Treats can include animal chocolate drops,
sunflower seeds and dog biscuits. Contrary to popular belief
most mice will not eat cheese and as they do not require dairy
foods it is unnecessary to offer them. Fresh water should also
be available at all times.
Handling and Exercise
The most likely reason for a mouse to bite is if it is being
handled roughly. The safest way to pick up your mouse is to
cup it in both hands, but is is also ok to grasp it firmly by
the base of its tail and then put your hand under it to support
its weight. Never hold it for any length of time by the tail
or pick it up by the tip as you will hurt the mouse. Most mice
will enjoy play time outside of their cage and this will also
help them get used to you. It is important to remember that
mice can squeeze through the tiniest of gaps so they should
be supervised at all times and must be kept away from other
pets. Hamster exercise balls are not recommended as very few
mice enjoy being in them and usually become visibly distressed.
Health
There are a few health problems that mice can suffer from,
the most common being sneezing and respiratory problems, mites/lice,
tumours and food allergies. Sneezing is often caused by dusty
cage litters and the first thing to do is to switch it for something
less likely to aggravate the mouses respiratory system. Ammonia
released from old droppings and urine will also have this affect
so it is important to change litter and bedding regularly before
it becomes smelly.
Excessive scratching may indicate a mite or lice infestation.
If this is the case there will often be small scabs on the skin,
commonly behind the ears and around the neck and fur loss. Lice
can sometimes be seen as tiny red/orange coloured dots on the
skin but mites are invisible to the naked eye. If either are
suspected the mouse will need to see the vet for treatment as
most over the counter treatments are ineffective. Another cause
of excessive scratching, once mice or lice have been ruled out,
is a food allergy. Fatty nuts and seeds are often the culprit
and the mouse will usually recover quickly once these are removed
from its diet.
Mice like rats are fairly susceptible to lumps and bumps, though
these are more common in female mice and older mice. The likelihood
that a mouse will develop a tumour will depend partly on its
parentage and has also been linked to a high fat diet A high
percentage of tumours turn out to be benign (not cancerous)
and depending on the location and size can often be removed
and the mouse fully recover. Even if it is not possible to be
removed a mouse may live happily for many months with a lump
before feeling any ill effects.
For more information about keeping mice as pets please visit
www.allaboutmice.co.uk
Many thanks to Kelly Bettison from www.allaboutmice.co.uk
for this article.
