Fancy Mouse Care

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HAVE YOU EVER WANTED TO CARE FOR SOME SWEET LITTLE MICE????

NOW YOU CAN!!!!

in all seriousness, i love rodents. fancy mice are wonderful, intelligent little creatures that can make wonderful companions! i've found several resources for fancy mice care and decided to put them all here, just in case someone else is also interested in one day living with a tiny little thing.

i also want to say that by no means is this guide the be-all end-all for mouse care. if there are inaccuracies, glaring misinformation, or missing information, please feel free to comment on my profile or email me.

table of contents

intro to mice

i see that you are interested in having some mice... that's why you're here, right? i hope that this can be a good resource for all new mouse owners (me included). mice and other rodents are wonderful little creatures that can make great companions, even though many people are terrified of them or think that they are pests. caring for mice is not extremely convoluted, but it can be expensive and time consuming- as caring for any living creature can be. mice are not "throw-away pets" or easily discardable- please love your mouse until the very end!

fancy mice are domesticated versions of house mice (Mus musculus). they live between 1-2 years, but some live longer (often up to 3). they are typically small, with a length between 3-4 inches (tail not included). their coat colors and patterns are diverse and varied, and they have long, hairless tails. in general, their personalities can be described as "docile and sociable", though upon first meeting they can be skittish and easily frightened. they are generally nocturnal and are sensitive to loud noises. their hobbies include exploring, burrowing, and finding new things. fancy mice are very smart, can recognize their owners, and can be taught simple tricks, as seen in this video by youtube user trickmousing:



so smart!! these mice also do well in groups as they are social individuals, though their housing must be appropriate for maximum good times and health.

housing and enclosures

regarding housing- i personally would advise against housing intact males and females together, since they produce a lot of little mouselings. like, a lot. new mouse owners should not be breeding mice in my opinion- it is extremely important to be ethical and knowledgeable of genetics, especially the genetics of the mice someone is potentially breeding. please do not house intact males and females together.

female mice must be housed with other female mice or intact male mice, since, as mentioned in the previous section, mice are very social individuals. they can get incredibly depressed and sick if alone- they can even pass away from loneliness. it's recommended to at least have two mice in an enclosure, but some mouse keepers recommend 3-8 due to mouse group dynamics.

intact male mice cannot be housed with other intact male mice, as there is a high chance that they will fight and injure each other. stressing them out is not worth it! neutered males, however, can be housed with female mice and other eunuch neutered mice. it is recommended that intact male mice are housed alone, with the caveat that they must be loved on significantly and be given lots of enrichment so that they may receive the socialization they need. it is possible for more experienced owners to keep intact males together, but it is not recommended for new owners to try this.

regarding mouse enclosures, mice can be housed in tanks or barred cages. this video on hamster enclosures provides helpful visuals for what tanks are best (what's good enclosuring for hammies is often good for mice). be cautious if you have a barred cage- bar spacing should be less than 0.8cm, so your mice can't escape or be hurt. if your spacing is more than that, it is possible to cover the bars with metal mesh.

it is important to account for (UNBROKEN) floor space and enclosure height, so many mouse owners will describe enclosure size in terms of volume. height is important since mice love to climb and dig- letting them do so safely is integral to having happy, healthy mice!

here is a handy list for enclosure volume based on number of mice: this here is a calculator made by reddit user NotApplicableMC that can help determine enclosure size.

a note: mice like clean, cluttered cages with lots of enrichment and places to hide and climb safely. because of this, bigger is not always better.

it is possible to DIY your own enclosure. this reddit post explains more in detail. if you have the budget to spare, this tutorial shows how to make an enclosure out of an IKEA linnmon. it is also possible to make one out of the IKEA detolf.

fancy mice need good ventilation, which is a bigger concern if you are not using a barred enclosure. this and this are good examples of ventilation. avoid drilling holes in your enclosures, since they are not enough and can facilitate escape. a good way to check if there is enough ventilation is to see if there is moisture or condensation build up in the enclosure- if this is happening, there is not enough ventilation.

finally, location. please place the enclosure in a low-traffic, quiet area that has no drafts and preferably no mold. mice are sensitive to scents, so if you love burning candles and incense (like me), please keep the mice away from the fragrance! some examples of good enclosures: