MICE

Domestic mice, more commonly referred to as Fancy Mice have been artificially selected by breeders for a number of traits. Namely, these mice have been bred to be calm and friendly towards people. Mice are naturally curious animals and breeders have sought to enhance these characteristics over the years by mating the most intelligent and friendly individuals together. The most commonly available type of mouse available as a pet is the domestic pet mouse. These pet mice have been selectively bred to enhance the desirable qualities of the mice. There are also spiny mice (which are desert creatures that are a bit trickier to care for), but for the purposes of this article we will discuss the ordinary domestic mouse. Ordinary does not mean boring, however. If you have ever seen a group of pet mice playing, you realize they can be quite entertaining pets. They are a bit skittish and harder to handle than some of the lager rodents such as rats, but they can become quite tame and will take food from the hand and allow themselves to be handled if started at a young age. Mice are quite ideal as small pets that are entertaining to watch, are easy to care for and make very few demands on their owners.

BUYING THE MOUSE Though many pet stores sell mice, these mice are not usually the healthiest or most robust individuals. It may be difficult to locate a mouse breeder in your area but doing so will give you the best chance to have a mouse that will be happy and healthy for a long time to come. Your best bet to find a local mouse breeder would be to check your local paper or advertisements on bulletin boards at your nearest pet shop or animal care store. Mice are social animals, and as such, should be kept in groups of two or more. A mouse that lives alone will likely become lethargic and spend more time hiding in his burrow than out playing. But owning two or more mice you get the full effect of being able to observe the mice play and socialize together as well as the benefit of having a mouse that is healthier and better adjusted. Though, we understand this is optimal and many owners will, for many reasons, only be able to keep a single mouse. These mice can still live full and happy lives if you take time to play with them frequently and keep their surroundings novel and interesting. But beware! Often times, mice will not get along with each other. Here are some ways you can minimize the chance of your mice not getting along. Don't put males together. For many of us who don't want to breed mice or have to worry about the babies, this means putting only females together. Female mice are not nearly as aggressive as their macho counterparts and will generally get along quite nicely. If you want to go the extra mile, you can have a male mouse neutered by your vet and place him in with one or more females. And if you want to breed you mice then a single, unneutered male with get along swimmingly with a female. Start males young. Male mice can get along. To increase your chances of multiple male mice behaving themselves in the same enclosure you can do a couple things. Try to introduce them to their home as young as possible (preferably before 5 weeks), this will get them used to each other and reduce territoriality. Getting brother mice from the same litter is an additional step that will reduce their aggressiveness toward each other. Keeping them in a large cage will reduce the need for them to fight over territory. If all else fails, you can have them neutered which often has the effect of chilling them out a bit. Even with all these precautions, it is still possible that your male mice (and occasionally even your female mice) will not get still beat up on each other. In this case you will have to keep them separated (or isolate the trouble maker if you have more than two). If you try to keep the separated mouse's habitat interesting and give him plenty of attention, he will still have a very fulfilling mouse-life. Telling males from females. The person you buy your mice from will likely know what sex the mouse is, but no one is perfect and even experts make mistakes occasionally. The best way to determine a mouse's gender is to inspect the distance between the genitals and anus. This distance will be greater in males than in females. If you are buying your mice from a pet shop, be sure to check the sex of the mouse before you buy it. Pet stores are notorious for incorrectly sexing mice. Choosing Healthy Mice When picking out your mice, look for active bright mice, with smooth clean coats and pink clean skin on the ears and tail. The eyes and nose should be free of discharge, and the mouth and anal areas should be clean and dry. Their breathing will be relatively fast, but should not be labored or noisy. Check the cage as well - it should be clean (the mice have been well cared for) and the droppings should be formed. Look for a pet store that separates males and females at a young age (good breeders will do this). Mice can reproduce by about 6-8 weeks of age, although this is very stressful on the female and should be avoided. If your pet store doen't separate mice at a young age you may well end up taking home a pregnant female. To tell the difference between young males and females check under their tails for the distance between the anal opening and genital opening - this distance is shorter in the females. A breeder or pet store should be able to do this for you, but it can be hard to do in young mice unless you have males and females to compare to each other. In older (6-8 week old) male mice, the testicles are usually readily visible.

ENCLOSURES There are several different types of enclosures that make suitable homes for your mouse. There is no perfect home as each type of enclosure has its positives and negatives, but you can find one that suit your needs and budget well. The main types of enclosures are wire cages, glass tanks, and plastic cages. We will investigate their various strengths and weaknesses. Wire Cages. These types of enclosures are probably the easiest for mice to escape from, especially when they are small. A young mouse can easily fit through the vertical slits of most wire cages, so this type of home may not be ideal if you plan on raising young mice or breeding them. Many of these cages are also not very accessible by you, with only a small opening for a door. This can make retrieving your mouse from the cage quite difficult if your mouse has not yet become accustomed to being handled by people. However, wire cages do offer some unique benefits to your mice. Mice enjoy climbing and acrobatics and a wire cage gives them plenty of opportunity to do just that. They will enjoy climbing the wires to reach all parts of the cage and is valuable in helping to stave off boredom. The wire cages provide excellent ventilation which will help to keep your mouse healthy. These types of enclosures also tend to be cheap and readily available at any pet store or online. Wire cages (with horizontal bars) are nice because they provide lots of climbing opportunity on the sides of the cage, and it is easier to fix furnishings, platforms and toys to the sides of the cage. The most important thing is to make sure the bars are not too narrowly spaced so that the mice can escape (or get stuck trying to escape) and that the doors are placed to allow easy access to the entire cage for when you need to catch the mice. Wire cages marketed for mice are generally quite small, so larger hamster cages or even bird cages are preferable, but ideally the bar spacing should be inch. Do not underestimate how small of a space a mouse can squeeze through (one of my girls, Phoebe, could quite easily break out of a cage with 1/2 inch spaced bars). Avoid using cages with wire mesh floors - solid flooring is a lot easier on the mice's feet. Glass Tanks. Some problems with aquarium type tanks are with cleaning. Because of the clear surface you need to regularly scrub the inside to keep the tank clean. A glass tank is also a less engaging environment for a mouse because they cannot climb up the sides. This can be remedied by giving them extra toys on at the base of the cage, but a large amount of the tank space is wasted. They are very poorly ventilated and ammonia and bad smells can build up in them and harm your mouse. They are also difficult to move if you need to relocate the enclosure or move it to clean it out. There are also some good features of aquarium type enclosures. Because they have solid walls, you can pile in lots of bedding without the annoyance of it spilling out of the sides of the cage. This gives your mice an opportunity to burrow through it. There is also almost no change of them escaping and these types of enclosures are easy to find and usually affordable. Plastic Cages. These cages, while an interesting environment for your mice, can be quite difficult to clean because of all the narrow tubes and modules. Many of these enclosures also have poor circulation and improperly assembled parts can inadvertently cause an escape. The main benefit of these cages is that they are a ready-made, engaging environment that you can buy in one step. They are easily movable and keep your mouses mess inside its enclosure. The modular plastic cages meant for hamsters are actually well suited to the mouse size and activity level, but are difficult to clean, are sometimes poorly ventilated, and a determined mouse could chew right through the plastic.

