What should I do?

Question
QUESTION: I have a pet mouse (Candy) and she is gray but I know she's lonley. I have a friend who bought a mmouse from the pet store (Its white) It gave birth and we bought one of the girl mice now onlt two of thoses mice are gonna be white (There 8 weeks old) But will Candy get along with a white mouse? (Planning to by her a friend) Or should we just buy a sister again?And her bying 8 weeks and not fully grown should we get one bigger and older or younger and smaller?

P.S. Mouse are awsome.

P.S.S I can only get a girl mouse cause my moom dose'nt want babies!

ANSWER: Dear Caraline,

You're on the right track:  You know mice are awesome and you are smart enough not to want babies!  Plus you know mice need friends.

The gray and white mice will get along great.  Don't worry about the age difference.  If you get a third girl, younger is better mostly because you will get to know the mouse at a younger age- and have her for longer.  I always like to have three girls because when you only have two and one dies, the one left over gets depressed.  With three, there is always still a friend left.  Then you can replace the third mouse at your leisure.

When you put them together, put them in a clean cage and put a tiny dab of REAL vanilla essence on their butts and chins.  This way they will all smell the same.  Expect chasing and squeaking, but there isn't a problem unless somebody is bleeding.  The squeaking may continue a week or more.  They are just getting to know each other and deciding who's boss.  

Have fun!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha

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

QUESTION: My is getting 2 pet mice a girl and a boy. Because there "rodents" The mom of my friend want them to live in the garge but she worried about winter can they live in that cold weather? Do boys and girls fight even if they were from the same mother mouse?

ANSWER: Dear Caraline,

Oh, dear, NO!  Pet mice have been bred millions of generations from wild mice and they have no protection at all against the cold.  They are very susceptible to the cold and will die.  They need to be kept at an even temperature even more than people-- they should live at room temperature only.  Please ask your friend not to get mice if she can't keep them indoors.  

A boy and girl will get along fine, too well, really.  If she doesn't separate them and the babies in time she could have hundreds of babies in just a few months.  Mice have litters every three weeks and the litters can be well over a dozen mice.  Those babies are ready to mate at 4 1/2 weeks.  You need to really plan for a lot of special care and also for homes for all the babies-- and males can't live with other males, so that means a lot of homes.  

I hope the situation works out.. if not, do get some more girls at the pet store.  

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha




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

QUESTION: My pet mouse keeps trying to get out and I believe she does because I found some things on my dresser chewed up! I've caught her twice and it worries me that one time she will get out and stay out and then get eaten by my cat :(. So to try something our We brought her older sister over for a "sleepover". And that night she didn't get out! Should I consider keeping her with her older/or any sister or buy her a friend?

Answer
Dear Caraline,

It's crucial that the mouse not be able to escape.  If she is getting out, the bars of the cage are too far apart.  Mice can slip through any crack that their skulls can fit through because their rib cages fold.  She needs a more mouse-proof cage.

She would love a friend.  Girl mice live great together and they are every social.  I highly recommend keeping girls in twos and threes.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha