Pet Mice Facts: 11 Facts Why You Should Keep Pet Mice

Mice make popular pets for many reasons. They are cute to look at, soft to pet, fun to play with, and, when they feel safe, mice will even interact socially.

Mice get along well with people and their own kind when you pair them properly. 

In this article, we discuss 11 facts why you should keep pet mice.

Mice can be a great source of companionship, entertainment and affection. As with many animals, with a mouse, you will get more love than you give. Following are 11 facts why you should keep mice, which are sure to have you considering a pet mouse. 

1. Domesticated Mice Are Sociable and Friendly

In the wild, mice are known for their timidity. A healthy, domesticated mouse, however, should be quite sociable and friendly. Treat your mouse right and it will grow attached to you quickly. 

Mice like to hang out with their people, playing mouse games, enjoying treats… some particularly smart mice (and rats) even like to watch TV. They also groom to show love. Some mice can even recognize a voice or face. 

To socialize with your mouse, simply remember to be quiet and gentle. Mice have very sensitive ears, and their bodies are delicate.

Extend consideration to your mouse and they will reward you with affection and loyalty. 

2. Mice Are Really Smart Animals

Though small, mice are actually pretty intelligent little guys. The brain of the mouse is also similar to that of a human in many ways.

This is part of the reason they have been considered good candidates for experiments and the like, unfortunately. 

As pets, mice use their wits to be observant and responsive to people. Believe it or not, lots of mice even remember their names, and when called will come. 

They are also very clever and have been known to traverse mazes with ease. Many owners like to create tunnels and mazes for their mouse to enjoy. This can be a great way to have fun with your mouse. 

Simply be sure that your mouse is happy and comfortable as they play. Never force your mouse to do anything they do not wish to do.

Luckily, mice are curious creatures and are bound to wish to explore your maze eventually. Consider enticing them with mouse-safe treats; this is sure to pique their interest and will make them happy. 

3. Mice Care a Great Deal About Cleanliness and Hygiene

In spite of their exposure to contagions in the past, due to living in the wild and in less than savory conditions, domesticated mice are actually very tidy and hygienic. 

Mice spend a portion of each day grooming themselves and their cage mates. Your mouse may even try to groom you, as a sign of affection. This gesture suggests they find you trustworthy. 

Mice hate soiled bedding and are most content in a clean cage. They do not enjoy unpleasant smells more so than we do.

This in mind, they are sure to thank you for changing their bedding frequently.  We use Carefresh bedding for all our pet mice.

The only possible issue with mice is smell. Fortunately, this can be addressed with the right type of bedding, as some are more or less effective against odors, as well as your choice in the gender of your mouse. 

Female mice tend to be more fastidious than their male counterparts. The males are still neat, but their urine tends to stink comparatively. 

If you are looking for a clean pet, consider a female mouse or a couple of female mice.

As a bonus, watching a mouse groom itself, as it washes its face with its tiny paws, is very cute. 

4. Mice are Active and Entertaining to Watch

Mice have a lot of energy. This means that scurrying is how they spend a fair amount of their time. A pet mouse can be a nice way to keep boredom at bay. Likewise, spending time with your mouse will help keep them entertained and happy. 

One of the activities of choice for mice is an exercise wheel. These allow mice to get their wiggles out even at times when you have to confine them to their cage. 

Most mouse owners opt for an exercise wheel made from metal. This is because mice like to chew, and they will gnaw through plastic exercise wheels.

The exception is an exercise wheel made of very hard plastic. Metal is still recommended the most highly. 

A metal exercise wheel with a solid plastic or mesh running surface is ideal. Those with rungs can catch on the feet of mice painfully. 

A quality exercise wheel can entertain your mouse for hours, potentially. Watching a mouse run its little heart out on an exercise wheel, whiskers -afrisk, is a sight which often proves to be both adorable and funny. 

5. Mice are Inexpensive Pets to Keep

Thanks to the small size of mice, the fuzzy little fellows do not require much by way of food or space. This means that they are fairly easy to upkeep daily. 

Your priciest investment in a mouse will likely be the cage. However these are not terribly expensive, and if you pick a metal cage, it will stand the test of time.

Another small investment is a water bottle with a spout and ball made of steel. 

Mouse bedding is very cheap, as it can be made from paper, wood shavings, etc. Mice require only small portions of produce and mouse food each day. 

6. Mice are Fun and Like to Play

You can go all-out creating tunnels, see-saws or other little mouse toys and games. Your mouse will thank you for the variety. Mice are also known to enjoy chasing treats and foraging for them (try hiding them in creative spots in their cage). 

With cagemates, mice will even play tag and wrestle together. 

7. Mice Are Quiet and Polite

Mice have pretty manners! They do not appreciate loud noises, and they avoid making these, as they consider it rude.

If a mouse makes a loud noise, they must be unusually excited about something, or in some sort of distress; check on them to make certain they are okay. 

Mice squeak softly, some of their sounds are unable to be heard by the human ear, literally. This means that your mouse is unlikely to keep you up nightly.

A pro tip for creating an even quieter mouse environment is to grease your mouse’s exercise wheel. This can start to squeak over time, and a bit of canola oil or the like should solve the issue nicely. 

Your mouse will not disturb your neighbors, even in an apartment with thin walls. Thanks to this, landlords tend to be reasonable when it comes to letting them stay, and you will not suffer any complaints from other tenants.

This is but one of the many things that make mice lovely housemates day-to-day. 

8. Mice Take Up Very Little Space in the Home

Mice do not require more than a few-foot area in which to place their cage. Even a small apartment can provide sufficient space for both the cage and exploration on the outside. 

Here are some suitable cages

9. Caring for a Mouse is Simple

As far as pets go, mice do not have very complicated requirements. The small, well-mannered creatures only need a few key things, really. 

Cages

First off, a cage. Metal cages are recommended the most highly, so long as the bars are spaced together closely and your mouse cannot escape. Advised is to steer clear of plastic cages, which mice can otherwise chew. 

Food and Water

Next, a mouse, like any pet, must be fed properly. A combination of fresh vegetables and suitable, quality store-bought mouse food are necessary. You can use mouse-safe treats as fun supplements dietarily. 

Most mice have a preference for fruits and veggies that are nice and crunchy. This is because, as with many rodents, mice experience constant growth in their teeth. Chewing crunchy foods is one of the ways that mice keep this in check. 

Want to know what we feed our mice on?

Click here to see Vitakraft Mouse and Rat food on Amazon for prices.

A steel spout and steel ball water bottle, full of fresh water is probably your best bet as far as providing drink. 

Some rodents can make use of water bowls, but mice tend to knock these over as they scurry. A water bottle makes a mouse-friendly alternative. Like any animals, mice require fresh water every day. 

Bedding

Mouse bedding is also of great importance. In nature, mice like to live in little burrows, in grassy areas like meadows. The bedding in the cage is used to mimic this. Without the proper bedding, a mouse will simply not feel cozy (who would?). 

There are a few different sorts of bedding to choose from for your mouse, the two most popular being paper and wood shavings, respectively.

Avoid fluff or unnatural bedding as these can pose a health risk. To prevent dust, splinters, etc. choose bedding of at least middling quality. 

Exercise

In order to get sufficient exercise, every mouse needs a good exercise wheel. Another must-have is a wooden chew toy. Along with crunchy foods, your mouse will use this to keep their teeth from growing too quickly. 

Finally, your mouse will want a house in its cage. No mouse is truly happy without its own burrow! You can easily make a homemade mouse house, or purchase one online. 

10. You Can Choose From Many Types of Mice

There are mice of all different sizes and colors. This means that when it comes to picking your mouse, or mice, you will have variety. There are black mice, gray mice, black-and-white spotted mice, golden mice… and many more.

What mice of every breed and hue have in common are their adorable looks. Domesticated mice also have charm and personality. 

11. Mice Get Along With The Right Companions Easily

If you give your mouse plenty of attention, they will not require other companionship, technically. Still, mice are glad to keep the proper sort of company. In the wild, mice travel in groups, and take part in wrestling, grooming, and play. 

Two male mice will typically fight for territory, sometimes to the death. Clearly, a male and female pair will mate. Two female mice, on the other hand, are suggested, as they tend to get along swimmingly. 

While mice will endeavor to make themselves heard by us, when speaking to each other, their squeaks are often too quiet to be heard naturally. 

It was also discovered that mice will sing together, or alone, much like birds. 

As you can see, there are many pros to having mice. Whether you are looking to play, cuddle, or watch amusing activities, you can opt for a mouse.

Make a dynamic enclosure, with tunnels and the like, to entertain yourself and bring your mouse joy. 

Mice are small but emotionally complex, and they form deep bonds with their companions, mouse and human alike. With their friendly, inquisitive presence, mice make really lovely pets.

F.A.Q

• How many species of mice are there? There are more than 30 species of mice
• Do mice have good hearing? Mice have very poor eyesight but make up for this with their excellent hearing and sense of smell.
• How long are mice tails? Mice tails can grow as long as their bodies
• What do mice use their whiskers for? Mice use their whiskers to feel adjustments in temperature and to sense their surroundings.
• How much do mice eat? Mice eat up to 20 times a day. They prefer eating small portions but often. In the wild mice never live far from a food source.
• How long do wild mice live? Due to the amount of preditors mice have to face daily, they don’t live longer than 6-12 months.

Conclusion: Why pet mice make good pets

It has to be said that pet mice are not always the first choice when your son or daughter asks for a pet. They do however, make great pets despite what haters say.

They are not dirty, they are not smelly and actually are very clean pets. Granted wild mice are not clean and we would never recommend keeping a wild mouse as a pet.

Buy your pet mouse from a reputable store or breeder then you can be sure of buying a clean and healthy pet mice.

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