SIZE Size The size of the cage you will need depends on how many mice you will keep together. For a pair or small group of females, a 2 foot square cage is ample space. Mice will appreciate a cage with multiple levels as they do like to climb, and it should be fairly tall.

Placement of the Cage The cage should be placed where the mice will have lots of human contact to make taming easier. It should be out of drafts, away from direct sunlight and out of reach of other household pets.

BEDDING Bedding A deep layer of aspen shavings or some other suitable substrate should be provided in the cage. Avoid cedar and pine shavings due to the strong volatile oils released form these woods (especially cedar). Aspen or other hardwood shavings appear to be a better choice. Another alternative is paper or wood based cat litter - it is very absorbent and good at controlling odors. It is more expensivebut you will likely use less. See "Top Ten Alternatives to Cedar and Pine Shavings" for more ideas. An important thing to note is that you should never use soft wood shavings as bedding for your mouse. Mice have a more sensitive respiratory system than most other small mammals and the oils released from woods like pine and cedar (though pleasant smelling to us) are harmful to mice when inhaled. You can use anything that will absorb wetness (like shredded newspaper) but commercially available litters will do a much better job of keeping the enclosure sanitary and controlling odor. Mice also like to have an area to nest or sleep in. This can be as simple as an overturned bowl with bedding stuffed underneath. They need these areas to sleep warmly and comfortably and are especially important if you are keeping a singular mouse. Shredded Paper Shredded paper has the absolute lowest risk of allergies of all kinds of bedding available. It is also the cheapest bedding you will find. You can even pick up old newspapers from your local distributor for free. Buying computer paper in bulk is not very expensive either. When using shredded paper it is important to check any ink that may be on the paper. Black ink on US Newspapers is safe (we can not verify if colored ink is safe at this time). Newspaper ink is soybean based. Ink from computers is different however. These are generally toxic and should not be used. Always check the ink package before use. You needn't freeze or bake paper before use as there is little to no risk of parasites. There is also less risk of other nasties, such as fungi. Shredded paper is a great addition to other beddings as well. It expands other beddings, making them go further. It also adds enrichment for the mice. Shredded paper (especially long strips or crumpled paper) puffs out, making tunneling easier for the mice. Many mice also seem to prefer shredded paper to anything else for nesting material. The downfalls to shredded paper are that it can be time consuming to shred depending on your shredder, it needs to be changed more often than some other beddings, and it does not eliminate odor as well as nearly all other types of bedding. A cosmetic downfall to shredded paper is ink from newsprint rubbing off. This is not a problem with plain paper, however. Soil Soil has been reported as being the best bedding for eliminating odor. If soil is used, some standard precautions need to be taken. Soil from your yard is of a higher risk than sterile store bought soil. Animals walk (and fly) freely among our yards, tracking disease, bacteria, etc. Severe illnesses such as rabies and tetanus (among many other risks) can be contracted if you use soil from your yard. It is advised that you buy only sterile soil. Be sure that the soil has no chemicals added. It is very important that you bake or freeze soil to help eliminate nasties.

Soft-Sorbent (unscented) This is wood manufactured into a form which is close to paper. In the bags you will find branches of wood every now and then. Soft-Sorbent helps reduce odor better than many other beddings. It isn't as fluffy as carefresh which helps decrease the risk of impaction, yet does not eliminate it. This bedding does have a bit of dust to it, which is a respiratory risk, however there are many beddings out there that are far more dusty. There have been several reports of allergies to soft sorbent, causing severe hair loss and skin irritation. It has the same allergen risks as any other wood bedding. As with most beddings, it is important to freeze or bake it before use.

Hay Hay, including the well known Timothy Hay, has been known to help odor. Hay neutralizes some odor and covers some up with its natural smell. Mice deeply enjoy nesting and tunneling in it. As with any bedding, there are cons. Hay is the number one carrier for parasites (such as lice and mites). If you use hay, make sure you freeze or bake it to kill any parasites it may be harboring. Also be sure that it is not moldy or has a musty smell to it at all. This can be deadly to mice.

Hemp Hemp is a great bedding for mice that like to tunnel. The structure of the hemp allow for easy tunneling. Hemp both absorbs odor and covers it up with its natural scent, though the scent is not as strong as most wood bedding. Hemp bedding does post an allergy risk, but not as high as wood bedding to the best of our knowledge. A common complaint of hemp is that it is rough/scratchy. It is very important to freeze or bake this bedding before use.

