How to Pick a Cage for a Pet Mouse

Domestic mice make enjoyable pets, as they are cute and clever and relatively easy to care for. There are several options for housing pet mice including wire cages, glass or plastic tanks and modular containers. Each of these has its pros and cons, but overall considerations are space, safety and ventilation. Bear in mind also that mice are social yet territorial animals.

Instructions

1. Plan for enough space for at least 2 mice. Mice are gregarious creatures and 1 kept alone will become depressed, aggressive and prone to escape attempts. Approximately 2 square feet of floor space should accommodate 2 to 8 mice. The floor space may be spread across different levels of a multilevel cage.

2. Evaluate the ventilation in prospective cages. Mice are prone to respiratory problems from the build up of ammonia in urine-soaked bedding. Wire cages offer the best ventilation. Glass or plastic tanks must have a wire mesh top that allows fresh air into the tank. Plastic modular cages such as those made for hamsters often offer very poor ventilation and are also difficult to take apart for cleaning, which in turn exacerbates the problem of urine ammonia build up.

3. Assess the safety and security of the cage. The bars on a mouse cage should be close enough together that you cannot get a finger through them. Wire mesh on the top of a tank should be similarly close, and the top should fit securely over the tank with no gaps. The components of a modular cage should fit tightly together. Monitor plastic modular cages for chewing, and replace chewed pieces as these can become escape hatches.

4. Provide toys and furniture for the cage so that it is more than a just a container. Mice like to climb, so put in ladders, ropes and other toys and obstacles. Nesting boxes and little houses give them cozy retreats.

5. Fill the bottom of the cage with bedding. Use pine shavings or corn cob bedding pellets. Bedding absorbs moisture and provides nesting and digging material for the mice.

6. Place the cage in a location that is out of direct sunlight and drafts, and is not away in a dark corner. Keep it out of reach of predators such as dogs and cats.

Tips & Warnings

• Remove and replace the cage bedding twice a week. Clean the cage or tank once a week. Use a wire brush to scrape the corners and the bars of a wire cage. Wash glass or plastic tanks with soapy water and disinfectant. Rinse and dry thoroughly before replacing the mice.

• Mice, like other rodents, need to chew to trim their front teeth. Make sure your mouse housing contains things for them to chew such as hard wood, bone, antler or chew objects available at pet supply stores.

• Do not use cedar bedding in mouse cages. Although it smells nice to humans, cedar can cause respiratory problems in animals that are bedded in it.

• Do not use cages designed for larger animals such as guinea pigs or rabbits for housing mice. Mice will easily escape between these more widely-spaced bars.