How to tame my pet mouse

Question
Hello natasha mice mouse

Can you give me some..... easy ways to tame my pet mouse?

Answer
Dear Janicka,

Here are some very simple steps to taming a timid mouse. You may not have to do all of this:

These are the baby steps I would take, always waiting for each step to work, possibly over a matter of days. You can do a session twice or thrice in a day, at least three hours apart.

1. Put your hand in the cage but don't touch her. The other mice can stay in the cage-- she may learn from watching them interact with you-- unless they are in the way.  Keep it there, near her.

2. Put a treat (you probably have to take the others out for this) near her, very slowly, and take your hand out. She is learning that your hand is a good thing.

3. Keep your hand in, keeping the treat between her and your hand. This step is complete when she eats the treat with your hand still there.

4. Put the treat next to your hand... same criteria for success.

5. Put the treat on your fingertips.

6. Continue to put the treat farther on your hand so she has to touch you, then put her front paws on you, etc.

7. When she first puts all four paws on your hand because the treat is on your hand, don't move your hand. Success is she eats on your hand.

8. With all four paws on your hand, slightly move your hand upward and then back down. This step is complete when she stays on the hand.

9.  Move her up out of the cage and back in.

10. At the same time, teach her to stay calm in a closed hand or in two cupped hands. Do this slowly of course.

11.  Cup her slightly, and take her out of the cage. She is over a bed. Don't keep her out long. When she is out you may need to do a full cup.

12. Keep her out for longer;

13. Open the hand and let her sit there (gently holding the base of the tail). You can also do some of the above that I wrote about jumpers.

14. Let go of the base of the tail.

15. Now start getting used to your smell by being in your clothing; kiss her and keep her near your face.

16. You have a tame mouse!

In general, to pick up a mouse that doesn't climb onto your hand-- and when my mice live in a tank I don't bother to teach them to-- just make sure you NEVER chase it around with your hands. If you can't cup your hands around her in the cage, then give her a toilet paper roll to get into (all mouse cages must have toilet paper rolls in them!) and gently usher her in. Then put your hands over the ends and pick it up. Depending on the mouse, its size, and the size of your fingers, you can either reach into the roll and, with your fingers under its belly, and pull it out; or gently tip the roll vertically and wait for it to come out (some mice come out the top; others the bottom); or put it on a safe surface and wait for it to exit the roll. When you are cleaning the cage and need to take out a mouse who doesn't like to be handled yet, just put the toilet paper roll with the mouse in it into the temporary cage.


Enjoy your little mouse!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha