If you have a small space but you’re looking for a pet, mice are great. They are social, easy to train and don’t make big messes. Before you buy a mouse, you should know how much you’ll be spending on them. How much does it cost to buy a mouse?
The upfront costs and monthly costs will vary depending on how many mice you want, and what quality products you want to give your mice. For 1-2 mice and mid-range priced items, you can expect to pay around $120 upfront, and around $55 a month.
Table of Contents
Upfront Costs
These are all the costs that are a one-time purchase or items that will last at least the lifespan of your mice.
Mouse/Mice
Male mice are far more territorial than female mice, and if you want to just have a single mouse, a male is the way to go. Male mice can’t be put into another cage with other mice, because these little guys like to fight to defend their homes.
Female mice on the other hand tend to become lonely and depressed when they are kept by themselves. They need to be paired with at least another female mouse, or even small groups.
Price: The price per mouse can range from $2-$10.
Housing
There are three different types of housings you can use for mice. The easiest and most recommended for beginners are wire cages. The other two are bin cages and tanks, both of which need a lot of research before using to keep your mice safe.
The minimum amount of space a single mouse needs is a cage that’s 18 inches long x 12 inches wide x 12 inches tall. The bars shouldn’t be any more than ¼ inch apart (about the width of your pinky finger) otherwise a mouse can squeeze through it. Each additional mouse needs you should increase the floor area by an extra half a square foot.
Price: The price for cages varies greatly by size and can be between $20 and $300. Here is our recommended cage on Amazon.com
Wheel
Wheels are great exercise for your mice. If you value your sleep, don’t buy the cheapest wheel you can find.
Your mice will use the wheel at the worst times, including as you are trying to fall asleep.
Cheap wheels will have cheap parts, and those parts are going to squeal and wake everyone up.
Price: The price for a wheel is around $10-$20
Hideout
Mice are nesters, and they will want somewhere they can build a comfy space to sleep, and hide from everything outside their cage.
Price: Hideouts do not need to be expensive and you can get one for $5-$10.
Water Bottle
Mice need a special type of water bottle. It has to stay closed so it doesn’t leak into the bedding, but they also have to be able to drink from it. Bring in the mouse water bottle!
A small ball in the dispensing tube forms a vacuum keeping the water in the bottle. When a mouse licks the ball, and pushes it back up the tube a little bit, the vacuum is broken and the water comes out.
The cost for a water bottle will depend on how many mice you have and how often you want to refill the bottle.
Price: Water bottles can range from $5 to $15. See our favorite bottles here on Amazon.com
Food Dish
The only thing to consider when buying a food dish is to make sure it’s something a mouse can’t chew through. A plastic dish isn’t ideal. The good news though is you might already have a small glass or ceramic dish that you can use for your mice.
Price: Since you might already have something at home you can use, the price varies from $0 to $10
Monthly Costs
These are all the expenses that you will likely have to replace monthly. The costs shown reflect the prices in stores and online, but keep in mind the more mice you have the more often you will need to replace these.
Prices on these items vary greatly by quality and quantity. You may notice treats and toys start at $0. You probably have treats in the fridge, like fruits and vegetables, or toys, like socks and toilet paper rolls, at home already!
Food: $5-$25
Treats: $0-$10
Bedding: $5-$20
Toys: $0-$30
Having a rainy-day vet fund is also important. Contributing $20 a month into a jar or account to save for vet bills is a great way to proactively keep your mice healthy.
Final Thoughts
If you want a pair of bonded female mice, you’ll pay about $10 for both of them, nice sized cage for $60, $20 for a water bottle and a food dish, and $30 for a wheel and a hideout totalling $120.
Each month you’ll need to buy bedding, food, and toys costing approximately $10 each, treats for $5, and $20 a month towards any future vet bills, all totalling $55 a month.
