Finding and Choosing Pet Mice

So you've decided to bring home a pet mouse -- or better yet, two or more. Congratulations! Pet mice have been part of my family for years, and I always appreciate their antics, their company, and their ease of care. I've brought home a number of mice from a number of sources, and made a few mistakes along the way. One of my mice died of a respiratory infection within a week of bringing her home. Two more came home pregnant, and presented me with sixteen extra mice I hadn't planned on! These problems would not have happened if I'd been a little more careful while choosing my pets. In hopes of helping you avoid the same mistakes, here's a few things I've learned.

There is no "best" source for pet mice, but before you head to the local pet shops, I highly recommend looking around at other sources. Try checking Petfinder.org and see if there are any adoptable mice near you. Believe it or not, mice do end up at rescue organizations, animal shelters and humane societies. Not only might it be possible to give a home to mice who really need one, but these mice as just as likely to be healthy as mice from any other source. Baby mice often end up in need of homes, too. I'm not the only one who has brought home a pregnant mouse, and people sometimes turn over these accidental litters to shelters. There are even rescue organizations who specialize in small animals like mice, and if you can find one, this might be the best place to look. Most have lots of knowledge about their animals and truly want to help.

Mice in need of homes don't always end up at rescue and humane societies. I occasionally see them on Craigslist.org and other local classifieds, listed by owners who either had an accidental litter or must give up their pets for other reasons. "Pre-owned" mice sometimes have advantages over other mice. They're much more likely to have been handled, and be tamer, than pet shop mice. And they may come with a cage and other supplies, often for free or for a large discount over pet shop prices.

There are also mouse breeders. Most are "feeder breeders," and raise mice primarily to feed to reptiles. In general, their mice won't have been handled much, any more than pet shop mice -- in fact, feeder breeders often supply pet shops. But good feeder breeders can still offer healthy mice, and may be better than pet shops at sexing their mice.

If you're new to mice, you may not know just how popular they are in some circles. There are even mouse shows! And, of course, there are breeders who raise the mice at these shows. These breeders are usually quite different from strictly feeder breeders. They're interested in mice as a hobby, not just as meals for reptiles, and often raise colors and varieties of mice you won't find anywhere else. How about a long-haired, curly-coated or even hairless mouse? Best of all, most of these breeders go out of their way to handle their mice and make them as tame as possible. Most breed for tameness and health; their mice may actually be genetically more suitable as pets. And because they want to control their own breedings, they're usually very careful about not mixing the sexes. The hardest part is finding one of these breeders. Here's a couple of links that may help:
http://www.thefunmouse.com/links/breederslistings.cfm
http://www.littlecrittersites.com/breeds/mouse/breederbylocation.shtml
http://www.fancymicebreeders.com/

And, of course, there's the easiest -- but often most questionable -- source of pet mice, the pet store. Pet stores vary a great deal. Some are quite good, some not. Pet stores are notorious for mixing the sexes (resulting in accidental litters), overcrowding mice (resulting in disease and injuries), and for offering up poor information to new pet owners. But there are good pet shops, too. What makes a good pet shop is the same thing that makes a good breeder, or any other source of pet mice.

What to look for:

- Males and females in different cages. Besides preventing unwanted litters, it's far healthier for the mice to be separated by sex. Females can get pregnant as early as 6 weeks, but having a litter at this age is hard on her body and can shorten her lifespan. Males will also fight in the presence of females, and can seriously injure each other.

- Clean, uncrowded cages. The cages, and the whole room, should not have any particular odor. Male mice do have a musky scent but it's hardly noticeable in a clean cage. The mice should have room to get away from each other. The food dishes and water bottles should be clean and full.

- The bedding should be something other than pine or cedar -- ask an employee if you can't tell. Pine and cedar cause chronic respiratory problems that may last long after you've brought your pet home.

- Females with litters, if any, should be separated from other mice, or at least housed only with a small number of other females. Crowding new moms is a sure way to cause stress to her, her babies, and the rest of the mice in the cage.

Choosing a particular mouse:

- Don't worry much about the age of the mouse. Most mice from most sources are going to be quite young, even if they're adult-sized. Baby mice may be easier to tame, but if there's a bold, tamer adult mouse, all the better! I've brought home mice at many different ages and they all tamed down well. Individual personality is more important than age. If possible, put your hand in the cage and look for the mice that seem boldest and least nervous.

- Look for a mouse with bright eyes, but no "tear" stains around the eyes or excessive moisture around the nose. The coat should be smooth and shiny, not patchy or dull. Patchy fur can be a sign of overcrowding (overcrowded mice will tear at each other's fur) or even parasites.

- If possible, pick the mouse up and hold it close to your ear, or have an employee do so. Tiny squeaking, chuffling, chirping or wheezy noises are not normal, but are a sign of a respiratory infection. These are very common in mice, especially mice kept in overcrowded or poor conditions, and can be difficult to cure.

- While you've got the mouse in your hand, stroke his back and sides. He should feel plump, not bony. Thin mice may be simply underfed, but more commonly, thinness is just another indication of a respiratory illness.

Two or more?
I don't recommend keeping only one mouse. Mice are very social, and I'm sorry, but you just won't be company enough for a single mouse. Occasionally, there are male mice who are so cantankerous they can't live with others, but most will accept companions if raised with them from a young age. Try to choose two (or more) from the same litter, or at least around the same age. Females are not often so choosy when it comes to their companions, but introducing new mice to older mice can always be a problem. If possible, get all your mice at the same time, so they're all new the cage at once. Mice can be kept together in large groups, if they have enough space. Groups of males will need more room than groups of females. I've kept up to 13 females together in one good-sized cage, and have to say, they're a lot more entertaining in numbers! A ten gallon tank or cage of similar size has plenty of room for up to four or five mice.

Male or female?
Males have a couple of downsides over females. First is their orneriness -- they're more likely to fight with each other. They are no more aggressive to people, though. If anything, I've found them to be a little calmer and easier to handle than females, a little less nervous. Second, they do have a bit of a smell. Most people don't notice it unless they're either very close to the mouse, or the cage hasn't been cleaned in a while. But if you're especially sensitive to smells, go with females -- they have essentially no odor when their cages are cleaned regularly. Males still make great pets, though, and I've kept some wonderful groups of males.

If choosing a mouse is a little more complicated than you thought it would be, remember that your new mice will hopefully be part of your family for the next two to four years. Aren't they worth putting a little thought and effort into?