Maple Maple is one of the better wood based bedding. The smell of maple tends to be less potent and of a more pleasant smell (though not perfume like cedar) to most. It absorbs and covers odor like other wood bedding. While it may depend on the brand, maple tends to be lest dusty than most other wood bedding. Unfortunately it is often hard to come by at the present time. You may need to order it online or through your local animal warehouse/feed store. As with all bedding, it is always recommended that you freeze or bake it before use.

Treated Pine This is one of the most common bedding to be quickly attacked. The truth is that treated pine is no more risky than any other wood bedding out there. There is NO *true* evidence that it is any more harmful than any other wood bedding, including aspen (aspen being the one it is most commonly compared to). There are a lot of people that have misinterpreted studies (which state that it "is not clear from various studies", etc). The concern about pine is the phenols in it that protect the tree from parasites (note that all trees have some kind of defense against parasites, not just pine). Treated pine has phenols baked out (kiln dried) at extreme temperatures (beyond what your home oven could heat to). The kiln drying process is rigorous. Don't believe the hype around treated pine and don't confuse it with untreated pine (which is controversial). Look into the studies for the truth.

Do note that ALL wood shavings are an allergy risk as ALL wood bedding contain allergy irritants in one form or another. Like anything, mice (as well as people) could be allergic to any wood product (see the section on aspen for details). Also, when ever using any bedding, get it with the least amount of dust. Treated pine that is sifted for dust is less dusty than many other kinds of wood bedding.

Aspen Aspen is a reasonably safe bedding. Because of the structure of aspen, it makes a great bedding for mouse tunneling. A common complaint of aspen is that it is rough/scratchy but that is partially due to brand. As with any wood bedding, has been known to cause severe wood allergies such as itching, sneezing, hair loss, respiratory issues (some permanent), etc. Please note that these allergies can also effect mice on ANY type of wood bedding, not just aspen. Aspen is not the worst by any stretch of the imagination, nor is it the best. Unfortunately there is little scientific data available on aspen at this time. Also note that not all aspen is created equal! There have been reports of mice (and people) being allergic to some brands and not others. If you use aspen, it is recommend that you get a quality brand (such as teklad) that has minimal dust. Kaytee aspen is among the worst available.

Cat Litter *Warning* Some cat litters can be used for mice, however, some are deadly. For instance, Yesterdays news is okay. However, never-ever use clumping cat litter. If ingested this can cause harm and even death. The litter can get bound up in the body if ingested, such as the throat and digestive tract. In addition, it can bind up their urinary tract (going up the urinary opening) causing infection and even death. Any litter that has a scent to it is also harmful to sensitive mouse lungs as well.

Cotton *Warning* Never use cotton. If cotton is ingested it can cause choking and/or bind up the digestive tract of a mouse, resulting in death. A common product marketed for pocket pets that is cotton goes by the name "Fluff." Never allow any pocket pet contact with this product or any product like it.

Cedar *Warning* Never use Cedar bedding. All cedar bedding, to one extent or another, contain Plicatic acid. Plicatic acid causes the body to release antibodies receptors which are found in plasma (blood) and other body fluids. In other words, an animals' body is trying to fight it off. Think of the common cold and how the body releases antibodies to fight it off. Plicatic acid causes inflammatory/allergic reactions and asthma. A mouse that is only exposed to it for a short time (less than 24 hours) can have major break outs on the skin, excessive sneezing, wheezing, etc (asthma). Constant exposure for a few months will always lead to life-time immune problems. Less than 50% of the time will asthma completely go away, even after the cedar is removed. Even IF symptoms go away, the immune system is still effected and will never fully recover. Cedar is also very strong and perfume smelling. Cedar, as backed up by many studies, is the worst wood to be exposed to.

TOYS In addition, nesting material should be provided. Strips of facial tissue or soft paper towel will be happily be shredded by mice and makes nice nesting material. I don't usually recommed the commercial cotton bedding material you can buy because some has strands that can get caught on the mice's feet. Hay can also be used. A nest box should be provided, and can be store bought or homemade. Small cardboard boxes are fine, although they will be shredded over time and need to be replaced fairly frequently. Clay flower pots, either with holes cut in them or placed on their sides can also be used, as can PVC plumbing pieces you can find at the hardware store. The nest material should be cleaned out only every month or two as needed (more frequent changes may be too disruptive). Mice need lots of opportunity to play and exercise. Mice seem to universally love running on wheels so try to provide one if at all possible. A solid surface wheel is easier on their feet than wire wheels. Also provide some tunnels or tubes (plastic plumbing pipes sections or paper towel or toilet paper tubes). For other toys, wood blocks and houses, small cardboard boxes, ladders, cotton ropes, egg cartons (paper only), small willow balls, and anything with holes to climb in and out of will happily be used as playthings. Use you imagination and provide lots of variety, jsut make sure they are not ingesting bits of plastic or other parts..

