Q&A for How to Take Care of Mice

Yes, but if the child is younger than about 8, they should always be supervised when handling the mice, and they should be kept out of reach in case the child decides to hold it without permission. Young children also touch things that they shouldn't, like their noses or mouths, so have them wash their hands after handling the mice. An adult should also make sure that the mice are being properly cared for, in terms of feeding, keeping the cage clean, etc.

They are lactose intolerant, so no. It would do more harm than good.

I would recommend adding more toys and enrichment items to their cage.

It would be a good idea to feed them small amounts of pet store food while keeping them on a similar diet that they are used to. If you just switch them straight to new foods, it can cause digestive problems.

Yes, mice feel the cold, although they can handle it much better than the heat. You can help protect your mice from the cold by putting a towel over the cage. But if you have heat on at home, that should be good enough.

You should get your mouse a new playmate. If you can't do that, spend lots of time holding your mouse and playing with it.

You can probably manage as long as you spend enough time with her, but it's definitely better to have at least three females together. If you really only want one mouse, you should strongly consider getting a male.

Every 12-year-old is different, but yes, most likely. If you read through the article and you believe you're capable of taking care of all the mouse's needs, you should go for it.

No. If you keep them together, the rat will most likely kill the mouse.

Male mice tend to need more attention than females, especially when you have a group of mice. Female mice have each other as company when kept in groups, but male mice will be alone.

Mice clean themselves, much like cats. You do not need to bathe them. If you do wash your mouse, use a damp washcloth only, no soap or shampoo.

Mice are small, lightly furred and warm blooded mammals who most definitely feel the cold. In the wild, mice are very social creatures, meaning they will often huddle up in groups of up to 100 mice to maintain body temperature and shield the young from the harsh elements. Be sure to provide any pet mice with plenty of loose bedding so if they start to feel chilly they can reinforce their shelter and provide themselves with more insulation. One trick is to give them that old sock full of holes you were about to toss out. (Provided it is a cotton material and not anything artificial.)

You definitely shouldn't let your mouse roam freely. Even in the exercise ball you should supervise your mouse and keep it away from any hazards like stairs, or others surfaces it could drop/fall from.

That should be big enough.

My mouse doesn't use his wheel either. He's 9 months old, seems perfectly healthy, and he's never used it once. I'd say leave it in the cage in case he ever wants to use it in the future.

No. In fact, it is better to keep male mice solitary because they can get aggressive with cage mates. If you get females though, they need a pal, because they get lonely and this can cause all sorts of problems. If you do end up getting a male mouse, be sure to spend lots of time with it so it doesn't get bored or lonely.

The gestation period for the average house mouse ranges from 18-22 days.

Yes, you can have two, but one may have difficulty if the other dies and there is no other mouse.

Yes, your mouse will be fine, just make sure he has an exercise wheel and toys to keep him occupied.

No. Use shredded paper without ink.

There is no need to groom, as mice are very capable of grooming themselves. And do not have more than one male in a cage, as they will fight over territory, unless they are family, or they are good with each others' presence, which is hard to guarantee.

This depends on the breed. In general, mice live between 1 and 2 years, and get to be about 17.5 centimeters long.

Actually you can but make sure you have full support under its body. For example, when in the water, hold your hand under its body.

Clean the cage regularly. You also may want to consider giving away some of your mice if the smell is becoming very noticeable.

Buy chinchilla sand and put some in a shallow container in the cage. This will allow your mouse to "bathe."

Yes they can, so it is a good idea to place a non-toxic ice pack inside their cage that they can rest near to cool off.

Yes you can have a mouse and a cat provided you keep them separated at all times and ensure that the mouse is always safely enclosed. Do not let the cat being nose to nose to the mouse--that's just the number one thing to look out for.

You can give them berries in small amounts. Lemons and limes are a no-no because the sour taste can shock a mouse and make it picky or nervous about new foods.

You can have two female mice. However, if they are not from the same litter, an introduction process will need to take place. Mice are very social creatures and will establish a hierarchy (chain of command), meaning one will establish herself as the alpha female, and may assert her dominance upon the other "lesser" females. Aggression between females is extremely rare and is most likely the result of poor genetics through inbreeding. If you ever witness an act of aggression between your mice, isolate the two culprits immediately and bring them back into the communal tank one at a time to determine the aggressor. The aggressor should never be reintroduced to the tank.

They will be able to breed at around four weeks of age, but that is very, very unhealthy for the female. A much better age is about 12 weeks. You'll want to separate the male and female before this, and directly after they breed.