i want to get a pet mouse plz tell me the pros and cons and what i will need to keep them healthy?

Answer 1

The biggest con to me is the strong urine odor; it is worse than rat, hamster, cat or dog urine.
Mice are cute and acrobatic. They play on the running wheel and climbing around, especially if you have 2 or more. They are quite nice pets once they are tamed. They are easy to tame, for me it takes about 20 minutes to tame a mouse. I don't mean wild mice, of course, but pet store mice.
You will need a metal cage or a tank with a screen top. They can chew holes in plastic, so be careful. And make sure the bars, if any, are close enough together that it can't squeeze through.
They need a running wheel (grease it with Vaseline or cooking oil to keep it quiet), bedding, mouse food, and a water bottle. A water dish tends to get filled with bedding or turned over. There's no point in a food dish, as the mouse will take the food and put it in its chosen storage area.
If you keep the wheel lubricated, the mouse is pretty quiet, though you may hear gnawing and activity at night. Mice are naturally nocturnal, but they are happy to come out to play at any time.
You can't really potty train a mouse, although some of mine have learned that I don't like to be peed on, and would wait until I took them off my shoulder to pee.
I used to take a mouse to college with me every day on my shoulder, and this caused no problem whatsoever until I took it to a night class and for some reason night students are scared of mice. I was disgusted. They expected me to sit there not complaining while they smoked (and I did; it wasn't against the rule after all) but they throw a fit over a harmless mouse that wasn't bothering anybody. Huh.
Hope this helps.

Answer 2

Cons:
-They STINK. Such a strong odour. Stronger than any pet I've ever had except for my male rabbit pre-neutering.
-You have to clean them often, due to stink...takes time, and money for the supplies
- You have to buy more than one (or spend TONS of time with it, every day), which can get pricey in cage sizes and in the mouse costs themselves, depending on the kind.
- You have to get (generally) more expensive and harder to find bedding for them, as cedar and pine are not okay for their sensitive respiratory systems.
- They aren't very friendly, as in...it's near impossible to have one who isn't always trying to get away from you - and they're fast
- They're quick and smaller than most rodents, so they can get away from you easier.

Pros:
-They're cute
-They're small, so smaller cages are okay
- They're generally pretty cheap
- They're fun to watch interact with each other


To be totally honest, though, after having owned hamsters, gerbils, mice, and rabbits...and having done extensive research on rats preparing to buy a couple...I would probably consider a different type of rodent rather than a mouse. Just a personal preference of mine, but I think mice, as a species, are my least favourite pet I've owned. (Although I do love my two little guys! I'm not sure I'll ever own mice again)

Answer 3

Mice can be horrible pets. Some people love them, but I am not one of them. Have you considered a rat? They are larger, smarter, friendlier, clean, don't stink at all if you keep their cage tidy and make much better companions.
A mouse is great if you want something small and stupid to run in a wheel all night, but not do much else. Besides smell. Bad. The stench is unbelievable. Even when you clean the cage.

Answer 4

http://www.aspca.org/site/PageServer?pagename=pets_mousecare

The above is an excellent site for basic mouse care, hope it helped.

P.S. i have 5 mice and a litter in one cage presently (i'm waiting to get a new cage as well) and they DON'T stink - they only stink if: the diet doesn't agree with the mouse, they haven been cleaned right or something in the cage (other than the mice) is creating the smell.

P.P.S. mine could be uncommonly clean mice - but i think that would be a little odd.

If it escapes you can catch it like this: http://glass.typepad.com/journal/2005/09/how_to_catch_a_.html

Answer 5

Ok well... mice are stinkie... they dont clean them selves and they arnt clean with their litter (just poo and wee where they are standing at the time) they are relativly untrainable, unfriendly and very timid... i had mice... they sucked... then i got rats... i know sounds yuckie but they are much better pets.. they are clean (they clean them selves and they can be taught to use a mini litter box, they like company and you can take them out and play with them... we had hamster ball that our rats loved... and we used to take them swimming in the pool with us... they were great... so i'd ditch the mice and go with rats... but if you have your heart set on mice then get some that have been VERY well handled and when you pick it out make sure its easy to catch... mice also have a relativly short life span... i think the av is under 2 yrs... which can be very sad... to keep them healthy you must keep their cage/tank clean... like clean it every day or every second day... always provide dry and clean bedding and provide water and fresh food... the premix feeds are a great base feed but to be healthy all rodents need fresh food and veggies... its also good stimulation for them... well thats my view... good luck and best wishes :)

Answer 6

they are really more pros than cons for keeping a pet mice.for one, they are more social than any animal i have ever had, they are not very aggressive, they accually like to have company and they do not need a lot of space. the only con I know of are that they are nocturnal.

Answer 7

my mouse (moca) was a bomb. she was so easy to keep and cost about a buck!
you only have to clean the cage once a week!
be sure it has a wheel...it's important even though they run on it all night keeping you awake. that's what moca did. i just had to buy the squeakiest wheel!

Answer 8

They're pretty easy to maintain. They can be friendly if treated well. Just don't get them too close to a large boa constrictor.

Answer 9

Mice make wonderful, loving companions, but with their friendship comes responsibility.

Be aware that your mice are intelligent, agile beings that require not only food, water, and shelter, but intellectual stimulation and attention to wellness in general.

Housing
Female mice are happiest when adopted in groups of two or more, but males cannot be housed together since they will hurt or kill each other for territorial reasons. Mice are very communicative, though most of their "talk" can't be heard by humans, since they tend to communicate using ultrasound. To prevent unpleasant noise or interference with their "conversations", it's good to locate your mouse's cage away from computers or any sort of ultrasonic pest control device. Mice are also very sensitive to light and prefer to be kept in dim conditions. Temperature sensitivity is also an issue. Mice should ideally be kept in temperatures in the low-to-mid 70's. They need to be warm, but can also heat stroke very easily.

