Getting a mouse/mice

[Mirg8101992]

Originally Posted by Meggie

Ok, don't know about the gender thing, but I do have a little bit of advice for you. The cage, is it a small rodent cage, or a birdcage? Mice can squeeze through the bars of a birdcage, believe it or not. If you can swing it, save up and buy a Habitrail cage or something like.

Keep the cage on a table by itself, mice are smart and won't jump off if it's too high for them. They will run down anything hanging off the table though and they're wicked fast.

My son had a mouse a few years ago, sweet little thing. Not too long after we got it I noticed it's stomach bloating a bit. Rodents are prone to tumours so I thought that maybe the mouse was older than we were led to believe. Imagine my surprise when it gave birth to three babies on Christmas morning! We had thought it was a male. So there's a lesson, mice are notoriously difficult for your average pet shop employee to sex. They can also breed at a very young age, within a month or two of birth, I think?

Yes, the cage was meant for mini hamsters and mice. Ok, ill clean off a place for it tonight. Wow, ok, ill watch out for that lol.

Ok, thanx for the advice!

[Mirg8101992]

Originally Posted by Kay

I wouldn't buy from a pet shop.

Pet shop animals often die sooner because they are sick, they have inbred diseases and are rarely ever looked after properly in pet stores.

Buying from a pet shop is promoting irresponsible breeding (Just like in dogs, so it is with all other animals in pet stores) And they don't know how to sex small animals very well at all.
You are likely to ask for 2 females, and get a female and a male, and be stuck with a litter of babies. Or, you may end up with 2 males who fight. Or, get the 2 females, but one or both may be pregnant. This is VERY common when getting pet store rodents/rabbits/cavies.
Check rescues around you, they often have mice.

For cage I would buy a 10-20 gallon aquarium, and a screen lid for it.


I have a question though, you say your parents aren't helping; but they know you are getting the mice right?
May I ask what happens in an emergency? What if your mouse is suddenly very sick and, needs $200.00 surgery to survive. Just a theory. How would you get the money for that?
Vet bills in all animals can get quite expensive, and if you're having trouble with the basics you need to figure out a way to pay vet bills should the need arise, beforehand.

For bedding, do *not* use pine or cedar, they are toxic.
Aspen and carefresh are terrific beddings (I prefer carefresh)
Two females would be the best choice.

A healthy mouse diet consists of carbs, veggies and proteins.
Protein:barley, wheat, peas, oats, corn,dog biscuits (No onion or garlic in the ingredients!)
Carbs: yeast, milk, etc.....
Do research on safe/unsafe mice foods....Add these sorts of foods to your mouse's regular "mouse mix" bought from the pet store.

Here is an article on a good diet:
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art9805.asp

Oh, ok, ill look it up, look for a rescue. Oh, yes, my parents know that im getting the mouse, and if an emergancy does come up, they will help. Im just buying all the food and supplies and the mouse by myself.

Thanx for the advice!

[Mirg8101992]

Originally Posted by smkie

Kay has excellent advice!!!!

a peat based bedding is especially nice for it breaks down the urine and is far healthier for your pet. I do love mice. Have you seen the spiney mouse?

When i get back i got a couple drawings to share about my son's escaping mouse One day i hope to have it put together for a children's story.

Ok, kool. No, never even heard of it. Ok
Thanx!

[Mirg8101992]

Originally Posted by gaddylovesdogs

I'm not sure about the gender either.

I'd get a tank though, too. That way they can't get out.

Good luck, I love rodents!! Used to have a rat, so sweet. It loved to cuddle.

Ok, thanx.

[Mirg8101992]

Originally Posted by casablanca1

I have absolutely no room to talk, having lied, smuggled, bullied and cried to get pets during my (some would say, prolonged) childhood, but you really want to step carefully around your mom if you're getting an animal she hates. If she just dislikes the smell and bother, that's one thing. But if she's at all phobic, you and the mice are in big trouble when you're found out.

Other than that - I'd recomend being very careful about gender (having gone through the Long Hot Summer of Gerbil Cannibalism, I know what I'm talking about) to the extent of telling the pet store that if it turns out one of the 'females' you buy is a male, you're dumping the whole mess back on their doorstep. Bleach should kill anything lingering in the cage, though I'd prefer an aquarium as they're harder to bust out of. Mice really have nothing better to do all day than plot an escape, and that would be an ugly scene with your mom. I got lucky - my dad discovered my illicit rat (in the middle of the night, no less) and he was, if not thrilled, at least not too upset.

Shes not completely scared of them or hates them (she likes all animals), she just would rather get a bird or something. Lol, ok, thanx!

[Mirg8101992]

Originally Posted by Julie

When I was a child I sneeked many animals.....right under the parents noses. LOL.

I had a lizard hidden for a week......didn't tell mom until during church services. She couldn't say too much right then....and gave her a little time to cool down.

I also found a homeless pup.. hid her in my car until bedtime....then took her to my room.......I would have gotten away with it but the little booger decided to get playful.....sounded like a tasmanian devil. Lol
Of course she woke them up at about 2:00 am. Not a good time for that to happen. We did end up finding her a good home though.

Ohhhh....there were many more...but don't want to give the younger kids any bad ideas.

Lol, ive already done that lots of times. There was about 10 different dogs, a few feild mice, a few baby birds, and LOTS of cats that i snuck in cause she didnt want them. Most of them we found their owners/new owners or we had to sadly put them down becuase they had a disease or something, but the ones we didnt find a home for, like Cloe the pit bull, we took to a shelter (the non-killing kind).

[Mirg8101992]

Originally Posted by smkie

Meggie was it like this ? http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e3...ork/zaniac.jpg (if you put your browser down in the right hand corner a box with arrows will show up, click on that and it will make it bigger)

lol Julie i had a kitten in my room for days too! I already had one cat so their was a litter box in there already that i cleaned so Mom had no idea until she heard him Then i was in trouble but of course i got to keep it.

Wow! You drew that!? You are good! And i should know, my dad is an artist!