Mouse as a pet?

[kathianne]

My kids found a tiny, baby mouse today, they want to keep it!

Currently we have it in a cage designed for a hamster. We're feeding it granola bar, pieces of apple, he also seemed interested in an orange slice. Also have water in there for him.

Has anyone ever kept a mouse as a pet? I vote we let him "grow and go" let him grow bigger, since he's barely bigger than a gummy bear right now. Then just release him into a wooded ares, or perhaps take him to a wildlife rescue sanctuary? MY BIL suggested killing it, we can't do that!

What's involved with keeping a mouse as a pet?

 

[CrAzY4DL]

I've never had a mouse but growing up my best friend and her brother kept rats (a LOT of rats!) and they were a lot of fun to take care of. I have had several hamsters and have had my 5 year olds class guinea pig for a week now (fall break) and I can speak to you from my hamster and rat experience.

They will want a sawdust type of material (aspen shavings) on the bottom of their cage, should be changed about twice a week. They like to burrow in it plus it absorbs pee and poo and helps keep the smell down. They are nocturnal and if handled in a gentle manner from a young age, *should* not object to being held as they age. They will need an exercise wheel to burn off their energy, perhaps your family might be interested in a hamster ball as well where you can place your mouse friend and let him roll around the house. Rodent and hamster mixes of food are acceptable and small quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. Watch for diarrhea tho! No chocolate!

Have fun, I remember those rats fondly!!

and ps-always always ALWAYS wash your hands with soap after playing with mouse!!

 

[LovePug]

I *think* a mouse can squeeze through the bars on a hamster cage...other than that I'm no help. DD is in bed or I could ask her. She has one at her father's house. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

 

[Schmeck]

I had a wild pet mouse once, kept it in an aquarium and fed it birdseed. See, I couldn't have pets in my apartment, but I caught the mouse in the pantry, so I figured since it already was in the apartment, the rules didn't apply, LOL!

I'd check online to see if there are any health concerns to consider. Some mice can carry some pretty nasty stuff - what's that deadly disease that struck out west, traced to mouse poop?

Hantavirus, that's it! Here's a link to consider:

http://www.napamosquito.org/Rodents/RodentBorneDiseases.htm

 

[kathianne]

I had a wild pet mouse once, kept it in an aquarium and fed it birdseed. See, I couldn't have pets in my apartment, but I caught the mouse in the pantry, so I figured since it already was in the apartment, the rules didn't apply, LOL!

I'd check online to see if there are any health concerns to consider. Some mice can carry some pretty nasty stuff - what's that deadly disease that struck out west, traced to mouse poop?

Hantavirus, that's it! Here's a link to consider:

http://www.napamosquito.org/Rodents/RodentBorneDiseases.htm

Thanks for the advice! he appears to be a house mouse. Ummm..........did I mention we have 5 cats? Laying down on the job! We just found this little guy sitting in the laundry area, not a cat in sight, they were all taking cat naps!

We keepthe mouse cage in a seperate room with the door closed and make sure cats don't get in, but its only a matter of time before a cat gets him. Even my lazy, overfed felines will eventually get him! It wouldn't be fair! So we either "grow and go" let him grow up, its just a baby and release him in the woods, or take him to a rescue shelter. If he's over humanized he might not survive in the wild (Born Free!) he might be better off in a shelter, we will see. He's a right cute little guy, my kids call him Peanut!

 

[surfergirl602]

I *think* a mouse can squeeze through the bars on a hamster cage...other than that I'm no help. DD is in bed or I could ask her. She has one at her father's house. Sorry I couldn't be more help.

Anything they can fit their nose through, they can squeeze through. I had mice growing up as pets. They are loud, smelly, and not very friendly unless you handle them a lot. Do not use a wheel that has slats - they can get their tail caught in them. Also get a pellet food for them for the staple diet. Granola bars have a lot of sugar that a baby will have a hard time digesting. Only feed small amounts of veggies and fruit - it will cause loose stools.

