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Housing Mice on Tue Mar 24, 2009 10:04 am
Horsewell
Jr Mod
Posts: 468Age: 18
Location: England
Title: Irn Bru
Pets: Tyson(dog),10 chickens,2 rabbits,1 rat and Ponyo(axolotl)
Joined: 2009-02-25
Cages/Tanks
Mice are very small creatures, with a fully grown mouse only reaching 3 1/2 inches from head to tail. And weigh only half a ounce. Therefore hamster cages are not normally suitable, however if buying a hamster cage for a mouse, check that the gaps between the bars are smaller then 9mm (0.35) to prevent a young mouse from escaping. Cage must be at least 5 1/2 gallons 16" x 8" for 1-2 mice and made of plastic or glass to prevent the mouse chewing its way through.
Housing
Mice are very social with members of their own kind, and females will do especially well in a group. Males can be kept together if introduced at a young age, if introduced when adults, they will fight. Do not house males and females together, unless for the purpose of breeding since mice breed quickly and often with large litters.
Provide small boxes or flower pots for your mice to hide in, and cardboard tubes for your mice to chew and run through. You can also add a tree branch for them to climb on. Most mice will enjoy running on an exercise wheel. Make sure that the wheel has a solid surface without wire rungs, so your pets’ tails cannot get caught while running. Ladders for climbing and PVC pipes for tunneling will also be much appreciated by your bright, active pets.
Bedding
Wood shavings make a good choice for mice, though you should avoid cedar or pine shavings, as the oils in the wood can irritate your mouse's eyes and skin. Aspen chips or shavings, shredded paper, unscented paper towels and unscented toilet paper are all oil-free, and make excellent, safe bedding choices for mice. Bedding should be changed once a week.
Mice are very small creatures, with a fully grown mouse only reaching 3 1/2 inches from head to tail. And weigh only half a ounce. Therefore hamster cages are not normally suitable, however if buying a hamster cage for a mouse, check that the gaps between the bars are smaller then 9mm (0.35) to prevent a young mouse from escaping. Cage must be at least 5 1/2 gallons 16" x 8" for 1-2 mice and made of plastic or glass to prevent the mouse chewing its way through.
Housing
Mice are very social with members of their own kind, and females will do especially well in a group. Males can be kept together if introduced at a young age, if introduced when adults, they will fight. Do not house males and females together, unless for the purpose of breeding since mice breed quickly and often with large litters.
Provide small boxes or flower pots for your mice to hide in, and cardboard tubes for your mice to chew and run through. You can also add a tree branch for them to climb on. Most mice will enjoy running on an exercise wheel. Make sure that the wheel has a solid surface without wire rungs, so your pets’ tails cannot get caught while running. Ladders for climbing and PVC pipes for tunneling will also be much appreciated by your bright, active pets.
Bedding
Wood shavings make a good choice for mice, though you should avoid cedar or pine shavings, as the oils in the wood can irritate your mouse's eyes and skin. Aspen chips or shavings, shredded paper, unscented paper towels and unscented toilet paper are all oil-free, and make excellent, safe bedding choices for mice. Bedding should be changed once a week.
