How to Play With a Pet Mouse

Mice, like most rodents, are considered pests by many homeowners who take every measure to ensure they don’t become a problem in their household. Domesticated mice, however, have become popular pets, because they don’t require much space and they are cute, cuddly and very playful.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Mouse cage
• Water bottle
• Food dish
• Sleeping box
• Appropriate bedding
• Mouse toys
• Exercise wheel
• Gnawing blocks (to wear down teeth)
• Mouse food
• Treats
• Patience and gentle touch

1. Teach your pet mouse to be awake during the day. Although mice are nocturnal animals, they easily adjust to daytime hours, allowing pet owners to play with them throughout the day.

2. Treat a pet mouse the same as you would a dog or cat. They interact with their owners much the same as these traditional pets and can be just as easily trained.

3. Train your pet mouse to trust you and come to you on its own. You can do this by hand feeding your pet as much as possible for the first few days and always giving them a treat every time you handle them to reinforce positive rewards from you.

4. Handle them gently and use a soothing voice every time you pick up your pet mouse. Let him come to you instead of grabbing him out of the cage, which may startle him. Do this by placing your hand in the cage while holding a treat. The mouse will sniff at your hand and the treat and should come to trust you enough to crawl into your hand.

5. Spend at least half an hour each day playing and interacting with your pet mouse outside her cage. This not only provides playtime, but also time for bonding and gets her outside the confines of her cage for a little while every day.

6. Read books about pet mice that offer advice on caring for your new friend, including handling and playing with them. Some suggested books include "Mice: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual" by Sharon Vanderlip, D.V.M. and "The Mouse: An Owner’s Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet" by Stephanie Shulman.

Tips & Warnings

• Buy from a reputable pet shop or breeder who plays with the mice from birth, so they will be socialized to people.
• The best age to obtain a mouse is four to six weeks old, so they can grow up with you.
• Provide toys for your mouse to play with to keep them happy and active. When you don’t have time to play with a pet mouse, they quickly become bored and may try to escape.
• Mice are social animals, so it is usually better to keep two instead of one to meet their need to play and interact with their own kind.
• Mice should not be played with on the floor, because they become easily spooked and will find the closest place to hide and won’t come back out until they feel the danger has passed.

Resources

• American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association
• Find AFRMA recommended books
• Get care and handling advice
• Buy “Mice: A Complete Pet Owner’s Manual”
• Buy “The Mouse: An Owner’s Guide to a Happy Healthy Pet”

[denise03264]

on 2/1/2009 Hi, I'm new to this site/community. I (take care of) 1 rat terrier, 1 shiba inu, 1 mouse, 2 male betas, 1 female beta, and really big gold fish (no clue if M/F).

I welcome any articles relating to keeping all the above pets happy and healthy. I found this site searching for information on treatment for the little mouse, and found this site very helpful! I'm also interested in breeding the shiba inu (not sure yet). I plan on spending more time on this site, but now I have to go take care of little mousie...
bye,
denise