CLEANING Cleaning Depending on the size of cage it may need to be cleaned quite frequently, especially glass or plastic sided cages that allow ammonia and odors to build up more quickly. It is best not to wait until you can smell a problem, because it will be quite overwhelming to the mice by then. However, the mice do need to mark their territory and if their cage is completely disinfected too frequently they may be distressed. A good compromise is to leave a bit of the old shavings or litter in the cage at each cleaning (so their scent remains), and only do a thorough scrubbing and disinfecting when absolutely necessary. Cleaning Cages should be cleaned at least once a week and wet spots should be taken out every day. Tanks and accessories should be washed at least once a week or as necessary (exception: see 'Male odor'). Plastic tubes, solid wheels (such as comfort wheels and silent spinners) should be cleaned as often as necessary, which may be daily depending on your mice. There are several choices you can use when scrubbing housing units and accessories. For light cleaning you can use mild baby wipes and hand wipes. When using wipes, stay away from aloe as that will leave residue behind, make sure they are not scented, and check the warnings as they will vary depending on type. Diluted bleach (a cap full to a gallon) as well as Vinegar (same delusion) work very well for deeper cleanings. For the most part however, there is no need to use such a harsh chemicals like bleach. Antibacterial soap and dish soap are also great to use for scrubbing, though always avoid anything scented. What ever you use, make sure you can't smell the cleaning agent you used when the tank/accessory is dry. Good cleaning tools are sponges, pipe cleaner brushes, baby bottle brushes, and a tooth brush (don't use your siblings tooth brush!). These especially work good when cleaning tubes and accessories. Some accessories can be very hard to clean without the right equipment for the job. If a mouse gets something in their environment really dirty (such as a wheel) it is easiest to let the object soak. After sitting in hot water for a while everything usually falls right off with a soft wipe. Cleaning wood can be done by boiling it. Boiling will help extract the urine out of the wood. After boiling, rinse the wood and let air dry. Beware that wood warps when wet and water, especially boiling, often unbinds glued parts. It is very important to make sure that everything is fully dry before your mice are exposed. Mice can't be in humid temperatures and wetness breeds bacteria. Another good idea is to have at least one more cage set up (with wheel, food, water, etc included) to transfer your mice to while cleaning. This works great when soaking as it allows the mice to still have their necessities while you clean. Many people like placing their mice in a play area while cleaning. This area should be secure, fun, and still provide general necessities (food, water, shelter, etc). `Carefresh There are several kinds of carefresh. The least expensive gray colored carefresh should be used with extreme caution. This is very dusty and has been known to cause permanent damage to sensitive mouse lungs. Carefresh Ultra (white) and colors have much less dust, thus are a far better option. All kinds of carefresh pose a risk of impaction if ingested. This is rare, but not unheard of. A mouse must ingest a significant amount for this to cause harm. Mice generally do not eat their bedding if given chew toys and food at all times. Carefresh does a decent job of controlling odor. Unlike wood beddings, it does not cover up the smell, it neutralizes it. The bedding has a fast wicking action which absorbs and dries urine quickly, thus helping eliminate smell. While carefresh tends to be more expensive than some other beddings, it makes up for that price by expanding greatly. It also allows for more time in between tank cleanings. Carefresh is also great for nesting and tunneling. Adding a little shredded paper to carefresh really fluffs it up. This will help you go through less carefresh and provides more entertainment for the mice. Before use, carefresh should always be baked or frozen as it is the second leading carrier of parasites.

FOOD Mice can be fed a commercially prepared complete diet - a rodent mix or hamster diet is acceptable. Pellets are available for mice and are completely balanced, but this is a monotonous diet. Grain and seed based loose mixes provide more interest to the mice and will probably be more readily eaten. However, your mice may just pick out their favorite bits and leave the rest, leading to an inbalanced diet. I prefer to feed a combination of balanced pellets and a mixed diet, but only offer small amounds of the loose mixed diet at a time and make sure it is almost all eaten before offering more. The basic diet can be supplemented with small quantities of fresh fruits and vegetable (greens, apple, carrot, etc.). Watch for diarrhea though and if a particular food item does cause diarrhea, discontinue feeding it. Sunflower seeds are a favourite treat of many mice (but are quite fatty so should be limited), as well as other seeds like millet spray. Cooked pasta and whole grain bread or crackers can also be given, maybe with a tiny amount of peanut butter as a special treat. Commercial treat sticks make a good treat but only very occasionally as they are often quite sweet. Avoid feeding junk foods such as candy and potato chips, and never feed chocolate as it is toxic to mice and other small pets. Mice are naturally omnivorous scavengers, and quite good ones at that. Wild mice will eat almost anything they can find, but this doesnt mean you should feed your pet mouse anything you like. Like any animal, mice have favorite foods, and foods that will make them sick. There are some general things you should feed your mouse for nutrition, but favourite snacks can vary from mouse to mouse. The easiest way, is to simply buy prepared mouse food from your local pet store. Make sure the food is safe for mice as they have slightly different food preferences than hamsters or guinea pigs. The packages are often marked rodent mix and contain either solid blocks of premixed chow or an assortment of dry grains and seeds. Though these foods are usually very nutritious and provide the correct balance of nutrients for your mouse, eating the same thing everyday can get boring. Imagine if you had to eat the same meal for breakfast, lunch and dinner everyday! Preparing food for you mouse can be time consuming so I find it best to provide them with this pre-made rodent chow as supplement it with a different treat each time I refill the bowl. This is also a good way to figure out what your mouses favorite snack is, which helps greatly in training and socializing. However, if you really want to put in the extra effort, you can make some homemade meals for you pet mouse. If you go the extra mile, here is a mouse diet (from the book Rats: The Complete Care Guide): 1 part cooked, whole grain rice

2 parts crushed oats or barley

part millet seed part molasses This provides complete nutrition in fresh foods which will no doubt make your mice happy. Both of these feeding plans are great for you mouses health, but no matter how good the meals are, you mouse will inevitably get bored with his diet if you dont add some variation in it. That is where treats come in. Treats. Just like snacks for you and me, these should be supplements to your mouses diet. As such you should give you mouse only small amounts of the following foods. You mouse will undoubtedly pick through his food for his favorites and eat those first, but he will eat the more nutritious stuff when he gets hungry. Here are some snacks your mouse might like: Green vegetables (small amounts) -Leafy greens -Broccoli Crunchy Fruits (not citrus) -Apples -Celery -Carrots Garden Peas Mealworms -(bring out your mouse's inner hunter) -(warning: a little gross) Cooked pasta -Wormlike pastas (spaghetti) Cereal -(my mouse likes Cherios ) Dry bread Store bought treats

Try all of these out with your mice. Chances are they will like most of them and will probably develop a favorite. I put some treats in with each dry meal I give them as well as when I want to get their attention (or to apologize for not giving them attention lately).

First, there are some foods you should never feed a mouse. The following foods are either toxic to mice, or are known to cause adverse reactions (such as itching, diarrhea, mental problems, etc) Chocolate Peanuts Acidic Fruits (oranges, lemons, etc) Acidic Vegetables (onions, garlic, etc) Raw meats Food designed for other small mammals Mice are pretty tolerant of a wide range of foods. If you stay away from the ones on this short list, your mice should stay healthy and happy. What if my mouse is too skinny? This situation almost never happens as long as you provide your mice with adequate food. Mice are naturally slender atheletes, so don't think your mouse should be a big belly. Mice dont require very much food to live so maintaining a surplus in their dish should be quite easy. If your mouse is not eating and looks sickly or lethargic, it is likely due to a medical problem. An inspection by a veterinarian should yield the problem. This also happens occasionally when you make a drastic change to a mouses diet. Whenever adding or removing something from your mouses diet, do so slowly. Add or remove a little bit each day until youve fully introduced or removed the food item in question. Doing this too quickly can confuse your mouse and leave it disinterested in its new type of food. What if my mouse is too fat? Obesity is a much more common problem in mice than undernourishment. If left up to them, most mice eat just enough food to remain healthy and not over eat, however, some mice are greedier than others and will gobble up all the food they can. There are certain breeds of mice that tend to be more gluttonous than others. Just like in people, obesity shortens life spans and increases risk of disease in mice. The best thing to do is get your mouse on a diet! You want to stop feeding your mouse fatty seeds and nuts and stick more to grains and fruits. Try to make sure they are getting all the vitamins they need. Once your mouse is back to a healthy weight, you can reintroduce the fatty seeds, but only in small portions. You dont want your mouse blowing back up like a balloon. Some mice develop itchy skin rashes due to food allergies (also known as food intolerances. Corn and peanuts are likely causes of these allergies in mice. If you notice itchy, red spots on your mousse neck and head, this may be the cause. They may also have fleas or other ectoparasites, so its important to get your mouse checked by a vet if his symptoms dont improve after changing his diet. To rule out food allergies, feed your mouse only simple grains (like oats and barley or bread) for about 10 days. If his symptoms subside, then slowly introduce his favorite foods back into the mix until you have found the offender. This is a list and review of the many different mouse foods and treats on the market. While you can make your own food and treats and home, sometimes its easier just to buy it ready to go. We have also listed some places online where you can buy these treats and foods for much cheaper than you could in a store. Tropical Carnival Mouse / Rat Food This particular mouse chow has the basic backbone of a good diet with treats included. Ingredients include: fruits, nuts, vegetables, seeds. Enriched with a beneficial bacteria that helps digestion and gastrointestinal health. $1.50 / pound (Five pound bag)

 Fiesta Mouse & Rat Food Specially designed for the dietary needs of mice and rats. Ingredients include: fruits, nuts, vegetables, and specialty seeds and grains. Resealable bag keeps mouse food fresh. $1.76 / pound (Five pound bag) Fortidiet Mouse & Rat Food Pellet format allows for more consitant nutrition (mouse can pick and choose his favorite parts). Contains a good balance of nutrients and vitamins to keep your mouse healthy and active. Clean, easy format and very inexpensive. $1.20 / pound (Two pound bag) Healthy Bits Healthy, crunchy, vegetable based treat. Personal favorite of Elmo the mouse. 59 / ounce (1/3 pound pound bag) Second Helpins' Treats Health concious, fruity and nutty treat. Specially designed to the prefered tastes of mice and rats. Tasty and inexpensive. 59 / ounce (3/4 pound pound bag) There are hundreds of commercially available mouse feeds and treats available as well as an infinite number you can create at home. These are just some of the ones I have used with my mice and found them especially fond of.

WATER - For water, a gravity fed water bottle with a dispenser is preferred as it can't tip and keeps the water clean. A shallow food bowl of ceramic or porcelain is the best choice as they are difficult to tip, won't get cheewed up, and they are easy to clean.

BREEDING The decision to breed mice is a big one. They will require a good amount of time and attention, however it is a very rewarding experience and baby mice are quite adorable. Most mice are extremely fertile, having 8-15 babies per litter! And a pair of mice can produce a litter every 3-4 weeks, Ill let you do the math on that, its a lot of babies. Because mice are not yet as popular pets as dogs or cats it can be quite difficult to find homes for even the most adorable mice. So before you begin, make sure you have room or homes for a possible 15 mice! A female usually will become pregnant within a week of being placed with a fertile male. The gestation period is between 2-3 weeks and it is difficult to tell a female is pregnant until very late in her term when her stomach begins to bulge out. When introducing two mice to each other make sure you always put the female into the males enclosure and not the other way around. Male mice should be removed from the cage after the babies are born. This is not because the male will harm the babies; on the contrary, he will take on a large part of the childcare. However, he will begin to mate with the female immediately after birth, which can be quite annoying for her and you if she inadvertently becomes pregnant with another litter. Females can breed from 3 or 4 months on and even earlier, however this is usually not recommended. When your mouse becomes pregnant make sure she has enough food and water like usual and make sure that she is not in a wire cage as her babies can easily wriggle out between even very close bars. The babies are born hairless, blind and deaf. After about one week they start to grow hair and get skin pigmentation. They open their eyes and begin attempting solid food around 10 days old. After 4 weeks they should be weaned completely off mothers milk and calmed down considerably. At 5 weeks boys and girls should be separated and are ready for their new homes.

