Getting Mice, Convincing parents, And more questions... Please answer quick!

Question
Hi Tamarah,
I have had a wide variety of pets including Rats (present and past) Gerbils (present first time) fish (present past) dogs (prestent  and past)and snail (accident)but I've never had mice. I don't really like hamsters but I do think they are cute. I heard how funny, smart, and cute mice are. I have a few questions... as you can tell in the title, and I'll start out telling you why I have a problem and I hope you can help with ALL of them.
Ok... parents!
My mom always says "No more animals!" how can I get around that? My dad... he is not boss... normaly. But if mom says yes then he will say yes and vise versa.
Anyway, if do manage to get mice what should I look for I know from experience with rats: nice shiny eyes, glossy fur, breathing normaly etc..
Here are a few other questions:
Are mice social with humans like rats?
How many mice needed to be happy?
Glass are wired home?
How big?
Could mice learn to get "potty" trained?
Thats all thanks so VERY VERY VERY much!
If you answer all these questions good, I will give you a VERY good rating... including nominating you for best expert!
Thanks again
Emma

Answer
Hi Emma,

I'm afraid I can't help you with convincing your parents.  The best I can do there is wish you luck!

Mice are indeed social with humans, but it also depends on the mouse.  They all have different personalities, both based on genetics and how they were raised.  For this reason, a mouse from a respectable, responsible breeder is more likely to be sociable and hand-tame than one from a pet shop that may purchase from a corporate supplier.  Ask your local pet shops where they get their mice - some shops do their own breeding or purchase locally.  Most mice will come around after adjusting to their new homes, even if they came to you a little nervous or frightened.  Be careful choosing a mouse from a large cage that seems tame and slow moving - even though it appears the mouse is hand tame, it may simply be lethargic, as pet shops can be very stressful conditions and open an animal up to more illnesses.  Also be cautious of mice that are overly energetic - unusually high energy levels can hint at anxiety which can also damage an immune system.

All but a few of my mice over the years have been happy to hang out in your hand or on your shoulder, especially those that were born with me and have been handled since birth.  Like any new pet, just be sure to let them have a few days to get used to their new home before introducing yourself, and they should adjust well!

Female mice need to live in at least a pair.  To ease future grieving should one of them pass before the other in the future (lifespan's about 2-3 years), a trio is usually the best way to go.  Males, on the other hand, prefer to live by themselves and will fight to the death if kept with other male mice.

I personally prefer glass homes with ventilated, locking tops, as I've had mice squeeze through bars before that I honestly did not believe they could fit through.  A good rule of thumb is - if they can fit their head through it, the rest of them will fit, too.  Wire bar cages tend to accumulate less smell, especially if housing a male, but can also be tougher to clean if gunk gets on the bars.  It's just up to you!

How big of a cage depends on how many mice you have, but a typical 10 gallon aquarium with toys, hides, and climbing spaces is plenty for your first mice.  I wouldn't put a single male mouse in less than about 6"x12" floor space, but you will be able to guess when you see the mice and their cages.  It's just common sense really - they need a space to hide and sleep and room to run around and exercise.

As far as potty training - I may be wrong, but I've never heard of anyone potty training their mice.  They can control where in their cages they go to the bathroom (for instance, nursing moms keep their nests very clean), but a nervous or excited mouse in your hand or exploring a new area may leave you little surprises along the way.  I've never had a mouse urinate in my hands, though, except for males who "mark" their territory by leaving sticky little bits of hormone-scented urine pretty much wherever they go.  That's actually less of a problem than it sounds, and I personally prefer male mice (they seem to be more naturally friendly than pet shop females), but it does mean more diligent cage cleaning and washing your hands after playtime.

Please simply rate however you feel is appropriate - they are not an incentive, just a guide for other questioners and a method of quality control.  :)

Hope I helped, and let me know if you have any other questions!
-Tam