Information for Pet Mice

[kelza]

So my youngest daughter has been telling me for the longest time that she doesn't want a hamster, but instead wants mice as her first pet. While she is a few years from getting a first pet, I decided to start researching to see if this would be a good fit for our household. What I thought would be an easy study has me completely confused and lost....help!

So for the mouse/mice owners out there here is what I know for sure: females need to be kept in groups of 2 or 3 minimum, and males should not be kept together as they will fight (and I will not be mixing genders as I have no plans of breeding). And that's all I know!

So here are my starter questions:

1. Are there any reading materials that you would recommend (book/forum/website)?

2. What kind of cages do you prefer to keep your mice in (wire, tanks, bin cages), and what size per mouse or small group?

3. Very confused on cage substrate. I see some people use the same things we do for hamsters (aspen or paper bedding), but some use the recycled paper pelt style cat litter, and others only recommend fleece or other soft fabric. What is the best substrate to use for mice.

4. I'm also seeing a lot of fabric hideouts, beds, and hammocks in cage setups. I cannot trust any of our hamsters with these type of items as they would chew on them instantly. Do mice not chew on fabric like hamsters?

Thank you to those who stuck with me this long! I have been thinking of getting a mouse for myself well before getting one for my daughter just so I have a better idea of the care involved. Am leaning on getting a single male if I do for the greater bonding possibilities.

[AmityvilleHams]

While I can't help with websites and other resources,I can definitely help with the other things!

For cages,some people use tanks.Tanks can work well for some people,but there are certainly pros and cons just as with any cage.For example,tanks can be much more difficult to move for one person especially someone who isn't very strong,and they're also not as easy to clean and have a lot less access,as well as being incapable of having maximum enrichment!

Wire cages can work,but you have to be extremely careful with bar spacing.The Mickey 2XL is a very good option and is available in the US,and while it is more expensive than a large tank it can be a much better choice.Something like the Ikea Detolf can work as well,if you want an even bigger but tank style cage instead

Substrate in the US would ideally be paper based and not fabric as mice tend to be big chewers!Kaytee Clean and Cozy is a great choice,as it has less dust than Carefresh and is reasonably priced for the quality.

Fabric items aren't a great idea for mice,it's the same exact issue as using fabric as substrate.Mice can and will chew fabric,and that will cause problems no matter what fabric it is.

[cypher]

I've found info about keeping mice quite confusing or contradictory, it seems keeping any small rodent requires a lot of research!
Some people keep males alone & they seem to do fine but they can be unhappy & stressed living alone even with plenty of human contact, no experience myself but I have read a lot about people having them neutered so they can live with females.
There's forum here which is about the only one I ever see recommended.
If don't mind using google to translate (if you don't speak German that is!) there's some good info here too.

[badwolf]

I wouldn't use fabric or fleece as a substrate, but all of mine have fleece hanging beds and adore them. They all sleep in there. They tend to chew hammocks more than the beds.

have 4 boys, each in their own cages, and 4 girls. Boys will be fine living alone, but do smell more.

They can be extremely tricky little escape artists, so I kept most of mine in bin cages when they were young and then upgraded them to wire cages later. I'd definitely recommend wire cages if you are sure the bar spacing is small enough, as mice may be small but are extremely active and love to climb the bars. My smallest boys were in cages 60cm in length, but now that they've grown I've been considering upgrading.

I've been using fitch and toilet tissue as substrate bedding. I've been looking into alternatives though, to see if there's anything that will make the smell better with my males.

[kelza]

Thank you all for the information. I'm glad to know my instincts for the fleece as substrate were right, bad idea!

AmityvilleHams - I will look into the Mickey 2XL. Unfortunately I am not fond of the Detolf as a cage for myself. My husband uses them to display him collectibles and I hate putting them together. I also use the Kaytee bedding for the hamsters, so that would be my first choice.

Cypher - Thank you for the links, I will pour over those the first chance I get. I wish I could read German, they seem to have all the good information!

Badwolf - I may try to introduce a fleece bed at playtime, once hand taming is going well at least.

I do have one more question regarding what type wheels should be used. I lot of cage setups have the standard wheels we use for hamsters, but I also saw mesh wheels used quite a bit. Which is better?

[AmityvilleHams]

Plastic is the safest choice.While some people say wire is safe,accidents can happen with tiny toes and claws and tails and it is best to just use the safest possible choice no matter what!

[badwolf]

My mice love the trixie wheels as they can climb in and out the holes and they're the quietest ones I've tried.

[AmityvilleHams]

Another option would be a Silent Runner.They're a bit safer than a Wodent Wheel,but are enclosed and have a solid running surface.

Silent Runner 9 inch - Silent Runner Wheel 9 inch (SMALL) The 9 inch Silent Runner,which would work well for mice.It is a very lightweight wheel,but even though it is lightweight it is by no means flimsy The solid stand and lack of an axle make them safer than Wodent Wheels,which is something to keep in mind even though it does cost a relatively minimal amount more.

[cypher]

I'd say plastic, mesh can hurt mice, I can imagine the silent runner being perfect for mice!

badwolf I really do think it's luck of the draw with the plastic trixie wheels, mine were the noisiest wheels I ever had!

[Amber_x]

I have a trixie wheel and once I oiled the axle it became much quieter - the only thing that makes it noisy is the way I attach it to the cage!