Pets411care Basic Mouse Care

PETS411CARE Basic Mouse Care
Love your dogs with proper care.

A pet mouse is a comment. It is very important to take real good care of your mouse. Mice are great pets to have. They do require a good amount of care. Mice live up to three years. They are apart of the rodent family. There are small and medium size mice. They come in many different colors. You call it a mouse when there is one and if there are more then one then you say mice.

Always remember that your veterinarian is your best source of information on your animal’s health care.

FOOD AND WATER:

Mice need proper food and fresh water daily.

Your mouse will need fresh clean water everyday. It is also very important to wash the water bowl or water bottle out because bacteria and algae can grow in a water bowl or bottle. Bacteria and algae can lead to health problems which can lead to a huge medical bill. Just by taking the time and providing your mouse with a clean bowl of fresh water you will help keep him or her healthy. Water is the most important thing in any animal’s life.
Use distilled water if you are unsure of the bacteria or chlorine levels in your tap water.

You can get a water bottle from the pet store. If you use a bowl you will need to clean it everyday because they do go to the bathroom in the water.

Mice eat anything from meats, vegetables, fruit, to nuts. Carrots are good treats to give your mouse because hard foods help their teeth. Watermelon rinds are high in nutrition, so they make great treats on hot days. Give your mouse fresh grass everyday and clean out the old grass.
Pet stores carry mouse food with nutritional pellets.

Treats need to be limited- mice can die at a young age from obesity. It is a good idea to keep their food portions small.

Day old food that was not eaten should be removed from the cage to prevent any illness.

Don’t feed:
Orange or anything citrus
Nothing with mold on it.
They do not eat cheese.
No peanut butter it is every bad for them.
No chocolate
No milk

HOUSING AND BEDDING:

You will need a good size cage because mice can grow up to 16 inches.
Mice do better in wire cages. Aquariums don’t provide proper ventilation, so your mouse will be more susceptible to illness. You will find that you will need to clean the aquarium more frequently too. Male mice do put out a strong odor.
You will need a 3/4 inch x 3/4inch wire mesh cage. A cage about 3x3 feet the least or bigger, bigger the cage the better, 16 gauge (galvanized steel mesh).

Nest Box:
A nest box should be provided, store-bought or home made. A cardboard box makes a good nest box, although they chew them up and urinate on them. So you will need to replace cardboard boxes often. Cardboard boxes are great to keep your mouse busy as he or she shreds it to pieces.
Mice love hanging pouches for sleeping in.
Big coffee cans and baskets work great. Some people use clay pots.
Some pet stores carry real nice nesting homes for mice.

They will need bedding. They love to shred paper. You can put grass or rose petals which help the cage to smell nice.
Cloth can be used for bedding like an old T-shirt.
Letting your mouse tear the bedding up gives them something to do. They know just how they like their bedding to be.

Mice get sick very easily from a dirty cage. Their cage needs to be cleaned every week. Mice themselves are generally quite clean, and you will see them cleaning themselves on a regular basis.

Do not put pine and cedar in your mouse’s cage. They cause heath problems for the mice.

HOLDING AND HANDLING:

You can pick up your mouse by the base of their tail not by the tip of their tail. The skin of the tail can tear at the tip.
Don’t grab your mouse by the middle of their waist cup both hands under your mouse to pick him or her up.

VETERINARIAN AND HEALTH:

One of the first things you should do when you first get a mouse is set a veterinarian appointment and give the mouse a complete check-up.
Talk to your veterinarian about nutrition.

Your mouse should get regular veterinarian check-ups just like any other pet.

If your pet is showing any signs of distress or you suspect your pet is seriously ill, CONTACT YOUR VETERINARIAN immediately.

Get more info on Wound Dr. to speed healing of pet wounds

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Get more info on PetAlive Ear Dr. for Ear Infections and Ear Mites.

PLAYTIME AND TOYS:

Mice are so intelligent that they need something to stimulate their mind or something to play with. To keep your mouse mentally healthy you need to get them toys. They need stuff to chew and to climb on.

To keep your mouse fit you will need an exercise wheel. Wheels come in different sizes, and plastic or metal.

Ropes are a great toy for the cage. Having a rope tied from one end of the cage to the other gives your mouse something to climb on.
The same toys sold for a parrot are great for a mouse.

TRAINING

You should take your mouse out everyday and hold him or her. At first your mouse will pee and poop on you because it’s scared, but after some time has gone by your mouse will learn that you are not going to hurt it. Then you will really be able to enjoy the interaction you have with your mouse. Mice can learn to come when they are called and they do learn tricks. By working with your mouse you are providing them with mental stimulation that is very important to your mouse’s mental health.

Once your mouse is trained you then can let him or her out of the cage for a little bit of exploring time. You will need to keep watch over them while they romp around- there are several things that a mouse could get into around your home that is dangerous, so please keep an eye on them. You should limit the area that they can explore.

Some people set up a whole room just for their mice to play in. They cover the plugs and any holes, since mice can get through just about any hole. They will even make their mice a jungle gym.

Don’t ever hit your mouse. Learn to be patient with your mouse.

The training does not happen overnight it takes time.

COMPAIONSHIP:

You will need more then one mouse.
Mice are social animals so you should buy two or more mice of the same sex to live together. Males get along with other males they where raised with or their brothers. So buy the males young and at the same time. Females get long even if they were not raised together.

BEFORE YOU GET YOUR MOUSE
Make sure you have everything on your list first.

SHOPPING LIST:
Water
Water bottle
Food
Food bowl
Wire cage (a very big one)
Nesting box or can (their little house)
Hanging pouch
Nesting material
Rope and toys
Another mouse to be their friend
Treats
Get the mouse checked out by a veterinarian

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ONE LAST TIP…
The whole family should help in the care of a mouse.

There are many great books that give more detail on the proper care of mice. This web page only gives the basic on mouse care. You will need a book on mice that provides more detail information.

Do you have some great mouse tips or stories to share? Just fill out the form below.

Mice Tips or Stories
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THANK YOU.

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