MOUSEKATEERS MOUSERY

 

Diet

Your mouse is now fully weaned and can eat a variety of foods.  Commercially available rat and mouse foods are readily available in supermarkets and pet and produce stores.  These provide a complete diet for your mouse but may be supplemented with fresh fruit, vegetables, scrambled egg, stale grainy bread, pasta, oats  etc. 

Foods not recommended include chocolate, onion, tomatoes.

Water should always be available and we recommend a dripper style water bottle.  Remember to regularly check the dripper as they can become clogged over time.

Treats include raisins/sultanas, peanut butter, fruit, sunflower seeds, Nutripet(Nutrigel), yoghurt drops etc.  These are very useful aids for training your mouse.

 Handling

It is recommended that you gently pick up, pat and handle your mouse daily.  The more interaction it has with you, the tamer and more sociable your mouse will be.   You be surprised at how quickly it responds to you.

Toys

A wheel is a necessity in your mouse’s life and is the number one purchase for your pet.  (Note: a squeaky wheel is easily remedied by spraying a vegetable cooking oil on it).  The best wheel that we would recommend is the Silent Spinner.  They are a plastic moulded wheel with a free spinning hub.  The Silent Spinner comes with a metal stand or may be attached to a cage.  They are one of the most expensive wheels but well worth it in terms of usage, convenience of cleaning, and, they truly are silent.

Mice love to play with all sorts of oddments.  Small boxes, toilet rolls and cotton reels will keep them entertained (and you) for ages. 

If you like a more natural feel to your mouse's domain, why not add a branch, driftwood,  a rock or some pebbles or even a small pot of parsley.  Mice love digging and different terrains add to their quality of life.

Worming

Worming is recommended periodically as well as checking for mites and lice.  This should only be a problem if you have wild mice living nearby who may visit and infect your pet.  Sprays and other products are readily available.

 Housing

Commercially produced cages can be bought and these often include everything needed to make a happy home.  If you like to shop on-line, eBay is a very good place to buy all the necessities.  Other options include plastic storage tubs which are cheap, easy to clean, easy to carry and secure.  Just cut a large section from the lid, secure with small aviary wire (on the inside so that your mouse can’t escape by chewing through the plastic), make a small hole (with a soldering iron) for the water bottle and two smaller holes above to secure the bottle to the tub.  Cleaning your mouse’s home is best achieved by thoroughly rinsing everything in a weak solution of warm water and vinegar.

Mice like to make a nest in which to sleep and enjoy chewing and ripping up straw or tissues to create their own little bed.  Small cardboard boxes make excellent beds if you haven’t already bought something in which to hide.

 Substrate

The most popular bedding is a kitty litter called “Breeders Choice”.  This product is made from recycled paper pellets, has no dust, controls odour very well and is readily available.  Another cheap popular choice is wood shavings.  Some breeders have used this product for years with no ill effects but you have to be careful that the shavings contain no pine or other chemically treated wood which may be harmful.  There is also an issue with dust from the shavings which is thought to induce respiratory problems.

Temperature

Be mindful of the temperature.  Mice are very susceptible to heat stress and can die very quickly in temperatures over 27 º C.  For this reason it is always good practice to move them to a cool area when hot days are forecast and supply them with good ventilation and ice blocks or a sponge soaked in water for them to sit on.  Make sure the bowl is not deep enough for them to drown in.

In winter, mice can freeze to death.  During the colder months it is a good idea to keep them in a draught free area protected from the elements.  Cover their cage with a towel or similiar at night, give them extra bedding to help keep them warm.

One of the dilemmas in choosing a mouse or mice is the question of should you get a girl or a boy?

1. Boys   are better kept singularly and are territorial which makes it hard to house them in a colony.  Sometimes a couple of boys can be successfully kept together but it takes a bit of work.  To do this, cage cleaning is a crucial factor in ensuring a happy environment.  DO NOT clean everything in their cage.  We clean the cage itself but leave houses, wheels, toys etc until they really need cleaning and then only clean one item at a time.  This ensures that their territorial markings are not destroyed thus forcing them to re-establish their domain and subdue any trespassers. Scuffles between two males is usual and nothing to worry about unless blood is drawn.
2. Girls   should not be kept singularly and are happiest when kept with a friend or in a colony.  There usually is a pecking order and there can be a few squeaks and the occasional scuffle until the order is established.  The cage can be thoroughly cleaned without fear of inciting a riot.
3. Temperament  Boys can be very people orientated and want attention (they are often referred to as being "squishy"), this is probably because they are solitary. The girls can be a bit standoffish and independent because of their group housing but this makes them interesting to observe as they interact with each other.  If both sexes are trained from a young age with a gentle approach they will willingly climb on your hand for attention.
4. Smell?   Boys are a little more smellier than girls but if you're only keeping one or two, it won't make a difference.
5. How many mice do you want?   if you only want one mouse, go for a boy.  If you want two or more choose a girl.

There are a number of other resources available giving great information regarding, husbandry, feeding, genetics, medical, product reviews, Q & A, etc.

Starting with the internet we recommend:-

http://www.rmca.org/Resources/faqs.htm#TOC