pet mice?

[jag5000]

anyone know much about keeping mice as pets?

my DD desperately wants to get 2, but I'm not sure. I know nothing about them. At least I'm not a 'fraidy of mice!

how they expensive? how to you keep/feed/play/look after them? would they make decent pets for a 10 yr old? is 2 better than 1? do they keep each other company?

any info is appreciated!

Jo
xxx

[abibelsmum]

I'd get a rat - they smell better, they're bigger so easier to actually play with and pat, they are intelligent.

We've had several and they like to snuggle into shirt pockets, eat dry cat food, have their cage rearranged so they have something new to explore. We've only had them one at a time, just in case.

[singa06]

Hi I had mice when i was younger, so I can't really remember much, but ill try. We kept them in a 'tank' that had an upper level with boxes for them to sleep in and a lower level with water (that came out of a tube with a ball on the end, so as they 'sip' the water, the water drips out, a lot of guinea pigs use that as well). You need a floor covering, but I can't remember what it was. They also had a wheel that they used to play on. We used to hold them in our hands to play with them, but we enjoyed it! If you keep more than one, remember that they will breed like rabbits! You could even sell them back at a pet shop??? Remember to keep a cover on them as uninvited cats may get in. I don't remember what we fed them, but NOT cheese, they hated it!

[bigglet]

I had pet mice as a child and loved it but remember to make sure to get them as the same sex because they breed very very quickly!!!

We kept ours in a bird cage with things to climb over and of course the mouse wheel.

Just need shredded paper on the ground.

They are very very easy to look after - food for them is easy and cheap from pet stores but when we were kids they ate one meaty bite (dog biscuit) for days at a time.

They are great pets and I used to take them out and have them crawl up and down my body and loved it! I shudder now thinking of that!! LOL :D

[Ana Gram]

I'd get a rat - they smell better, they're bigger so easier to actually play with and pat, they are intelligent.

We've had several and they like to snuggle into shirt pockets, eat dry cat food, have their cage rearranged so they have something new to explore. We've only had them one at a time, just in case.

:iagree: Mice smell quite a lot. I would go for a rat.

[iamLilysmummy]

mice stink... i used to have 2..

my mum nearly killed me wen i brought them home.. and to make things worse.. a few day after i got them... the got out of the cage and were running around the house.. haha.. but my brother caught them with a mouse trap.. and they actually survived..

but after that i had to get rid of them.. the smell was to much.,!! lmao

[susieq1969]

Yep, mice stink!! :)

I used to have 2, Itchy and Scratchy. Both males. They were great fun, but they do smell.

I'm in agreement with the other ladies, Rats are better. Especially for kids as they are larger, mice can get lost easily!

:)

[jag5000]

hmm.. never thought of a rat
thanks for your imput all :)

ok.. so I have another question... how do you look after a rat?? :laughing:

seriously though.. how do you? what do you need it terms of a set up for it? do you think 2 are better than one?

thanks again

[babygiggle]

I'd get a rat - they smell better, they're bigger so easier to actually play with and pat, they are intelligent.

We've had several and they like to snuggle into shirt pockets, eat dry cat food, have their cage rearranged so they have something new to explore. We've only had them one at a time, just in case.

:iagree: mice are very smelly little creatures!!!
rats are a lot better!

[SassyMummy]

As above, they stink!

However, the boys will often stink more than girls... because boys will mark their scent more often.

Boys can also be a bit feisty with each other, so one will often become the dominant male. The can mean for a bit of a ratty-looking other one.

They don't cost all the much to buy... you can buy set-ups at pet shops for about $60. You'll have to buy food often, but it's not all that expensive.

TBH, I'd get a rat too.

[Chunkydunks]

Where ever you decide to get the rats from will be able to tell you what you need and how to care for them. you can either get them from a breeder or a pet shop.

[susieq1969]

You can buy Rat cages, which is basically a much larger version of a Hamster cage.

Get one with bars rather than a closed in one. They basically have the same needs as Hamsters and mice. Somewhere to play, somewhere to eat and somewhere snuggly to sleep

:)

[tales]

Ah a topic which is close to my heart :)

I am a registered companion mouse breeder (or was, for a number of years), as well as an accredited rodent show judge. At one stage I had over 150 of the dear little critters (mice) though I don't have any at the moment.

While they can smell, I would argue so can any animal if it's not cared for properly. This applies to both rats and mice. And yes, boys smell worse than girls (unless you get them desexed, then they don't smell at all). If you get girls, it's not the mice that smell, it's the litter when it gets soiled (and obviously, therefore, needs changing). Boy rats have a particular smell which isn't quite as potent as mice, but it's still there.

The following applies to both, though.

Ideally if you are really concerned about smell, you should clean them a couple of times a week (same as you would for smelly cat litter, and for the same reason), which if you only have a couple of animals, is not a big deal. The type of litter you use to line their cage makes a huge difference to smell too. Some litters are very bad for them health wise (such as pine shavings or anything pine based, or anything dusty - can give them respitory problems). Your newspaper based cat litters are good (such as breeder's choice), as are natty cat (lucerne based) and I found Max's cat litter (which is made from vegetable husks or something) to be the best.

To buy them, if you can possibly find a companion breeder in your area (as opposed to a snake food breeder) then I would recommend going to them. Just do a Google search for rodent fanciers/clubs in your state/town and see what you come up with. Many of these sites also have awesome info on how to care for your rodent as well. AUSRFS Vic would be my first starting point for you. I'd ensure your 10 year old reads all the info on care and handling as well. Don't be afraid to call and talk to the breeders as well - they usually love to talk about their passion and love it when people care enough to ask questions about care, handling, temperament etc.