TRAINING Mice are very intelligent creatures. Although rats are more often trained than mice (simply because they are easier to train and can perform a wider variety of tasks), a well trained mouse can be very impressive. Anyone who has seen movies like The Green Mile can attest to the kinds of tricks these little fellows can learn. The basic principle for training all animals apply to mice, but here are some specific ideas you can use. Before you can teach him or her anything, you need to get your mouse accustomed to you and win his or her trust. The best way to do this is with food. Find out what kind of treat your mouse likes best and use this to entice him to do what you want. A simple trick you probably will want to teach your mouse is to crawl into your hand when you call him. You can accomplish this by filling your hand with your mouses favorite treat and setting it in his cage. If this is the first time youve done this you may want to bring a magazine or watch TV, because it might be awhile before until your little guy is comfortable enough to crawl into your hand. Once he learns that you are not a danger, but rather a source of snacks, he will warm up to you quickly. After you are at this stage, start making a distinctive noise every time you give your mouse a treat (a simply succession of clicks or whistles works great). Soon your mouse will learn to associate this noise with being fed a treat and will readily climb into your hand upon hearing it. This is a long process and will take many attempts and hours before its complete, but it will be worth it in the end. There are other more complicated tricks you can teach your mouse. Some they are naturals at, like navigating an obstacle course, or climbing something in their cage. But for other tricks you will need a more involved approach. Though the basic premise of rewarding behavior with treats is the same, the process is a little more complex. For ideas on what tricks to teach your mouse, or specific methods on how to do so, check out the books Training Your Pet Rat. Though it is geared towards rats, mice are capable of learning almost all the same tricks and the training methods are virtually the same for both species. Many other books about all aspects of mice can be found at the Amazon.com - Pet Mice Collection. You can ever read parts of them online for free. Training and/or socializing your mouse will enrich its life and make it easier, and less stressful, to play with your mouse. It can take a good amount of time, but the interaction you will receive from the mice is more than worth it.

ODOUR How do I decrease odor? Mice as a species do not smell any more than any other species, including rats and hamsters. They actually smell *less* than some species, such as cats and dogs because mice are confined to their tank. Additionally, mice are not dirty, contrary to some misguided belief. Mice are extremely clean. They are actually so clean that it can cause OCD type disorders in mice. They tend to use a potty corner (they may even use a potty box, if provided) and they spend countless hours cleaning themselves daily. You will be hard pressed to find a dirty mouse unless they are housed in a dirty cage due to lack of human cleaning. The most important thing is to keep their enclosure clean. Mice must be cleaned weekly, in addition to spot cleaning daily/every could days, depending on the mouse/mice and type of enclosure. Plastic tubes (such as critter trail tubes) and some wheels will collect urine, often to a harmful degree. It is extremely important to keep those areas clean, if not eliminate those areas all together by using a different wheel or different housing enclosure. It is also important to clean potty areas. Some mice are so clean that they will only use one spot to urinate. If this area isn't cleaned often, it can build up ammonia and breed harmful bacteria. Potty areas must be spot cleaned every 1-2 days. This is very easy and takes about 2 minutes. All you have to do is scoop out the small portion of wet bedding and replace it with a handful of clean. Most mice can be trained to use a litter box, especially those that already have a potty corner. You can give them a container (such as tuperware, jar, etc), or buy them a Hamster Potty. Never use clay litter, as outlined above. Also be warned that the litter sold with/for hamster potties is not safe! It often helps to use a different kind of litter in their potty, than in their enclosure. For instance, if you use carefresh as a main bedding, you can try cob litter in the potty. You can also add things to their water to help neutralize the smell. A product called Bio-odor has good over all reviews. Natural, pure vanilla extract (be sure it is real vanilla!) also has excellent reviews. It is important not to over use these things. For instance, Vanilla contains alcohol. In small amounts this will not give any adverse affects. Only use 1 drop per 8oz bottle. It is often recommended to take them off this for a couple weeks every 1-2 months. Room air filters can also help. Never use room air fresheners/deodorizers for mice! These are harmful to their sensitive lungs.

Male odor Male mice tend to smell more than female mice do. This is contributed to their need to mark their territory. Not all males will do this and most males that do this will get better with age. To help combat their need to mark, it is important to leave one thing in their tank that smells like them. Studies show that males that are allowed to keep their nest don't mark as much as males that have their nest taken and replaced with clean nesting material. If you chose to do this, make sure you check to insure the bedding is clean. Males tend to keep their nest clean, but if it is dirty, replace it with clean bedding for health reasons. You can also try leaving one object with them that isn't cleaned. For instance, if they have a toy that isn't gross, don't clean it when you do the bucks weekly cleaning. Having one thing that smells like them will help because they will not have the need to re-mark as much. Lastly, if a buck smells females or other males it can cause them to mark worse. This includes the smells of other mice on your hands, if you had just touched another mouse. It also includes mice in the same room as they are and smells on any shared space, such as play areas. Please don't let smell be your decision maker when choosing a pet. While some males will smell more than some females (nothing that some females can smell too) they can be kept under control if you clean them weekly. Males are often more affectionate to humans than females. Many people prefer males to females as on over all opinion.

