Congratulations! You have adopted a mouse into your family. When you first get your mouse let him get used to his new home before you start playing with him. Feed him by hand and let him get used to your smell. Soon he will start coming closer and when he does this several times, try letting him crawl on to your hand. Once he gets used to being held, play with him every day.
Housing
An aquarium filled with shavings (aspen or CareFresh, not cedar or pine) is a great home for a mouse. Female mice can live in groups but male mice tend to fight. Never keep female and male mice together because they will quickly breed. There are too many small animals already without homes. Make sure your mice have lots of room to burrow. Clean the cage at least twice a week (3 times if you have more than one mouse) to make sure their bedding is dry and clean. Put in an empty tissue box so your mouse has a resting place and paper tubes or another object so your his space is more interesting
Handling
Never pick a mouse up by his tail. Pick them up with the palm of your hand on their back and your fingers around their side and bum or let them crawl into your cupped hands. Be careful not to squeeze them. Mice that are picked up gently and often do not usually bite unless they are scared or hurt.
Grooming
Mice are clean creatures that groom themselves so they don’t require grooming by their guardian.
Exercise
Mice need exercise like all animals. Making a large enclosure with tubes, an exercise wheel, ladders and burrowing material will give him plenty of exercise.
Medical Concerns
The best way to keep your mouse healthy is to keep his cage clean and take out any food that has spoiled.
Food
Mice are omnivores, which means they eat plants and animal protein. Give them no more than one teaspoon of a variety of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds every day along with rodent food from Bosley's.
Recommended vegetables
- (add one new vegetable to your mouse’s diet at a time):
- Celery (strings removed)
- Alfalfa sprouts
- Carrots & carrot tops
- Herbs (basil, parsley, cilantro, mint)
- Bok choy
- Dandelion flowers & leaves (untreated)
- Kale
- Radish tops & sprouts
- Broccoli stems & leaves
Recommended fruits (dried or fresh)
- Pears
- Blueberries
- Grapes (no seeds)
- Raisins
- Banana
- Apple (no core or seeds)
- Plums
- Raspberries
- Strawberries
Foods NOT to feed your mouse:
- Beans
- Potatoes
- Beets
- Avocado
- Cabbage
- Sweet potato
- Corn
- Avoid lettuce
Avoid making any sudden dietary changes. Always introduce new foods in small amounts.
Water
Mice drink a lot and should always have water available to them through a sipper bottle. Change the water every day and completely clean the bottle once a week.
Additional Information
This sheet is meant to provide minimum care guide lines for mice. For more detailed information contact your vet and consult a mouse care book. Look for guides that discuss nutrition, health issues, and hamster behaviour.
Some recommended resources: Websites: www.dcn.davis.ca.us/vme/DrSue/mouse.html
Books: ASPCA Complete Guide To Pet Care - by David Carroll,
Stephen Zawistowski
For more info and other sheets in our Animal Care Series visit our website at:
www.spca.bc.ca