THE MOUSE

Origin

·        Their wild relations are thought of as pests and carriers of disease. Domestic mice have been selectively bred for more than a century and there are many different colour variations and coat type.

Life Expectancy

·        1 - 2 years

Temperament / Behaviour

·        They are very inquisitive and love to explore. They are quite easy to handle and will not normally bite. They should be handled carefully because they are so small and so quick.

Company

·        They are social animals and are best kept in same sex pairs or groups.

Mixing / Introducing

·        As they are such sociable animals they can be mixed, although it should be done carefully with a gradual introduction on neutral territory. See sheet on introducing. Adult males will not always mix.

Diet

What we feed: Mouse mix e.g. Minnie mouse

Treats:            Fruit, veg, almost anything but only in tiny amounts, bearing in mind the size of a mouse.

Accommodation

·      They can be kept in tanks or in cages with narrow bars, minimum size 60cm x 30cm.

·      They do not really burrow so they only need a shallow layer of shavings. (Newspaper shouldn't be used as the dye is harmful if ingested).

·        Naturally they would run a lot (in search of food), therefore a solid wheel should be provided so they have this opportunity (it must be a solid wheel to protect their legs and tails from injury).

·      They should have toys and tubes to climb and hide in.

·      As mice are rodents their teeth are continually growing so they must have wood to gnaw.

Maintenance

·      Food and water must be changed daily.

·      They should be cleaned out twice weekly, the accommodation should be disinfected weekly. The urine of male mice has a very strong smell therefore they may need cleaning out more often.

·      A weekly health check by an adult.

IN CASES OF CRUELTY, NEGLECT OR IN AN EMERGENCY TEL: 0300 1234 999 (24 HOUR)