hello people! i just got a mouse yesterday, my gf got it from the pet shop, i think hes a male. she only got the one, and now, i think he's really lonely! hes always trying to climb the side of the aquarium and he is really bored!lol hes got lots to do! hes got a wheel, toilet paper rolls, ladders, hammock, hay ball thing, food water etc. but he still wants to escape and is not being entertained at all! it will have been about 48 hours since i got him when i go to the petshop again, so do you think i could get another male mouse from the same shop and cage? i feel really sorry for this little fella! my gf bought him for me, and didnt know they liked to live in groups! If you think its too late, do you think it would work if i got a new cage altogether and new equipment!? thank you so much for helping!
2007-04-11 08:23:22 · 16 answers · asked by materelli 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
I don't think it's too late to try introducing another. I got my four mice from a previous owner, and she had introduced the younger two to the older two two months apart, and they lived together happily their whole lives. They were females though, mind you. My previous two male mice got on fine, but they grew up together. Just keep a close eye on yours, especially their first reactions to each other. Mice are social, they like the company of their own.
Just be sure to check which sex mousy is so you can be sure you get one of the same! It's pretty obvious with rodents, unless they're very young - male rodent testicles are naked and proportionally huge, so very easy to spot - and if they're not present yet, here are pictures on how to tell from the space between the genitals and the anus (much wider in females):
http://images.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://a1272.g.akamai.net/7/1272/1121/20020702132856/www.peteducation.com/images/articles/tfh_sexing_mice.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm%3Fcls%3D18%26cat%3D1804%26articleid%3D2584&h=134&w=288&sz=10&hl=en&start=5&tbnid=i6WIxOeUgRFm5M:&tbnh=54&tbnw=115&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsexing%2Bmice%26gbv%3D2%26svnum%3D10%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG
Chalice
2007-04-11 08:33:17 · answer #1 · answered by Chalice 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have had pet mice and they really do seem more satisfied with others...HOWEVER! Determining the sex of a mouse isn't easy and i would say the average Joe at a pet store will be guessing. I tried to get 1 female and 4 males once for a science fair..and they ended up giving me 4females and 1 male. So what? Mice like other mice for a reason..they like to get it on.
Mice will also control their population too. When one female got pregnant...no big deal. I had a few ugly pink turds for a bit then they grew up to be kinda cute. Once another female got pregnant though, the other mice started chewing off the new babies heads!! Its gross (and sad).
Get another mouse..but try to be certain what sex you already have and what you are getting. I dont really know how..but i'm sure its on the net somewhere.
Mice are very social and like to make nests together and cuddle up at night. Add some woodchips and such for them to gather up and nest in. They also need to chew and gnaw on stuff. ( I think I read if they don't their teeth can grow through their heads? Maybe that was rats) Either way, there are gnawing toys made for mice, but some peanut butter on a pine cone or something will do just fine. Not too much though cause it will get rancid if they don't finish it off in a few days.
Other then that..on your own. GL!
2007-04-11 08:34:32 · answer #2 · answered by mrairtraffic 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, here's my experience with male mice: two adult males housed together end up killing or seriously mauling each other. If you have a big enough cage, it's possible it might work out, particularly if your male is a young one, and you get another young one.
However, as they approach adolescence hormones may flare up and they might start fighting anyway...I would make sure I had a really big cage, like a big 40 gallon rubbermaid plastic bin or something.
I can't really recommend getting female either, she's likely to get overbred really quickly.
In general, when getting mice, I recommend getting all females...they smell less and get along more. Is there any way you could return the male and get a few females instead?
2007-04-11 08:43:21 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would think, if you get it from the same cage, you bought yours, they should remember each other. Although, I am not 100 percent sure that two males in the same cage won't eventually kill each other. I have never had a lot of luck housing 2 males at the same time. Believe it or not, they are very dominant creatures. Two cages side by side is probably a better idea.
2007-04-11 08:29:34 · answer #4 · answered by bonnie g 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It could work, but be mindful of the fact that two male mice put together will often fight, and even potentially seriously hurt or kill one another. You should probably be ok if you can get his littermate (or one that he was living with in the shop), but just keep an eye onn them for signs of fighting! Good luck!
2007-04-11 08:31:01 · answer #5 · answered by living_for_the_moment 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You're not the only one. My hamster has also lost some fur. Although I don't know why it's not improving or getting worse. The vet said it could be because it doesn't have enough nutrients. For your case, I'm not sure. Has it been bitten by another mice? try asking your vet.
2016-05-17 21:26:50 · answer #6 · answered by mina 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Personally I wouldn't have two male mice together because it's unlikely they will live happily together..also, are you 110% he is male? Maybe he is bored because the cage is too small - how big is it? Also maybe you could try to get him out more and "play" with him?
2007-04-11 08:27:00 · answer #7 · answered by Jane G 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Someone suggested getting a female mouse. How many mice do you want? Rodents reproduce rapidly, and if you have to get rid of the babies, they probably will end up as feeders, as there will be a lot of them.
2007-04-15 07:54:15 · answer #8 · answered by PR 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Think of how you would feel if you had to live in the same thing over and over again. You would get bored. Take him out a lot let him experience new things.
2007-04-11 09:27:30 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
the only ting with males is their territoral. but he is probably still a baby so you might be able to introduce another male with out concern. other then hampsters and fish i recomand getting two of anything you buy (as far as rodents go) because they do feel safer in groups and they do like companionship. go get your little guy a friend
2007-04-11 08:33:11 · answer #10 · answered by mystic 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