I need info from people who have pet mice. Last night, I bought a pet mouce from a petstore. She's really cute. But she's not friendly. I'm wondering how mice are as pets? I love my rats. But I wanted to try something different. I want to do whatever I need to do to make her happy and comfy.
2006-06-22 09:59:54 · 10 answers · asked by beweird22 4 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I put lots of paper in her cage so she has lots of hiding places. I'm going to slowly takes pieces out and replace them with bedding. I just wanted her to have lots of places to hide quickly.
2006-06-22 10:09:13 · update #1
If you already have pet rats,you pretty much know how to care for your mouse.The best way to make her more friendly,or what I have done in the past,is to try to handle it a little longer each day.When you put it back in the cage always put it down gently.A problem I had with my mice,oddly not my rats,is my female would constantly get out of her cage and sneak back in(I'd watch her do this with great amusement)She would always wind up pregnant.Good Luck...glad to know there are still rodent lovers out there.♥
2006-06-22 10:09:27 · answer #1 · answered by bamahotT 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've had several pet mice and bred them, and now have and breed rats instead. The mice are cute and will become friendly but don't expect them to be as active or as interactive with you as the rats are. They're fun but they (usually) really won't warm up to you the same way the rats will. However, if she's just from the store and not very friendly, she's probably just never had all that much human interaction. Just as you would with a rat or a puppy, you just need to gently work with her. Persistence is key in this process so that she becomes used to seeing you and being handled by you daily and will understand that you are not a threat. When I get frustrated doing this with my rodents at home, i try to think about what I would do if I was the mouse and something the size of a human was trying to pick me up! I've also found that if they realize you're the one putting food in thier house and trying to hand feed them occassional treats they make friends a little faster sometimes. Also, you may want to give her a little box or even one of those cute little igloos from the pet store to live in and some carefresh or cellusorb to nest in so that she has her own comfort/safety zone. Be careful though - mice tend to be 'fear biters' just as any other frightened animal would be. However, if you have rats, I'm sure you've been bitten here or there and mouse bites aren't much of anything once you've gotten a few rat bites. With some dedication, she should warm up to you over time and will become a great pet! Good luck!
2006-06-23 15:05:23 · answer #2 · answered by callalily730 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First of all, do not put mice and rats in cages together as the r's will kill the m's. Your little mouse will get familiar with you as you feed her and talk to her. Even though she seems shy right now, she is also curious and intelligent by nature, and she will want to be friends with you soon if you are gentle and soft-spoken. Both mice and rats are very nice pets. Anyone who thinks otherwise doesn't know the truth. Good luck!
2006-06-22 18:00:13 · answer #3 · answered by NotAYahoo 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Mice just aren't the same as rats. They aren't as social as rats are. I have had many rats and I loooved them too. I have had a couple mice, but they weren't that cool. They don't like to be held. If you do get it out of the cage, it just jumps off you and you're chasing it around all night :P Silly pets. I think the best thing to do for her to keep her happy, is get a bigger cage and get more female mice. That way she'll have some company :)
2006-06-22 17:09:13 · answer #4 · answered by MentalCaseMaggot 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Give her a week or two to settle into her new housing. Do not handle her, but rather let her smell your hand, and just get used to you being around, without being threatened by handling. Compared to rats, mice aren't as great as pets, they just don't seem to bond as well, if at all. I have owned both, and currently own two rats.
Make sure you just are patient, and don't expect your mouse to be like rats are. Does she have an igloo, or some form of hiding place? Those are almost required, just for an extra sense of security. She will warm up to you, sooner or later. Top worry I'd have, is her health. Mice have high risk of respiratory problems and mites.
2006-06-22 17:05:27 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I always found that mice are just more nervous animals than rats, hamsters and the like. Mine never really learned to accept handling the way the other animals did. I once put a pair of mice in the empty bathtub while I cleaned the cage, and it took me 20 minutes to catch them. They're quick and kept dodging me...
2006-06-22 18:29:45 · answer #6 · answered by shadowfist 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I find that it takes a lot of time and patience to gentle a mouse. Handle it gently for a few minutes a day and give it a treat (I use cheerios) immediately after you put her back. In time she will come running to you every time you go near the cage. My mice hang off the bars begging for food every time I am in the room, but it took a few weeks for one and two months for the other one.
2006-06-22 18:50:52 · answer #7 · answered by iceni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Ive had both rats and mice. Mice just arent as intelligent or social with humans. Its a fact. If you want her to be happy, get more than one mouse so they can keep eachother company. And do not let them interact with the rats.
I miss my rats. :(
2006-06-22 17:02:34 · answer #8 · answered by Robert T 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have had both pet rats and pet feeder mice. try feeding her food out of your hand and if she bites you, flick her on the butt, she will eventualy learn to trust you.
2006-06-22 17:12:26 · answer #9 · answered by newischk 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
hahahahahhaa omg lol
2006-06-22 17:02:37 · answer #10 · answered by betsa 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