 

[mjkacmom]

I've never had a mouse but growing up my best friend and her brother kept rats (a LOT of rats!) and they were a lot of fun to take care of. I have had several hamsters and have had my 5 year olds class guinea pig for a week now (fall break) and I can speak to you from my hamster and rat experience.

They will want a sawdust type of material (aspen shavings) on the bottom of their cage, should be changed about twice a week. They like to burrow in it plus it absorbs pee and poo and helps keep the smell down. They are nocturnal and if handled in a gentle manner from a young age, *should* not object to being held as they age. They will need an exercise wheel to burn off their energy, perhaps your family might be interested in a hamster ball as well where you can place your mouse friend and let him roll around the house. Rodent and hamster mixes of food are acceptable and small quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. Watch for diarrhea tho! No chocolate!

Have fun, I remember those rats fondly!!

and ps-always always ALWAYS wash your hands with soap after playing with mouse!!

We have 2 rats - very sweet and friendly!

 

[Beehn]

If I found a baby mouse in my laundry room I would be pretty worried about where his Mama is!

 

[KristinU]

We have two mice as pets - very sweet girls: Minnie and Daisy. They're super friendly - much moreso than the hamsters we've had. Unlike hamsters, they like having a roommate, which is why we have two. Ours live in a hamster cage, but the plastic habitrail kind that doesn't have bars but solid walls. However, our girls are from a pet store. Do you have a good LOCAL pet store that you could call for advice? (I mean local as in not a chain, and who probably breed their own rodents). They'd probably be a really great resource.

We also have "uninvited" mice currently...it seems as though there had been a family (or colony!) in a roughly 100 year old tree we recently had to have removed from our yard. In 8 years in this house we've never had a single mouse (aside from the girls who joined us last year)...now as it gets cold this year we've had the "cousins" coming in to our basement. We bought a live trap and have been relocating them to the woods and have stuffed any possible opening areas with steel wool - haven't had a little visitor in our trap in a few days so maybe its working...at any rate I think I'd vote for the grow and go plan you're thinking of - wild mice might carry disease. Well, even tame ones could, which is why our vet (for the dog, we've never taken the mice in for check-ups!) recommended that we always wash our hands after playing with the girls.

Best of luck! Mice really are cute, IMHO - wild or tame.

 

[nessz79]

I tried to keep a mouse as a kid and it was impossible! It got out of EVERYTHING. We had an aquarium with a breathable top for critters...there was no way it could have gotten out of it as we kept books on top at night, but it still did! This story had a tragic ending as we could not recapture little mouse and he was all over the house, getting into things. My dad set a trap...I still feel guilty!

 

[kathianne]

Well, sadly he died in the night.

But the kids found another one, another baby! We're trying to help it, too, but I am concerned about a nest in the house.

I really don't have the heart to kill those things or set traps for them, is there some sort of humane trap we could use and then take them to a woods somewhere?

Please no flames---I'm just too tender-hearted to kill those little creatures!

 

[kathianne]

We have two mice as pets - very sweet girls: Minnie and Daisy. They're super friendly - much moreso than the hamsters we've had. Unlike hamsters, they like having a roommate, which is why we have two. Ours live in a hamster cage, but the plastic habitrail kind that doesn't have bars but solid walls. However, our girls are from a pet store. Do you have a good LOCAL pet store that you could call for advice? (I mean local as in not a chain, and who probably breed their own rodents). They'd probably be a really great resource.

We also have "uninvited" mice currently...it seems as though there had been a family (or colony!) in a roughly 100 year old tree we recently had to have removed from our yard. In 8 years in this house we've never had a single mouse (aside from the girls who joined us last year)...now as it gets cold this year we've had the "cousins" coming in to our basement. We bought a live trap and have been relocating them to the woods and have stuffed any possible opening areas with steel wool - haven't had a little visitor in our trap in a few days so maybe its working...at any rate I think I'd vote for the grow and go plan you're thinking of - wild mice might carry disease. Well, even tame ones could, which is why our vet (for the dog, we've never taken the mice in for check-ups!) recommended that we always wash our hands after playing with the girls.

Best of luck! Mice really are cute, IMHO - wild or tame.

