Mouse Pets
Giuliana
You should "mouse-proof" your house before you get your new pets. Your windows should always remain shut to avoid mice escaping. Keep your house free of any fragile objects that your mice could knock over. Always watch your children if you allow your mice to roam around the house to avoid accidents.
Health care. Before acquiring pet mice, consult your vet and ask about anything you may need. Your mice should be monitored for obesity, tumors, overgrown teeth, or respiratory issues. Your vet can also tell you whether your mice need spaying or neutering. They don't require any vaccinations.
Diet. Mice are omnivorous and can feed on plant and animal products. Commercial food pellets are available, Provide a mixture of meats and vegetables in their diet that contains essential nutrients for your mouse.
The mixture you choose should have seeds, grains, pulses, and some meat, such as dried mealworms. You can also add some fruits like strawberries and grapes. Small amounts of boiled eggs, dog biscuits, dried herbs, and millet seed spray can serve as treats for your pet mice. Also, avoid fats and oils of seeds and nuts.
When you bring new mice into the cage, first separate them to avoid fighting among themselves. You can then slowly introduce the new mice to the others, and with time they will become fond of each other.
Toilet training. Young mice can be difficult when it comes to managing their waste. You can slowly train your mice to use a litter box by placing their waste in it and having them smell it. Check for places where the mice usually go to the bathroom and put the litter box there. Encourage the mice to use the litter box by giving them a treat once they go in the right place.
Other tips. Train your mice about places and objects they should avoid. Use treats as a means of encouraging them to not go to certain areas. You can also use bitter-apple-scented sprays on items the mice should not touch. Mice dislike this odor and will avoid any substance that smells like it.
Handling pet mice requires intensive training. Give treats every time your pet does the right thing. This will generate positive reinforcement. Always watch for any changes in behavior and consult your veterinarian when necessary.
Train your pet mice while they are young, and as they grow they will effectively adapt to the changes. Encourage your pet to socialize with your kids. This can help prevent your mice from biting your children.
A fancy mouse is a domesticated form of the house mouse (Mus musculus), one of many species of mice, usually kept as a type of pocket pet. Fancy mice have also been specially bred for exhibiting, with shows being held internationally. A pet mouse is inexpensive compared to larger pets, and even many other pet rodents, but mice are comparatively short-lived: typically only 2 to 3 years.
Artificial selection in fancy mice has created numerous available fur colours. These include colours like black, chocolate, blue, white, cream, lilac, red, fawn, champagne, cinnamon, golden agouti, silver agouti, silver, and dove. Depending on its colouration, a fancy mouse may have black or pink eyes.
Fancy mice have also been bred to exhibit multiple kinds of markings. Which of these markings are standardized and what those standards are, can vary from club to club. While not a comprehensive list of fancy mouse patterns, some notable markings in fancy mice include even marked mice (white mice with even patches of colour), broken marked mice (white mice with uneven patches of colour), banded mice (coloured mice with a band of white around their midsection), rump white mice (coloured mice with a white rump), Hereford mice (coloured mice with completely white faces and a white marking on the underside, resembling Hereford cattle), and Dutch mice (white mice with a coloured rump and cheek patches, resembling a Dutch rabbit). Mice with completely coloured undersides may be referred to as tan mice (when the underside colouration is a rich orange colour) or fox mice (when the underside colouration is white or near white).[1] Completely solid coloured mice are referred to as self mice.[2]
In addition to colouration, fancy mice exhibit multiple different coat types, referred to as varieties. Most fancy mice fall under the Standard variety, meaning that their coat is short, straight, smooth, and close to the body. However, some may be Satin mice (coats that are similar to Standard mice, but with higher sheen), Long Hair mice (Standard or Satin coats that are longer than usual), curly or wavy haired (specific names for these varieties vary depending on club), or even hairless.
The first written reference to mice kept as pets occurs in the Erya, the oldest extant Chinese dictionary, from a mention in an 1100 B.C. version.[3] In Europe the breeding of fancy mice became popular through the introduction of Japanese stock in the early 17th century. By 1895, Walter Maxey founded the National Mouse Club in Victorian England, with its first official show held in Lincoln that year. Since that time, mouse clubs have formed worldwide. Shows are held so competitive breeders can display their mice, where they are judged on colour, body shape and behaviour.
Mice are kept as pets in many countries for a number of reasons: Fancy mice are relatively small, inexpensive, never need bathing, and can learn to enjoy regular handling if provided with the correct care.[4] Female mice are popular with many owners, since they tend to co-habitate with other mice better than males. Additionally, the urine of female fancy mice does not contain as strong an odor as that of male mice. Bucks will often fight with and kill each other when housed together, despite being raised together, due to their very strong and unchangeable territorial instincts.[5] It is difficult to house male mice together without the risk of injury to one or both males.[6] Some people, however, prefer the personality and curiosity of male mice. It is a good idea to keep fancy mice in groups of at least two if possible, as mice are sociable animals.[7] However, if a buck and a doe of breeding age are put in the same cage, it is possible for them to reproduce at a maximum frequency of once every three weeks. Litters of five to 18 are not unusual.[citation needed]
A healthy fancy mouse will live on average 18 to 30 months, depending on genetic predisposition. Like most mammals, mice are susceptible to fleas, mites, ticks, and other skin parasites, as well as intestinal parasites.[citation needed] The most common mites in fancy mice are: Myobia musculi, Myocoptes musculinus, and Rhadfordia affinis.[8] The cage should be cleaned regularly, and preferably treated with anti-mite spray. Mice are particularly sensitive to drafts and may pick up colds and other flu-like conditions. Mice can also over-groom when stressed, leading to skin irritations and fur loss. In severe cases, mice may cause themselves injury with obsessive scratching. One of the best methods of treating this disorder is trimming the mouse's toenails, which will prevent it from causing itself further harm.[9] Older mice (older than a year) are susceptible to tumors, especially breast cancer in females, as the mammary tissue is distributed around much of the body. Other common cancers in mice are leukemia and lymphoma.[10] The reason that mice, as well as many other small animals get ill easier is due to their genomes containing more viruses.[11] Persistent problems should be referred to a veterinarian, although finding a veterinarian with experience in treating mice can be difficult.
Fancy mice can become obese if they overeat and do not get enough physical activity. This can lead to them developing life-threatening cardiovascular disorders and diabetes as well as arthritis. Activity aids such as tubes and wheels are useful for ensuring mice get enough exercise, as well as mental stimulation. Mice also love to climb, and a wire cage with horizontal bars is perfect for this. A mouse set loose for exercise should be carefully observed, as they tend to scurry into a hiding spot and can be difficult to retrieve.
As rodents, mice must gnaw to keep their incisors from growing too long. Overgrown teeth can cause occlusion (blockage) of the mouth, which in extreme cases can lead to starvation. Hard foodstuffs, small pieces of wood or specially prepared blocks can suit this purpose, although some mice can grind their teeth together ("bruxing") to keep them short. In rare cases, a mouse may not be able to gnaw effectively, either from malformed incisors or jaws, and so its teeth must be trimmed by a veterinarian.
Mice can also get diarrhea. For humans in developed countries with access to clean water, this is usually not a life-threatening condition. For mice though, it can be. Diarrhea in mice is more likely to cause dehydration and death than it is in humans, due to their small size.
Mice have a rapid reproduction rate; the gestation period is approximately 19 to 23 days. The average litter size is four to 12 young. In some instances, up to 30 young have been born. However females have 10 nipples so may only feed this many pups at any one time. The pups in larger litters are often weaker, smaller animals that can weaken the doe, increasing recovery time. Litters can be humanely culled to 10-12 mice at the very most. Males can mate with the female as soon as the litter is born, which means that a female could become pregnant with another litter within three days of giving birth. Female mice should not be bred before 12 weeks or after eight months; doing so can be very dangerous,[12] and some mice can die while giving birth. Females come into heat around every three to five days, so the pair can be kept together for up to 10 days.Baby mice, called pinkies or pups, are born blind, deaf, and naked.[13] Their eyes are closed and their ears are stuck to the sides of their heads. Mothers may eat any dead or sickly offspring.[14] Pups begin to grow hair at 2 to 4 days. Ears open at 3 to 5 days, and the pups will start vocalising. Eyes open at 14 days, and the pups will start exploring the world around them. At 3 weeks old, they look like miniature versions of adult mice. At 4 weeks the males in the litter should be removed, lest they impregnate their mother and sisters, while the females can be left with the mother.
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