Placing 2 Baby mice together

Question
QUESTION: I found a baby mouse almost 3 weeks ago. He was 2 days old. We've made it to the stage where he's now eating solid foods. I want to give him a friend to play with. There are so many confliting answers I dont know what to do. Can I place 2 males together? Also I have read where giving chicken, fish and other meats is good to give a mouse. It gives them the protein they need. I was told not to give them meat it will make carnarvon. If they bite me and tast my blood they will bite me evon more. Is this true?

ANSWER: Hello Jamie,

I can answer some parts of your question but you may want to ask someone else about giving them meat.  I have never heard that it was good or bad for them.  I know mice/rat pellets are the best diet you can give them.  Along with snacks like scrambled eggs and some fruit.  Even giving them baby food in moderation is okay.  I would ask another expert about giving them actual meat.

As far as it making them mean and aggressive if you give them meat is just simply not true.  A diet does not effect their personality.  Mice that get a taste of blood are not more likely to bite even more.  It's not in their make up to be like that, to really even bite isn't in their make up unless they are sick or something genetically wrong with them like being inbred.  

There is no real answer to housing 2 males together.  It all depends on the 2 mice you are trying to house.  If you start really young, they can be more accepting, but they could get along really well as young mice but when they mature they could fight with each other.  Sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn't.  If you wanted to try, now would be a good time.  Just make sure you have an extra cage incase they do fight and must be separated.  Normally, if raised young enough, they should be fine unless they smell a female mouse.  So if you have space and an extra cage, I would say try it since mice are social animals.  

Good luck to you!
Amber

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

QUESTION: Thank You for answering my questions. I'm kind of afraid to place another mouse into Dhirens cage. I did get another mouse that was 1 week older then him and he beat him up several times. I have been taking care of him since he was 2 days old and I dont want him to get hurt. Will he be ok if I dont get him a friend? Thank You Jamie

Answer
Hello again Jamie,

If you want him to be solo, he should be completely fine.  Mice can get lonely but if he has enough toys and things he will be fine.  

There is a way to socialize them.  Number 1 thing not to do is to put the new mouse into Dhirens cage.  Best thing to do is have them in their own cage and have them kind of close together for a week.  That way they get use to each other and each others scent.  Then after the week, put both of them in a neutral territory, not in any cages.  Try that like 20 minutes a day.  If they fight, separate them and try again the next day.  If they seem to get along for 20 minutes, the next day try 30 minutes...so on and so on.  It usually takes time for them to get socialized so don't give up yet.  

If they do fine for a long period of time in a neutral spot, clean out one of the cages, whichever one you want to house them both together in.  Clean everything!  Toys, bedding, water bowl, food bowl...That way when you place both of them into the cage, whichever mouse had the cage originally won't get territorial.

I hope this helps you and if you have any more questions, please feel free to ask.  :o)
Amber