If you are thinking of getting a small furry pet, such as a mouse, you have to prepare for the responsibilities of pet-ownership.
But what are the considerations? Owning a pet is a partnership and not a one-way relationship, so you need to consider whether you are suited to your chosen pet and vice versa.
Is a mouse the right pet for you?
When you are considering whether to offer a home to a mouse you must think about its everyday needs:
Housing
Feeding and watering
Handling
Care
Mice are clean and not too smelly and, if they are correctly handled, they can become very tame. Mice are social animals and need company, so it is better to keep them as a group. However, they are also very prolific breeders, so in order to prevent ever-increasing numbers, the sexes should be housed separately, remembering that adult males may fight. Groups of mice can be very amusing to watch, and often owners devise all sorts of different cages in which their pet mice can play.
Mice are sexually mature between 6 and 7 weeks of age. Each litter can contain an average of between 6 to 12 baby mice.
Mice live for about 1.5 to 2.5 years and an adult mouse weighs between 20 to 60g, depending on its gender.
PDSA vets advise that mice need a minimum of half an hour’s attention each day.
Look after your mice well, and they will reward you with hours of fun.
Topic of the month
Each month PDSA delivers a new pet care message through an informative leaflet written by our vets. Topics covered by the leaflets include First Aid, Vaccinations and Neutering. Why not download your free copy?