The cage should be relatively large and cozy. For males, a wire cage with a solid bottom can be a good choice, though they can be messier than aquariums. A 10-20 gallon aquarium with a secure lid can also be a good choice and really is the only choice for small mice and females who can squeeze their heads through bars and escape. Just make sure your cage is big enough not to cause stress, while being escape-proof. Mice are smart and flexible. If their heads can fit through something, their whole bodies can. Consider locks or clips to secure any loose doors or lids to cages. Consider also, that mice are great jumpers. You may need to secure lids to aquariums with extra clips or weights.

If you are using a cage with a wire floor, you will want to offer padding to prevent injury and irritation to the feet. Facial tissue or alfalfa hay are convenient and the mice have fun tearing them up, but keep in mind that these will need to be cleaned out very frequently since they absorb urine. Some prefer to use plastic sheeting which can be washed.

Bedding
The best choices for mouse bedding are aspen or Carefresh (or other recycled paper product, such as Yesterday's News). Cedar, pine, and other softwoods are completely inappropriate since they give off phenols which contribute to respiratory infections, a problem that is all too common in mice. Corn cob litter may be eaten and cause choking or may become moldy and make your mouse ill. It can also absorb too much moisture and your mouse may develop a condition known as ringtail that can require amputation. Small animals also benefit from a few handfuls of alfalfa hay added to their home since the oils in the hay are healthy for their skin and coat. They will not always eat the hay, but enjoy using it to build nests.

Your mouse's cage will need regular cleaning. If you provide a litterbox for your mice (look for one designed for hamsters and use either small animal litterbox litter or plain very-low-dust cat litter) which you dump and refill every day or every other day, you should be able to wait about 1 week between cleanings, provided your mice are given enough space. Many mice take to using a litterbox quite easily, but if yours needs a hint, just move any "accidents" from other areas of the cage into the litterbox to help them catch on to the idea.

Nesting
Building a comfy nest is very important to mice. Begin by offering them some sort of hiding place. The plastic igloos for sale at most pet supply stores are ideal. Mice also like cardboard boxes from packaged food. Be sure the boxes have not been treated with BHT which may make your rats very ill. Most organic cereal boxes and similar items should be fine. This type of nest will not last long, however, because the paper absorbs urine. The same goes for wooden nesting boxes, so the plastic type may be the most economical in the long run.

Feeding
There are a number of commercial foods available as well as homemade diets. Your mouse will need a healthy, well-balanced diet, so you may want to start with a commercial block or seed and kibble mix. "Lab Blocks" are formulated to be complete, however, they were developed for use in laboratories and feeder colonies in which mice will be slaughtered very young, so they may not be appropriate for promoting longevity. Seed and kibble mixes are more interesting, and were developed for pets. Just keep an eye on your mouse's eating habits to make sure all the pieces are getting eaten . Mice do best on a low-protein diet. Cat food, ferret food, dog food alone, hamster and gerbil food are all poor choices to maintain your rats' health. Look for food that is indicated as mouse or rat food expressly. Other types of food can cause allergies, greasy coat, malnutrition, even death. We usually feed our homemade diet or Reggie Rat food. Reggie Rat is available at most pet supply stores.

You can serve food in a food-safe plastic, metal, ceramic, or glass dish, or you can increase your mouse's stimulation by "hiding" their food inside boxes, paper towel rolls, hanging food-dispensing toys available at most pet supply stores, or scattering food into the bedding. Just be sure the food stays fresh and clean and is eaten in a reasonable amount of time.

Treats
Treats are great for adding variety to the diet when chosen well. Start with very small amounts and increase slowly, keeping an eye out for loose stools. Some good treat choices include:

Carrots
Apple Wedges
Vegetable baby food
Fruit and oat baby food
Whole grain cereal (Cheerios, Shredded Wheat)
Soy Yogurt (soy may be tumor inhibitive and rodents are prone to tumors)
Raw Turnips
Blueberries (studies have shown them to be good to preserve rats' cognitive function.)
Dried apricots or bananas
Plain bananas
Dry enriched pasta
Low-protein dog biscuits (small ones)
A tiny bit of cooked oatmeal or cream of wheat
A few things to steer clear of:

Sugary snacks
Peanut butter (may cause choking)
Cheese and other dairy products (may cause stomach upset.)
Too much meat (may cause greasy coats)
Be sure to remove any uneaten treats before they get dirty or moldy. A few hours is usually enough.
Playing
Play is extremely important to mice. Offer a variety of toys and interesting locations. Pet supply stores have a wide variety of toys available. Try out different kinds to see which your mice like best. Small mouse-sized exercise balls give your mouse a lot of fun and, properly used, a safe way to explore the house outside of his or her cage.

Most mice love to be petted. You may need to work up to this, however, by letting your mice explore your hand while you hold it very still in their cage.

Though the outdoors may be tempting, don't risk it. A mouse can disappear far too easily and domestic mice will die quickly in the wild. Your mouse may also pick up mites outside or contract diseases. It's just not worth it.

Health
There are a few common mouse ailments you'll want to be aware of.

Respiratory Infections If your mouse begins sneezing and wiping her face with her hands or if his breathing sounds labored, it's time for a trip to the vet. Usually, the vet will prescribe a liquid medication that will take care of the problem quickly, but if one of these ailments is ignored, your mouse could easily die, so be sure to get help in a timely fashion.

Mites and other parasites are icky but the vet can give you medicine to take care of these problems. The mites that live on mice are not communicable to humans. Very few diseases can be transmitted between mice and humans.

A good vet is your most valuable friend! In the NC Triangle, you may be interested in contacting these vets who work with "pocket pets":