HEALTH PROBLEMS One of the more common health problems mice experience is scabs or sores on the back and head area. These wounds are generally caused by two different sources, a parasitic infection or a food intolerance. For more information on what foods could be triggering an adverse reaction in your mouse, read our section on bad / dangerous foods for mice. The other common cause of these itchy rashes are parasites. The most common culprit is mites. These mites can infest your mouse through a number of different sources. They can come on hay, straw, other mice, or infected food. These mites are very small and usually cannot be seen with the naked eye. If you dont want to make a trip to the vet, there are several commercially available broad treatments for mites. They are usually marketed for birds as mites are a much larger problem in birds than mice. Follow the directions on the container, usually it involves a few dustings or sprays a week. If that doesnt seem to provide your little critter with relief, or youd rather go strait to the professionals you can take your mouse to the veterinarian. A vet will likely give your little guy an injection of Ivermectin. It is important to have a professional figure out the dosage because this particular treatment is for much larger animals and will need to be significantly diluted. Make sure you completely clean out your mouses cage and toys and make sure his or her environment is completely disinfected and washed before returning your mouse to his house. Keeping your mouses environment clean and away from possible sources of contamination is the best thing you can do to protect him from sickness. Respiratory illness manifests itself in mice with what sounds like a tiny sneeze or cough. While this may look and sound quite cute, it can indicate a serious problem if it occurs regularly. While sneezing can be caused by a simple allergy and is just as simply remedied, it can also indicate a bacterial or viral infection, which unfortunately is not as easily curable. To determine if your mouse is truly ill, or just suffering from allergies you can perform a simple test. Remove them from their enclosure for awhile. If the tiny sneezes subside than you know that something in your mouses environment is irritating them. Likely culprits are bedding and food. You can try switching these with hypoallergenic alternatives, until you find something that you little pet seems comfortable with. However, if your mouse does not seem to be helped by a change of scenery, it may be seriously ill. Sickness in mice is usually accompanied by rough fur, glazed eyes, and curling into a ball or hunching over. Reductions in activity or grumpy mood are also indicators of an illness. If you have more than one mouse it is important to separate the one you suspect to be sick from the rest to ensure the infection does not spread. Take your mouse to the vet as soon as possible. Your vet will either prescribe some antibiotics to be put in the mouses water or a dropper to drop some directly in their mouths. Hopefully your mouse will make a full recovery. Diarrhea in mice is often caused by eating too much green vegetables. Foods like lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, etc. The first thing you should do if you notice your mouse has diarrhea is to eliminate these foods from their diet. If this fails to resolve the problem, or the diarrhea lasts more than a couple days, you mouse might have a more serious problem. If the diarrhea is accompanied by either skin rashes or sneezing you might have to take your little buddy in for a visit to the vet. An herbal cure for diarrhea in both humans and mice is arrowroot, available at most supermarkets for cooking. A very small amount of this diluted in water can be used to cure most non-pathogenic cases. However, if it lasts more than a day or two, nothing is going to be able to give you the assistance an experienced veterinarian.

HANDLING The first thing to remember when you are picking up or holding your mouse is this: You are much, much bigger than he or she is. A frightened mouse can be very difficult to pick up. They will run zigzags all over their cage in an attempt to elude the unknown giant hand coming to scoop them up. Although this is normal at first, the best way to pick up your mouse is to teach it not to be afraid of you. A properly trained mouse will walk right into your hand as soon as you put it in the cage. If you have to pick up a frightened mouse, the safest way to do so is by softly pinching the base of the tail (the part closest to the body) and lifting up the mouse enough to slide your hand under his or her body. Keep holding the tail even when the mouse is in your palm to prevent it from jumping out of your hand. Mice typically will not jump on to anything if the fall is more than a foot or so, but frightened animals are unpredictable and may jump from heights sufficient to hurt themselves. You should not squeeze the body of a mouse from the sides or try to scoop it up from its cage as you could easily hurt it (remember, mice are tiny and it doesnt take much to hurt them). Picking them up like this also frightens them, so its best to stick to the method mentioned above. You may have seen people pick up mice by their tails and lifting them up. While this doesnt really hurt the mouse it is an uncomfortable position for them and you run a much higher risk of damaging their tails. How would you like it if a giant carried you around upside-down by your leg? He still wont come out! If your mouse is too agile for you to catch, or youre not comfortable picking up a mouse in this way there are a few other tricks you can use until your mouse becomes accustomed to you. One way is to simply leave the door to the cage open. You can put the enclose on something high so the mouse wont escape one he leaves his cage and it will be much easier to get him into your hands. Another way that works great for me is putting a paper towel tube either into the cage completely, or sticking halfway out the door of the cage. Your curious little mouse will likely crawl into the tube to examine it, and you can remove it and let him crawl into your hand. Mice are intrepid explorers are probably wont be keen to just sit in your hand. Our little mouse Elmo would try to run up my arm onto my shoulder and head. Make sure you keep a close eye on your mouse or he might end up hatching a daring escape. Their little claws make them excellent climbers so making a transition from your shoulder to a curtain is no biggie.PICKING UP Most mice will become quite tame given time,patience and perhaps a little bribery. At first, allow the mice time to become accustomed to their new environment. Once the mice are calm, start spending more time around their cage and quietly talk to the mice to get them used to your voice. As the mice become comfortable or curious with your presence, start offering some favorite tidbits (try millet or sunflower seeds) by hand, and once the mice are taking treats from your hands, they may start walking on your hands, or you can start trying to pick them up. When picking up a mouse, it is best to try scooping it up by cupping your hand under the mouse (but do not squeeze or tightly grasp the mouse's body). If holding a skittish mouse, you can try holding the base of the tail with one hand while supporting the mouse's body in the palm of your other hand to prevent the mouse from jumping off your hand and possibly injuring itself. Similarly, you can hold a mouse by the base of the tail and gently lift a bit to allow you to place your hand under the body to pick the mouse up. It is vital that you only grasp the base of the tail gently and very close to the body. If you hold further down towared the tip of the tail, you may break the tail off or the skin may come off the tail. Be careful when holding mice as a relatively short fall can cause injuries. It is best to hold the mouse just above your lap or some other soft surface in case it falls or jumps. If you need to pick up an mouse that isn't yet tame place a cup (or paper tube covered on one end) on its side in front of the mouse, and gently herd the mouse into the cup, which can be used to carry the mouse. It is also possible to pick up a mouse by the very base of the tail if you have no toher choice. This doesn't really hurt the mouse, but it is stressful for them and probably uncomfortable. If you are going to allow your mouse time outside the cage, you will need to mouse proof the room. Ideally, keeping them contained in a large shallow plastic storage box, small wading pool or some other confined space is the best

option for keeping the mice safe and sound. Even then, you should make sure there is nothing in the your mouse can get into and hide (such as the underside of the couch, or very narrow space between furniture), or any way the mouse can escape on you. Make sure all electrical cords are out of reach, and that there is nothing else that could harm the mouse including poisonous plants. Remember, mice can be pretty hard to catch so make sure they don't get away on you!

