Top five things you need to know about pet mice, according to Dr Katrina Warren
By Katrina Warren|
Pet mice are curious, popular pets for children and people with limited space, time or budget.?
They don't take up a lot of space, and they're relatively easy to care for. But they still have specific care requirements to keep them happy and healthy.
Here are five things you need to know about owning mice.
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1. Not recommended for young children
They might be cute, but they are also tiny and fragile; young children can easily injure them. Mice are also fast movers, so they can easily escape from a cage when the door is open or jump from a child's hands. They can also bite when frightened.?
Mice don't usually enjoy being handled unless they have been hand-raised. Even older children must be taught to be gentle and should never pick their mouse up by the tail.?
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2. They are still a big responsibility
Mice are relatively easy to care for, but they still have specific food and housing requirements and their enclosure must be cleaned often.?
Children often say they will look after their pet, but it is up to the adult to ensure the cage is kept clean, and the mice have a nutritious diet and fresh water. They should be fed good-quality commercial mouse pellets, supplemented with fresh fruit and veggies.?
3. You can't just have one
Mice are social animals and live in groups in the wild, so they should always have at least one companion.
It is easiest to keep a group of females together, as males often fight, and you will end up with babies if males and females are housed together.
Plus, male mice smell more than females, so it's best to keep a group of females.
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4. Buy a big enclosure
A small enclosure will smell quickly, and as your mice will spend much of their life in it, the more space and things to do, the better.?
Provide them with lots of things to climb, tunnels and toys. They also enjoy shredding things like toilet rolls and egg cartons.
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5. They can be noisy at night
Mice are nocturnal and busy at night. They will climb, play, eat and burrow, and if they are kept in a bedroom, this can keep their owner awake.
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