Keeping mice as pets

First things first, mice are highly sociable, so it's best to keep at least two of them together. Having said this, avoid males that aren’t desexed as they tend to fight. And unless you want a bunch of adorable baby mice, avoid keeping males and females together!

The most successful approach is usually keeping females or desexed animals together.

Here are a few helpful tips:

Housing

• Make sure you find a cage that is easy to clean, well-ventilated, safe from predators and escape-proof. The floor of the enclosure should have a solid surface covered with newspaper or towelling. Avoid wire or grid flooring as it can harm your little pals' feet and legs.
• These little furry friends are susceptible to heat stress, so make sure the temperature is 18-30C and avoid bright lights.
• Mice love to nest so supply materials such as hay, shredded paper, paper strips, or tissues.
• Create some interest by adding different levels, climbing surfaces, and hiding places (such as small cardboard boxes or tubes). Don't forget to include plenty of mice-appropriate toys to keep them entertained.
• Create a supervised play area outside of their main enclosure for your mice to explore. Just make sure it's safe and escape-proof so they can't make a sneaky getaway!

Health

• Keep loud noises and strong smells away from your mice, as this can stress them out.
• Check your mice for signs of illness regularly, remove any uneaten fresh food within 4-6 hours, and make sure they always have access to fresh water using a dripper bottle rather than a bowl.
• Mice love to play with their humans too! To make sure they're comfortable with handling, start when they’re young. Support their entire body when you pick them up to prevent injury or escape. Always supervise children around mice, as they can accidentally harm them.

Food

• Mice are omnivores (they eat plant and animal material). They will eat a wide variety of food if offered.
• Feed them a combination of fresh fruits and vegetables along with good quality mouse pellets or cubes. Avoid toxic foods like grapes/raisins, chocolate, avocado, garlic, onion, and lettuce.
• Scatter their daily food portions around the enclosure to encourage natural foraging behaviour.
• Avoid feeding seeds and grains, as these are too high in fat and sugar.
• Make any changes to their diet gradually to avoid upset tummies.

And that's it! With these guidelines, you'll be well on your way to providing a happy and healthy environment for your pet mice. Have a great time with your new furry friends!

And don’t forget it’s always best to adopt rather than buy.

If you think mice may be a bit too small, consider adopting guinea pigs instead.

Source: rspca.org.au

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