Matt got me two little mice for Christmas, Mopsy and Mitzy. They have been the best little pets and I love them. They both had babies last month, but only Mopsy's survied. Mopsy's 11 babies are adorable and they are nearly weaned. I am keeping a few but the rest need a home. They will be ready by Easter and would be a great Easter gift! If anybody is interested in taking one or two, or knows someone who might be, let me know! Please send the link to this post to anyone who might be interested.
Mice make charming little pets. They are inquisitive, acrobatic, and full of personality. I also like them because they are only 1/10th the size of rats and 1/3 the size of a hamster, meaning that they require less space, there is less cleaning up to do, and they are (in my opinion) much cuter. They are very easy to care for.
These babies are extremely tame because I have spent a lot of time handling them. If I stick my hand in their cage, 11 little babies run over to see if I have a treat for them and they all try to run up my arm because they want to come out and play. It is fun to watch them groom themselves like little cats and try to climb all over everything like little monkeys. They are high energy, playful little guys.
Here is a video showing how tame they are:
And another video with them playing by themselves in their cage:
And here is a slide show that includes pictures of them from the time they were born through today:
Right now there are 8 babies available, all males: 4 pure agouti, 1 agouti with white patches on his face, 2 pure white, and 1 white and black. If you are interested, let me know if there is one in particular you want and I will save him for you until he is ready to go (a week or less, by Easter for sure).
From what I have read, males need to be kept by themselves because they fight with each other when they are adults. I have heard that sometimes males do get along living together as adults if they are from the same litter and have never been separated, but sometimes they still do fight and that you have to be prepared to house them separately if they do. So if anyone with a lot of experience with animals wants to take two boys, I would be willing to let you do it. Otherwise, I would recommend one.
These mice are going to make great little pets. Don't miss out! :)
Supplies you need for one mouse include:
1) An aquarium or a cage of some sort: A5.5 gallon aquarium would be large enough for one mouse, but a 1o gallon would be even better. You can get a 10 gallon aquarium at Walmart for about $12. If you use an aquarium you also need a cover. Here is a link to a cover that you can buy from Walmart.com for about $6 (Walmart doesn't sell them in stores). I have that one, and it works well. Or, you can just go to any pet store and ask for a screen cover, though they are a bit more expensive at petstores.
2) Bedding: You can use paper bedding or aspen shavings. Mice can't tolerate wood shavings that contain cedar or pine. There are aromatic oils in those woods that harm their lungs. They sell tiny bags of aspen or paper bedding at most grocery stores or walmart, but it is way more cost effective to buy a huge thing of bedding from a petstore. I got a huge container of aspen shavings for about $15 at a petstore a couple of months back and I have barely started to make a dent in it.
3) Water bottle: I have a couple different water bottles and I like the one I got from Walmart the best. It was about $2.
4) Wheel: Mice absolutely need a wheel to run in. They have a lot of energy to burn off, and they would go nuts without one. I recommend the "Silent Spinner" which most pet stores sell. It is a good one because it isn't squeaky, like a lot of wheels, so it won't drive you nuts, and also, it is a solid surface wheel which is easier on their feet. Silent Spinners are a bit more expensive than other wheels though, about $10.
5) Food: A food mix designed for rats/mice is best, but they can do well on hamster food also. Don't get the huge rat/mice pellets that they sell at Walmart. Get a mix from the petstore that has seeds and corn and other items included. Mice really enjoy variety. And after they are first weaned, those huge pellets will be too big for them to break apart anyway.
6) Hiding spots and toys: Mice need a secure, hidden place to sleep. A tissue box or some other little cardboard box will work perfectly, or you can even buy a little house for them at the pet store if you want. Placing items in their cage like toilet tissue rolls and other things to climb on and chew on is also important so they don't get bored. It's good to mix it up a little bit so they have some variety in their environment.
Caring for mice:
Mice do not overeat so it is best to leave plenty of food in their cage at all times. Make sure when you feed them each day there is at least some food left over from their last feeding so you know that they aren't going hungry. They also like fruits and vegetables as treats (though citrus is bad for them). Parakeet seed (millet) is also a good treat. I change out their water once weekly and also clean their cage once weekly. Usually, cleaning the cage consists of changing out the bedding and wiping down anything that has gotten dirty. It doesn't take long at all. Every few cleanings I'll wash the whole aquarium with dish soap and dry it off. It's really easy.
As far as playing with them, mice don't like to be grabbed or chased and they don't like to be picked up by their tails. If you do these things, they'll start avoiding you. You have to wait until they come to you and jump in your hand in order to take them out, which if you treat them well, they will be excited to do (as long as they are awake). Once they are out of their cage, if you can tell they are feeling anxious and want to go back in their home, put them back or they may be reluctant to come out next time. If they don't want to come in your hand, bribe them with treats. Or put a little cardboard tube in their home and gently herd them into it. Pick up the tube and place it on your lap and let them come out on their own time. Playing with them often will keep them tame and will help to prevent them from becoming bored.