MYTHS

Mice, and rodents in general, are subject to some unfair prejudices in our culture. Many people see them as pests and think they carry diseases, when this is very untrue. Though they are just as fuzzy and docile as other small mammals, like hamsters or rabbits, they are still seen in a negative light. Yet, more and more people are starting to realize that they are lovable creatures and make great pets. In this section we will present some common Mouse Myths that many people still believe. Myth: All mice are smelly. Any animal that is not cared for, or wild, will likely smell. There is some truth to this however. Male mice tend to produce a musky smell in their urine. Though this odor is not overpowering or terrible, you will begin to smell it, especially if you dont clean out your mices cage often or thoroughly. BUT, females almost never smell. They do not feel compelled to mark their territory and do not produce the offensive chemical that males do. If you think the smell will be a problem then stick with female mice, but if you regularly clean your mouses cage it wont be a problem. Myth: Mice carry diseases. Ever since mice were fingered as the culprits in the transmission bubonic plague hundreds of years ago, they have had a certain stigma as diseased animals. In fact, the mice (and probably some humans) simply carried fleas infected with the plague bacterium. To say that a mouse is inherently prone to carrying disease is absurd. Most wild animals are infected with diseases and parasites. This is a cruel fact of nature and unfortunately many of these animals lives are cut short because of it. Our pets have the benefit of clean environments, uninfected food and water, and veterinary medicine and care. This is the reason that domestic pets have much longer and healthier lives than their wild counterparts. Perhaps because mice have only recently become more popular as pets that they still carry this stigma. Myth: Mice are stupid. This is perhaps the most incorrect myth of them all. If you measure the size of a mouses brain compared to its body weight its bigger than dolphins, apes, and even humans! Mice are very intelligent creatures and have survived in the wild by their cunning along for millions of years. Such a tiny animal cannot fight off predators; it can only use its smarts and sneakiness to survive. This struggle has ensured that mice are quite smart and make great pets for this reason and more. Myth: Mice sleep during the day. It is true that mice are naturally nocturnal, but this cycle is not set in stone. Humans are naturally diurnal animals, but anyone who works the night shift will tell you that changing this natural cycle is not difficult. If left completely undisturbed, your mouse will likely sleep during the day. But, curiosity gets the best of them, and anytime you are awake chances are you mouse will be too. Your mouse will also easily adapt to your wake-sleep cycle just by being interested in what you are doing while you are awake. Myth: Mice dont make good pets. This is totally untrue! Mice are great pets for a number of reasons. They are quiet and small so they wont disturb anyone. They are fuzzy and friendly and enjoy being held. They will interact with you and can even be taught tricks. They dont cost much to take care of and require very little space. That sounds like the perfect pet to me!

TIPS While handling your mice, they may softly pur. This is called bruxing and usually happens in rats, but is sometimes a behavior in mice. This means they like you. A high protein snack you can offer your mice is freeze dried meal worms (or live if you are not squeamish). These can be purchased at most local pet stores often with the fish or reptiles. Mice are omnivores not vegetarians. They need protein in their diet and meat is a quick way to provide this. If you choose to not use meal worms then high quality dog food or freeze dried turkey or chicken can be given as a treat and supplement. A great way to hand-tame your mice is to place them in the bathtub (closed drain with a towel along the ground) and allow them to crawl over your hands. If you choose to use this method, place an empty toilet paper roll in the cage and allow the mice to crawl in. Then, covering both sides so there are no accidents, lift the mouse out and place the roll in the tub. Remove the roll when the mice have left. Then sit next to the tub and place your hands palms up on the towel. Follow the same procedure used above with cage taming. Look into getting your lone male mouse neutered by a trustworthy vet, after which he can be introduced safely to a group of females. Some people argue that this is a better option, as a human cannot compensate fully for the company of his own kind. You must wait 6 weeks after neutering before introducing to any females, to avoid the risk of pregnancy. Purchasing a mouse from a pet shop is often the quickest way to bring a new pet into your home. However, pet shop mice are often bred in rodent mills with little to no attention paid to health, temperament, or genetics. Because of this, pet-shop mice are more prone to illnesses, infections, and misbehavior. If you choose to purchase a mouse from a pet shop, be aware that it may take weeks or even months for the mouse to feel safe and secure with you as its owner. These mice have often been mistreated before coming into your care, and because of this have learned to distrust humans. It is possible to teach these little creatures trust but you will need patience and determination. The best resource for purchasing a pet is a reputable breeder. Search online for a breeder near your home or one who is willing to ship their mice. Purchasing a mouse from a responsible breeder usually means the pet you bring home will be healthy, calm, and trusting. However, you should expect to wait for a mouse purchased from a breeder. Responsible breeders do not breed mice to create more mice. Their goal is to create healthy mice with great temperaments and ideal markings. Because of this, some breeders will only breed two to three litters a year, and they will only adopt their mice out to responsible owner whom they trust. If you are willing to wait, breeders are the best option for purchasing a mouse. Remember that mice get scared a lot and sometimes they don't like to be picked up a lot or at all.

Life Span Their short life span is one of the biggest drawbacks of mice. On average they live for about 1.5-2 years, although they can sometimes live up to 3 years.

Habits Mice are nocturnal and very social. They will be very active in the evening and night, but don't expect to do much with them during the day. Being social, they are best kept in groups. A pair of females is the easiest, although larger groups are fine if you provide the cage space. Pairs of males should be avoided,unless they are litter mates, never separated, and given a large toys for pet mice enough cage that they can have their own space (unfamiliar males are very likely to fight). Keeping males and females together should be avoided unless you want lots of mice in a short amount of time.