Why Mice Make Great Pets

Mice make great first pets, they are adorable and intelligent little creatures that are pretty easy to keep and fun to have around. Looking after any animal and this includes mice, is a huge responsibility so children do need a little supervision if you do decide to get some mice for them. However, because mice are relatively easy to look after, it makes them ideal little creatures for kids to look after, they can be a constant source of amusement with their fun antics and personalities.

Mice rarely bite as long as they are handled correctly and regularly, in fact you can teach your pets to do a few tricks too. They are very sociable little creatures so should be kept in pairs or maybe even in a small group. Each mouse has it's own little character and quirky looks. Children soon get to recognise their furry little friends habits by watching them play and groom each other. It's the best way to learn what their pets like or dislike and it helps children form a strong bond with them.

Why Buy When You Can Adopt Pet Mice?

If you're thinking about getting some mice for your children as their first ever pets, why not think about contacting a rescue centre and adopting some mice. There are lots of these gorgeous little creatures looking for new homes and the best part is, the mice you adopt already know each other and are the best of friends which means all you have to do is set up a home for them within your own.

There are many different coloured mice, some of which are incredibly pretty. Mice are active at night which means when the kids are at school, their pets are fast a sleep in their nests. As soon as everyone gets home, any mice you have will wake up and get pretty active. Mice are busy little creatures and love to play around, their antics can be extremely amusing and great fun to watch. A simple toilet roll tube makes a great toy which means you don't have to go out and spend a fortune on toys for your pets.

Mice are not demanding but playing with them as much as you can means you get to bond with them and they become a lot tamer. With this said, if left to their own devices, mice as long as they have the company of another mouse, will keep themselves busy for hours on end.

What Is The Best Sort Of Cage

If the truth be known, there is no such thing as a 'best' cage to keep mice in. You can find all sorts of designs whether wire cages, plastic or glass tanks as well as some very intriguing housing systems specifically designed to keep mice in. It really is a matter of personal choice, your budget and the room you have in your home as to what sort of cage you get. With this said, there are a few factors you need to consider when deciding what to buy.

Are you going to keep male or female mice?

Males are normally bigger than female mice and they tend to fight if kept in a smaller cage. Should you decide to get males, then you would need to give them more space to prevent this from happening. Females can be kept in smaller spaces because they get on a lot better together than males do. One thing to take into account is if you do decide on a metal cage, the space between the wire needs to be smaller when keeping females in it because mice can squeeze through very small spaces!

How many mice are you planning on keeping and how old are they?

Obviously the more mice you plan to keep the larger space you need to give them. Baby and younger mice are a lot faster off the mark than older mice, so you have to make sure there are no gaps they can escape through. Younger mice climb pretty well too so if there are any gaps higher up a cage you need to make sure your pets cannot get through them.

Where do you plan on keeping your mice?

The size of a cage will also depend on how much room you have available and where you plan to keep it. If space is limited, then a taller cage may be more suitable than one with a larger base. Another thing to consider is whether or not you have any other pets like cats – if you do then you may need to buy a solid cage so cat claws can't reach through the wire!

A solid cage is a good choice if the room you keep your pet mice in happens to be draughty. If you keep your pets in a room where it's not that easy to open windows, then you should consider buying a wire cage so there is enough ventilation.

What is your budget?

Most mouse cages are not that expensive to buy new. However, you may be able to pick one up second hand which makes them even more affordable. Old fish tanks make good mouse homes, but you would need to fit them out with all the toys and things to keep your pets happy. Cage systems on the other hand tend to be ready-made playgrounds for mice. Some hamster cages are suitable to keep pet mice in, but not all of them are because it depends on the gaps in the wire.

What choice of cages do you have?

Wire Cages

There are many on the market designed for mice, hamsters and rats, below are the pros and cons of buying a wire cage.

Pros

Good value for money and the best part is you can interact with pet mice through the bars. Wire cages also provide plenty of ventilation. Mice love to climb up the wire so it's a ready made climbing frame for them.

Cons

Mice are good at escaping through small gaps which means you have to be careful and check the spacing between the wire and any other gaps and not wide enough for mice to get through. Other animals can reach in and injure your pet mice, this is especially true of cats! Over time the bars do go rusty which makes wire cages harder to keep clean. Sometimes the position of the doors makes getting into the cage awkward.

Glass & Plastic Tanks

This includeds fish tanks and other purpose built mice tanks.

Pros

Mice have a hard time escaping out of a tank as long as the lid fits well. You can kit out the tank with what you like, creating a great environment for your pet mice to live in. Tanks are very easy to keep clean and get into from the top. If you opt for an old fish tank, you can pick one up very cheaply.

Cons

Glass or plastic tanks will shatter if dropped and they are heavy if you need to move them around. You have to make sure there is enough ventilation especially if you keep your pets in a room that does not have much air circulating around it. You have to fit a climbing frame in the tank because mice can't climb up the smooth sides and mice love to climb!

Cage Systems

This includes specifically designed systems like Habitrail or Rotastak.

Pros

These systems are perfect to keep mice in, they are completely fitted out with everything your little pets need to keep them busy and happy. If correctly set up, mice cannot escape from these systems. You can add on more bits if you want to and they offer lots of protection against any other pets you may have in your home – including cats!

Cage systems are really easy to keep clean and they are quite easy to find second hand which makes them pretty affordable.

Cons

If you buy a new cage system, it can be rather expensive. The systems are quite hard to assemble and to take apart, should you need to. If you buy a solid unit, the ventilation can be an issue and if dropped, the brittle plastic they are made out of may break or crack. Lastly, mice like to chew on some parts of the systems!

Conclusion

Teaching children to look after pets can be fun and educational. It teaches kids to be responsible which is a very positive thing. Mice make great first pets, they are friendly, intelligent and very amusing little creatures to have in a home. Because they are relatively undemanding, it's easier for kids to get to grips with how to look after their pets. Think about adopting some mice from one of the many rescue centres around the country – there are a lot of these little creatures looking for new homes and the best part is you can adopt two mice or more and they are already sexed and friends!