Just a suggestion---don't stuff weep holes with steel wool, it rusts and causes damage. You can get brass or copper wool instead.

 

[eeyorethegreat]

Well, sadly he died in the night.

But the kids found another one, another baby! We're trying to help it, too, but I am concerned about a nest in the house.

I really don't have the heart to kill those things or set traps for them, is there some sort of humane trap we could use and then take them to a woods somewhere?

Please no flames---I'm just too tender-hearted to kill those little creatures!

I am thinking that because they are as little as a gummi bear that they are not ready to be away from the mother. THey could have strayed from the nest, or been abandoned or maybe the mother dies to and now the babies are on their own and too little to be.

 

[disneymarie]

One of the cats could have perhaps found the nest and played with themouse instead of eating it. I mention this because my one Tigger cat brings them home alive anymore for gifts to the other cats.

The reason they found it may have been your cats doing the job and leaving it as a present. Sounds like somebody raided the nest. I would buy the type that catch the mice in a box, the door shuts and then take them out in the woods.
Mice do get out of everything and when they have babies they have a more the Kate and Jon!
They are not good pets at all. I once had a wild mouse get in with my white mice for a science project and mated....They stink, messy cages, YUCK,

good luck, Oh ask the most guilty looking cat, "where the present? Shoe Momma where you found the present." and see if he leads you to the nest

When my Tigger brings critters home I have praise him what a good boy....But tell him he can not bring it in the house. He has been bringing home smal chipmunks lately. Alive, but they play dead until he lays them down. Then when they feel an oppertunity, Whoosh they run!

But, I have Bears, Deer everyevening, Turkeys that walk the mountaint to the creek, a woodpecker that drives me batty every year. Lots of skunks, huge raccoons, snakes, a Squirril that comes on the deck and kitchen window every day to tease Tigger,,,even in ice storms hit sits on the rail by the window on his hind legs and little hands up begging to come in..

Wolf a year ago,

Oh and a groundhog, When she had babies under the trailer, my momma cat would be found down there taking care of them until their momma came back.

Off topic, but my hunters reminded me of the animals. Oh the Bear, was sitting against the front stoop eating the 14" sunflower head last night. Dang thing was a big as a Volkeswagon! Got the pumpkin too.

Then had the nerve to take the Expired Captin Crunch out the trash we put out last night and clawed the box open and ate it!

Better go rest my head....another sleepless night
di

 

[KristinU]

I really don't have the heart to kill those things or set traps for them, is there some sort of humane trap we could use and then take them to a woods somewhere?

Please no flames---I'm just too tender-hearted to kill those little creatures!

Yep - There is a little plexiglass box trap available at Wal-Mart that has a one way swinging door. DH drilled a few extra holes in it after our first catch because it seemed like the mouse wasn't getting enough air in there. We felt like this was a good idea for us to have anyway in case one of our pet mouse girls gets out.

ETA: we bait with Keebler Fudge Grahams - that's what they got into in our basement pantry - and nothing else...so oboviously they love these things! The other thing to know about relocating to the woods is that they apparently can find their way back into your home from up to a mile away! We don't go that extreme, but we do go good and far away from our house to drop them off into the woods.

Just a suggestion---don't stuff weep holes with steel wool, it rusts and causes damage. You can get brass or copper wool instead.

Ooh, thanks for the tip!!!!

 

[Miss LD]

If anyone in my house found a mouse I'd have a complete heart attack.
we used to have mice in our apartment, and I sware i didn't sleep

 

[christa112]

They can definately climb out of a wire cage, go with a glass fish tank. Also, mice and rats make great pets.

I would rather have my kids have a mouse or rat instead of a nasty mean hamster any day.

 

[kathianne]

Well both of them died. They were so cute, we hoped to let them "grow and go" that is get bigger then release them.

I'm sure one of my cats brought them in, they're so over fed they just play with prey instead of killing it

It makes me feel bad for the mice, but as another poster said, we probably have a nest somewhere so I will look into a humane trap at Wal Mart, thanks for the suggestion!