Garga Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 I'm thinking of getting 2 pet mice. My biggest question is this: Once you've finally trained them to let you hold them...what do you do with them? I've read that mice might like to run up your arm onto your shoulder, and you need to be careful they don't end up jumping onto the curtains or couch...because if they get away they're REALLY hard to catch again. So...why would I want to hold them? I mean--yes, it'd be fun to hold them, but isn't the risk of them running off too great? If you have mice, do you hold them, or just pet them in their cage (so they can't run away)? I read somewhere that you can hold them in a plastic wading pool....so I guess I could bring in the kid's pool from outside and we could sit in it in the living room and hold them. But that sounds strange. Do other mice owners do that?!? Oh--and do you have any other advice that I might not know to ask about that's not readily available online. For example, I can see online what types of foods to eat or not eat, what types of bedding to get, what types of cages. What info do you think I should know that maybe no one tells you ahead of time? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OrganicAnn Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 My sister had pet mice when we were growing up. I think they are born pregnant and the babies could get through the mesh of the cage. Someone stepped on one and killed it. We also had pet cats, so some of the ones that got loose got... I think she would pet on them a little, but not like a cat or dog. They were really honestly awful. Surely a gerbil or hamster would be a better pet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 My sister had pet mice when we were growing up. I think they are born pregnant and the babies could get through the mesh of the cage. Someone stepped on one and killed it. We also had pet cats, so some of the ones that got loose got... I think she would pet on them a little, but not like a cat or dog. They were really honestly awful. Surely a gerbil or hamster would be a better pet. Perhaps. But we don't want a pet that lasts a long time. Mice only live 1.5-2 years. I honestly can't afford the vet bills that cats and dogs generate. I don't want a pet that requires a lot of handling. We just don't have the time. The last of our very old 4 cats just died recently, and I spent most of the past couple of years feeling so GUILTY that I didn't have enough time/money for those cats. I want a pet that is funny to watch (mice are hilarious when they climb around the cages and run in those wheels), that the kids can feel that they're taking care of (making "toys" for their pets out of cardboard boxes, toilet paper rolls), and don't require shots or other trips to the vet. And honestly, I like it that the mice will (at MOST) only be a three year commitment. If you don't get pregnant mice whose babies fall through the wires and get stomped on or eaten by cats...mice sound pretty good for our needs/wants. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Don't take them out. Just don't. If they get spooked they bite hard enough to raise a welt that hurts for weeks. Then they live in the pantry and chew holes in everything. I had one on the loose for 4 months. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Well, dd10 built lego and lincoln log houses for the mouse, pushed it around in Polly Pocket cars, and just held and kissed the mice. :D We all held them because they were so cute. You can buy any cage for it but we forewarned that it will likely chew metal wired cages, and it will chew plastic cages and could get out. I had our mice in a fish tank with a mesh top. I didn't buy special bedding. I threw in toilet paper and cotton balls. They had fun shredding it and making beds. I loved to watch them on the days we cleaned the cage. They'd work hard to get the place JUST right again. SO CUTE! They will need an exercise wheel, a stead supply of fresh water, and any mouse food. I always threw in raw seeds and nuts, cheerios, some cheese periodically, etc. For cheese you have to make sure ALL of it is eaten so it doesn't sit in the cage and spoil. They love to have a place to hide to sleep. I bought a little igloo for them. I'd put a paper towel roll through the hole because they loved to crawl through the "tunnel" to other parts of the cage. Sometimes they'd chew out little "skylights" and peer around. :lol: They were SO FUN to watch. While pine shavings aren't recommended for many animals, I read they were ok for mice. We just lost our last pet mouse last week. It was SO sad. It was our first day back at school but we started late. Ginger was in my hand until she took her last breath. She was SO darned cute, and SO SWEET! We had three, she lived the longest. The other two lived 1.5 years, Ginger would have been two next month. They can live up to three years, not sure why ours didn't. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 Don't take them out. Just don't. That's what I was thinking. I think I'll still try to train them to eat from my hand...but I won't try to take them out. If I let the kids take them out and they bit the kids, the kids would probably shake them off and then we'd have your problem (mouse eating all the food in the kitchen!) The kids love to watch the mice at the pet store just because they're fun to watch. I'm thinking we'll stick with watching them. Anything else I should know? Any reason why I shouldn't get them? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparrow Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 In our experience, pet mice were pretty awful. They were very stinky, despite being so small. Unfortunately, we ended up with one that seemed to literally go crazy and started chewing off it's own skin :eek:, as well. They also had no interest in interacting with us. Gerbils, on the other hand, are fantastic. We had 2 sisters and they were curious, sweet, and not stinky. Gerbs are desert creatures, so they naturally drink less water. Less water=less rodent urine=less stink! They would run up to the cage door and stand up anytime you went by. Loved them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Perhaps. But we don't want a pet that lasts a long time. Mice only live 1.5-2 years. I honestly can't afford the vet bills that cats and dogs generate. I don't want a pet that requires a lot of handling. We just don't have the time. \ I've found that hamsters are really delicate, and they tend to keel easily. Mice are hardier. I've enjoyed the mice more than I ever liked our (many) hamsters...when they weren't in our pantry, anyway. Be sure to get two because they are sociable and get depressed without a friend. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AuntieM Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 If you really want a pocket mouse, you have to really keep it... in your pocket! Think loose, camp-shirt front pocket. Handle them very frequently from the time they are babies. They are escape artists. Be sure your mouse house has a very secure latch! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garga Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 Well, dd10 built lego and lincoln log houses for the mouse, pushed it around in Polly Pocket cars, and just held and kissed the mice. :D We all held them because they were so cute. So they didn't try to run away? Hmmm.. I love all the other stuff you posted about. That is EXACTLY why we want them. The boys will sit for a good half hour at the pet store watching the mice and laughing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Anything else I should know? Any reason why I shouldn't get them? Regarding the stink, if you get a plastic cage rather than a wire one, the stink is contained quite well. We have this one and although it sits in the floor of the kitchen, the only time I smell it is when we open it to change the bedding. Just don't even attempt to attach the wheel because it's defective. I ended up busting off the little tabs and had to superglue a bubble in its place. Next time I'd just start with the bubble. I use the silent spinner wheel instead. Barb Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 So they didn't try to run away? Hmmm.. I love all the other stuff you posted about. That is EXACTLY why we want them. The boys will sit for a good half hour at the pet store watching the mice and laughing. no, they NEVER tried to run away. We had three mice. One bit and was never held. The black mouse was an absolute SWEET HEART and we could hold her and cuddle her ANYTIME. The only issue there was that inevitably they'd poop in our hands. That was an easy fix - we have plenty of soap and water in our house. :001_smile: When the Licorice, the black mouse, died, Ginger, the remaining mouse, was lonely. I had so much fun watching dd build houses, push it around in a car, etc. I just told dd that we needed to get a remote controlled car to drive the car around in when little Ginger died. They are stinky, yes. But I put a deep layer of shavings in the cage. I found them highly enjoyable, low maintenance ( have the kids regularly change the water so there's never a chance for it to run out.) Don't get a water bottle. I have yet to find one for ANY animal in ANY size that doesn't leak. I use a little ceramic crock. Because they kicked around the shavings so much and it got into their food and water, I had an igloo with the water on top on one side of the cage and another wooden house a friend's son built with the food bowl on top. That way the shavings stayed out and I could SEE the food and water. Don't get one of thouse houses with plastic tubes for them to climb through. They poo and pee in them and it's a pain to clean and they will smell bad. We found the paper towel and toilet paper tubes were perfectly fine. I'd replace them when I changed the cage or when they got chewed up too much. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 (edited) So they didn't try to run away? Hmmm.. I love all the other stuff you posted about. That is EXACTLY why we want them. The boys will sit for a good half hour at the pet store watching the mice and laughing. It's so funny because they take everything in stride. We have a cat who takes sliding runs into the side of the cage like a hockey player and the mice just sit there eating like Californians in an earthquake. Edited September 21, 2010 by Barb F. PA in AZ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hockey Mom Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 If you're buying more than one, make sure you get females only. I had two males, and they ended up fighting until one of them died. :( And of course, they breed like crazy so a male/female combo might not be what you're looking for either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Denisemomof4 Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 If you're buying more than one, make sure you get females only. I had two males, and they ended up fighting until one of them died. :( And of course, they breed like crazy so a male/female combo might not be what you're looking for either. :iagree: We had three females. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mejane Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 My son used to sit in our big jacuzzi tub and let them climb all over him. It was cute, but they poop constantly and they pooped on him. He thought it was hilarious, of course. Ours were escape artists and would squeeze through the bars of their cage. They would come back for food and son would grab them and put them back. Eventually one didn't come back. We never did find it. :001_huh: They were really cute, but, boy, were they stinky! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kalanamak Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Get a girl rat. Rats know you, poop/pee in one corner, which you can scoop the bedding out of daily and keep the place very nice, and rats are about 100x smarter than a mouse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5LittleMonkeys Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Get a girl rat. Rats know you, poop/pee in one corner, which you can scoop the bedding out of daily and keep the place very nice, and rats are about 100x smarter than a mouse. Yah Rats!! We love, love our rats. They are very affectionate (more so than mice), they love to be with you, and are highly trainable. They sit on my girls' shoulders while they do their schoolwork. They come when you call them and the girls have trained them to fetch and sit up for a treat. So cute! I have had mice, gerbils, hamsters and rats and I like rats more than the other rodents. If you go that route, get two so they can keep each other company on those days when you can't interact with them and get the Dumbo rats; they are cuter. They need about 4 hours a day of human interaction, but the more time you spend with them the more adapted to your schedule they are. They will become very attached to the person that handles them the most. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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