Generally you'll get a better quality animal from a companion breeder as you have no idea where the pet shop mice/rats have come from. If they've been bred by bulk breeders as snake food they're unlikely to have any social skills and may be bitey if you try to handle them. This can make social interaction and even cleaning very difficult if the animal is UTH (unamenable to handling). Plus they don't make much of a pet. By all means go and talk to the pet shop mice and rats (some breeders do sell to pet shops, but a lot don't as some pet stores will sell their pet rodents as snake food), but the store owners should be able to pull them out of the cage without much of a drama and let you hold them. If not, I'd keep looking. Same as if you were buying a dog or cat, really.

I won't go into huge detail about care, feed etc because this will make this post even longer, but if you have any particular questions, please feel free to PM me :) There is so much great info online, though, most of your general questions can probably be answered there.

Mice and rats are highly social creatures and do better in pairs or colonies. From personal experience, I can say that if you choose mice, get at least 2 (and unless you want babies, ensure they are both girls - another reason to buy from a breeder because generally pet stores suck at accurately sexing mice, as easy as it actually is). Boys (as well as girls) can live alone, but as their only social contact, you should be prepared to spend a lot more time with them. My very first mouse was a boy, and he went everywhere with me. Rats are a little bit different socially and you can have 2 boys living together usually relatively harmoniously (especially if they are litter mates from a breeder). Many breeders will also refuse to sell them except in pairs for the reason that they do better in groups. I tend to think rats, like mice, do fine alone as long as their human is prepared to spend lots of time with them.

As to what would be appropriate for a 10 year old.. well it depends on the 10 year old. Mice are fragile, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend them as pets for children unless the children understand the need to be gentle and patient. Rats are a little bit hardier and also live longer (average of 3 -4 years for a rat compared with about 18 months-2 years for a mouse - maybe longer if you buy from a registered breeder because the animals are generally healthier). I found rats to be easier to spend time with because they don't get lost quite so easily lol. I could have one out running around on the couch or the bed for a while without any great drama. You have to watch mice - they tend to get into stuff and disappear quickly, which is why I only ever had them running around on me. I was a bit paranoid of losing them, though. I still prefer mice, personally, but that's just me.

As with any animal, the more time you spend with it, the better pet it will be. That's really the only key for having pet rats and mice. Lots and lots of time and TLC :) They are wonderful pets, though.

[jag5000]

thank you all for your advice

and thank you sooo much tales for all your wonderful advice and imput! :) beyond helpful! thanks for taking the time to type it up for me :hugs: I'm sure I will be PMing you for more info! :laughing:

(oh and tales - LOVE your sig. next to your av! - classic!)

[Nex]

I'd get a rat - they smell better, they're bigger so easier to actually play with and pat, they are intelligent.

We've had several and they like to snuggle into shirt pockets, eat dry cat food, have their cage rearranged so they have something new to explore. We've only had them one at a time, just in case.

I agree :iagree: for all these reasons!

[Sunnygal]

Mice are great for pets - I hate rats, only because for some reason, one of my rats ate the other - blah!
Anyway female mice generally don't stink, mine never did anyway!
With cages you can get something simple like a glass or plastic fish tank with a mesh covering if know someone handy you can use wire mesh and build a frame out of timber, you can get plastic setups for about $20-30 depending on size, or you can get the really cool ones which can get exey!! Mice are social creatures, so if your DD isn't going to play with it a few times a day by it a little friend! They are also very inquisitive and love there exercise - so an exercise wheel is a must, which again depending on quality can cost from $5 to $20 odd dollars! And of course little tunnels - like toilet rolls, boxes like tissue boxes etc for them to play in! The bigger chunks of saw dust is the best for floor covering it helps absorb the smell and you can pick it up at most pet shops for a couple bucks or even go to a builder and ask for a bag! They need seeds and grain, plus fresh vegies to eat like lettuce, carrot, pumpkin seeds (they love those!), fruit like apple, pear etc!!
They need to be cleaned out at least once a week depending on how many you have!
Have fun choosing you wee little pet they are brilliant, friendly little creatures! And are very friendly if handled often :D

[blackdog]

I'd get a rat - they smell better, they're bigger so easier to actually play with and pat, they are intelligent.
.
:iagree:

Mice are too little to cuddle properly.
I have found boys to be more affectionat than girls.

[codswallop]

i miss my rats:(
they are great little animals
we had them all through my childhood ( my older brother(14) bought one home when i was 6 and the family was hocked!) until my last one died of old age just before aby was born
they come when you call , lick your fingers sit up and beg and my fav was the way they could hold a drop of water/juice and nibble it!

[Heaven55]

Yeah a rat is a far better pet!! They are amazing little animals, sociable,smart,clean,loyal,interactive and perfect for a 10-year-old.
My latest shoulder rat just died before christmas.She was so sweet,she went everywhere with me and converted even many ardent rat-haters into rat-lovers.I also have girls at home.
Mice aren't particularly bright and they're dirty as opposed to rats who are very intelligent and very clean (cleaner than dogs).
They also often kill eachother as they're hard to sex and males can get very agressive with eachother or they'll have litters of up to about 15 if you end up with a boy and a girl.They are hard to sex and pet shops often get it wrong.
They're a low maintence pet and are often happy with wheels and other toys and can be kept in a fish tank although this isnt ideal as they're more isolated and not as interactive.
Rats are often in pet shops in fish tanks but you'll generally find them less well-handled than rats in a cage and they definetely need a cage when you get them home..
I got my first rat at 14 and have never looked back and my 11 and 13-yr-old nephews have them and love them as they are so sociable,durable,friendly and easy to handle.
Rats have a life-span of approximately 3-4 years (they will often get tumors later in life but they can be safely removed).
Mice are lucky if they live 1-2 years so for a child,I would definetly recommend a rat above mice.

Heaven55