is tv bad for mice?

Question
QUESTION: Hi

I heard from someone that televisions and computers give off high-pitched sounds heard by mice that often harm them or hurt their ears. Is this true? Should I move my pet mouse to a room without a tv?

Thanks,
Rachel

ANSWER: Hi Rachel,

It is in fact true.  Electronics like television or computer monitors produce a constant hum in the ultrasonic sound range.  Mice don't hear as high of things as we do, and most of their signals to each other are produced in that lower-than-hearing range for us.  Therefore, when you turn a television on near them it sounds loud and irritating to them, no matter what you have the volume switched to, and can really stress them out.  The same goes for dripping faucets, actually.  The best place for a mouse cage is away from electronics, and I believe you can buy scanners for their sound range fairly inexpensively if you'd like to go all out and make sure they're somewhere quiet.  :)

-Tam


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Oh okay. I'll be sure to move my mouse to a quiet place. What about cellphones? Are those irritating to mice in any way?

Thanks again,
Rachel

Answer
Hi Rachel,

I don't think cell phones are a problem, no.  It's completely possible that I could be wrong, however, due to different types of phones.  You could take your phone by someone who might have an ultrasonic scanner and see if it emits anything, perhaps.

I also need to correct something I said in the first answer - I meant to say that their signals to each other are *higher* than we can hear, not lower.  :p  Sorry for the mistake!  

-Tam