Mice care questions.

[Oatmeal_Cupcake]

What's the best mice food out there? My closest store is a Petco.

Is it safe for mice to eat Harlan 2018?
Are bin cages OK for mice? If so, what size?
Anything else I should know about mice?

My sister is more than likely getting one so I'm trying to give her advice.

[racinghamster]

Recent Topics - Mice Are Nice!

Tell your sister to look on here for all things mouse. And if she gets a female, it will need the company of at least two other females. Male mice usually fall out once they reach maturity and have to be kept alone. If she`s never kept mice before, she should know the basics and have a decent (safe) cage prepared without wood shavings as shavings cause respiratory issues in mice and rats.

Mice like variety and small seeds/grains, so I would look for a good rat mix or a hamster food with a lower protein content. A Bin cage will be fine, but make sure it`s well ventilated (meshed) as mice smell, so need a habitat that has good air flow.

[Oatmeal_Cupcake]

Originally Posted by racinghamster

Recent Topics - Mice Are Nice!

Tell your sister to look on here for all things mouse. And if she gets a female, it will need the company of at least two other females. Male mice usually fall out once they reach maturity and have to be kept alone. If she`s never kept mice before, she should know the basics and have a decent (safe) cage prepared without wood shavings as shavings cause respiratory issues in mice and rats.

Mice like variety and small seeds/grains, so I would look for a good rat mix or a hamster food with a lower protein content. A Bin cage will be fine, but make sure it`s well ventilated (meshed) as mice smell, so need a habitat that has good air flow.

Would it be enough ventilation if 85% of the top lid was cut out for mesh? Or would it need more?

[Dalis_mum]

I have kept mice communities in the past and worked with them professionally. I personally wouldn't use a bin cage on the grounds that they will likely be able to chew out, they're worse than gerbils and thats saying something. The best caging for mice is a glass tank with tall sides and a secure lid. They are prolific climbers.

If you consider the trickery and such that wild mice do when they break into our houses, a bored caged mouse is twice as bad.

They are wonderful pets though. If your sister is wanting to keep a community racer is right that females are her best bet.

[racinghamster]

I so agree Dalis_mum. Mice love to climb and run around for enrichment. Bin cages can be made into something you might call a cage, but it would probably mean having two Bins (one level on top) and some DIY effort put into meshing the front and the top lid. Mice do chew, but fancy pet mice won`t usually chew their way out of a cage unless they are determined one way or another. I never had any issues with plastic based wire cages when I kept pet mice, but enriching their space prevents boredom.

If you look on the Housing area on the forum I linked to, you will see many cage set up`s on there to give you some ideas.

Is your sister taking in a mouse or mice from someone else or buying them from a shop?

[Oatmeal_Cupcake]

Originally Posted by Dalis_mum

I have kept mice communities in the past and worked with them professionally. I personally wouldn't use a bin cage on the grounds that they will likely be able to chew out, they're worse than gerbils and thats saying something. The best caging for mice is a glass tank with tall sides and a secure lid. They are prolific climbers.

If you consider the trickery and such that wild mice do when they break into our houses, a bored caged mouse is twice as bad.

They are wonderful pets though. If your sister is wanting to keep a community racer is right that females are her best bet.

Wow! I had never though about that! She had had mice growing up but this time around she like to give them better care. Her parents always bought her the crittertrail cage but she often commented about bar chewing. It's also too small.

Originally Posted by racinghamster

I so agree Dalis_mum. Mice love to climb and run around for enrichment. Bin cages can be made into something you might call a cage, but it would probably mean having two Bins (one level on top) and some DIY effort put into meshing the front and the top lid. Mice do chew, but fancy pet mice won`t usually chew their way out of a cage unless they are determined one way or another. I never had any issues with plastic based wire cages when I kept pet mice, but enriching their space prevents boredom.

If you look on the Housing area on the forum I linked to, you will see many cage set up`s on there to give you some ideas.

Is your sister taking in a mouse or mice from someone else or buying them from a shop?

Thank you! She was thinking of buying but our local Petco does a Horrid job at caring for their mice. Sadly where ever they buy their mice simply breed to feed. So I recommend she check other shops or a local breeder.

[racinghamster]

I don`t suppose the mice will know or care as long as your sister is going to love and care for them regardless. Feeder mice are still just fancy mice bred for feeding other animals, but although they will be in-bred, when you consider that a mouse`s lifespan in general is lucky to reach two years, then trying to find `healthy` mice even from a home breeder may not mean your sister gets healthier mice, but she might.

Mouse genetics are a stroke of luck really as they are prone to two things. respiratory issues and tumours. So starting out with three or four little feeder mice ill give your sister just as much joy knowing that she`s taken them from an uncertain fate. x

[Purdy Bear]

I'm over on Mice are Nice and found them very helpful in my rodent research.

[artgecko]

Just wanted to add that they can be fed harlan 2018... I know people that breed both rats and mice and use the same blocks for both. Supplementing with other grains, dry pasta, veggies, etc. is also good.