Great First Time Pet for Older Kids: Fancy Mouse

Are you rodent phobic? Then you may want to stop reading right now. But if I know you, you just may be curious. And so will your new pet mouse.

"Pet mouse?!" you say. Yep. Pet mouse.

Do you have kids who are old enough to have a little responsibility, but not too young to hold (or squish) a small animal? Have they been asking for a dog or cat and you just can't accommodate them? Or maybe you, yourself need a little companionship. Think mouse.

These little rodents have much to offer. They are cute, easy to care for, can live in fairly small cages and they don't bite. If you ever visit the larger pet stores, you may have seen their Fancy Mice selection. Perhaps you've just breezed by with a shudder, but next time you're there take a better look. Fancy Mice come in many different colors and a quite adorable. My mouse, Cupid, is all black with white spots, which give her cow-like markings. And she's cute as a button.

Choosing a Pet Mouse

As with any pet, make sure that the store you purchase you new pet mouse from is clean and cared for. You want your new pet to be the same. Look at all the pets before you buy. Make sure they all look healthy and robust and have clean cages. If you are not sure, don't do it. Save your self a headache and check out another store. Just don't forget that rodents tend to be nocturnal, so don't be surprised if some of them are asleep.

When you choose your specific Fancy Pet Mouse, look for one with bright eyes and of similar size to the others. Most mice will run away from a new hand in their cage, but don't pick the one who is totally inactive and never comes out of her corner.

Mice are social creatures and so you may want to buy more than one. Don't overcrowd your cage, but one mouse by herself may be lonely. I have had my latest pet mouse, Cupid, for several months now. Unfortunately, her cage-mate has gone on to greener pastures, so Cupid has been a loner for quite a while now and does just fine. I haven't gotten her a new friend because sometimes two mice who have not grown up together may not get along. Often they will be fine if introduced slowly, though.

Buying a Cage

This is something you should be careful about purchasing! Mice are tiny and can slip through the bars of most commercial cages I've seen. You might want to think about one of the cages which is made of plastic with air holes. These are the kind that you can add the tubes and such on to. Great fun for a kid! Again, be careful to check the cage often, as an avid chewer can go right through the plastic.

I bought a wire cage. At first, this was a complete disaster, as my first pair of mice, Comet and Vixen, were out of it in about 2 seconds flat. Like I said, mice are tiny. I like the cage, though. It gets great air circulation and has more than one level. So I decided to keep the cage and I got some chicken-type wire at the home improvement store and wrapped it up like a package. If you decide to take on a project like this, though, be careful, the wire can have sharp edges which can cut you or your mouse.

In either case, make sure your mouse has an exercise wheel. She will run on it endlessly. Also, get a small heavyweight food dish. You don't want the mice to be able to tip it over and spill their food, or worse yet, get stuck underneath it. Get a good water bottle to hang on the side of the cage too.

You mouse will enjoy climbing. Try a small ladder or piece of rope. Make sure that these are not very high and secure them so she will not fall. She is not a cat and will not land on her feet.

Bedding for your pet Fancy Mouse

Most of the larger pet stores have a good choice of products to use for bedding. You can ask the employees which is best to use. I, of course, will give you my two cents. Do not use the paper bedding. I used it for my first pair of pet mice and they turned out to be allergic to it. They got quite sick and I actually had to take them to the vet. Can you imagine how embarrassing it was to go to the pet store and ask if they had a mouse carrier?

Anyway, I now use something called Aspen. It is similar to cedar shavings, but does not contain any of the oils that cedar does, which can be harmful to small animals. Make sure to give your pet mice a good layer of bedding. Their little feet might get sore if they are always running on the wire.

Keep it Clean

Pet mice are pretty low maintenance, but you must be prepared to keep their cage clean. You will need to clean out the entire cage with soap and water about once a week. You also may want to pick out the soiled bedding every couple of days. Far better, I think, than following a dog around with a shovel!

Mouse Chow

You will find that your local pet store has a few varieties of food for your pet mouse. Ask what is a good brand. If you are not sure, pick out something priced in the middle of the road. Don't buy the cheapest, but you probably don't need the Cadillac of mouse food either. Make sure that you clean the food bowl with soap and water every day and provide fresh food. Also, give fresh water daily and clean the water bottle with soap and water when you clean the cage.

Play with Your Mouse

As I mentioned, Fancy Mice usually don't bite. If they feel threatened or cornered, they might give you a chomp, but if you pick them up and let them run up and down your arms, they probably won't even think of biting you! You might be able to train your pet mouse to come get a treat if you tap on the cage, or beg for a treat. Cupid loves the peanuts in her feed and will always come to the door of her cage or beg for one.

Just be careful. As I said pet mice are tiny. If your mouse is out of her cage and your take your eye off of her for two seconds, she could be gone forever. In case of this unfortunate event, look under the nearest object. Mice like to hide under things.

Enjoy Your New Friend

The more time you devote to your new pet, the more quickly she will get used to you and become tame. You might be able to teach her a trick or two to boot! Just remember, you will look like a gigantic monster to your new pet mouse at first. Give her time to adjust to her new surroundings and treat her gently. You will find a nice reward and a new friend!