lonely male

Question
Hi, I have an adult male mouse named husker. One of my weanling females(she's still to young to breed) keeps getting loose and going into his cage. when she's not there husker seems bored. Should i get him a cage mate like a young male?
from Hadley

Answer
Dear Hadley,

A female can get pregnant at 4 1/2 weeks. Just so you know. It would be a terrible stress for her.

It is cute though!

Sadly, being a male fancy mouse can be a little lonely, since two males will fight to the death in  most situations. You must not try it.

He needs an exciting and big cage so he doesn't get bored-- toilet paper tubes, things to climb on, a nice wheel, and changing it out every time you redo the cage.

You can also make things exciting by hiding his food and treats around where he has to work to get them. Put something that smells yummy like a piece of cheese, along with seeds, in a toilet paper tube and fill the two ends with paper. Or use a small box, making a few holes in it so he knows something is in it. Crack a walnut just open a little and make him do the rest of the work himself.

But keep that little girl *away* from his cage-- or the reason she can't go back will be that her pregnant belly won't fit through the bars!