Consider a Pet Mouse
Monday, February 19th, 2007 Subscribe To Our Feed
My sons have been begging and pleading for a pet for years, but only recently did Mom and Dad finally give in, and get a pet mouse.
We considered other small pets, such as a hamster or a guinea pig, but finally settled on a mouse. Interestingly, in the early part of the 20th century, a mouse was a common pet for a young boy. Of course, it didn’t come with all the plastic trappings that we have now. More often than not, the mouse-house was a little cardboard box, or a metal pencil case.
When choosing a mouse, consider the following:
Pet store mice, the standard white mouse, are often bred to be snake food. Choose carefully, as they are not necessarily bred for longevity. You may want to have a talk with your child about the mortality of the mouse before acquiring one. There are are also “fancy mice” which are often multi-colored, but these mice can have the same issues as regular mice.
We chose a regular mouse, mostly due to the extremely low cost ($3).
Experts recommend that due to their social nature, you actually get more than one, usually two females to avoid territorial squabbles. We went with a single mouse, both because it’s a first pet, and because there was no way to be sure that we’d end up with 2 girls, instead of a breedable couple. If you can ensure the sex of your mouse, choose a female, as the urine of a male mouse tends to be muskier (or more smelly).
A pet mouse can be quite entertaining. At his most active, our mouse is a whirlwind of movement. From his den (a sleeping area set apart from the rest of the cage), to the wheel, in the wheel, in the food bowl, and back to his den. It’s an amusing treat for the kids to watch.
Keep in mind that mice are nocturnal creatures, and their activity level will increase as evening approaches. Through the day, they don’t do much more than sleep. This can be a consideration when deciding where to place the cage.
We’ve found that our son seems to fall asleep more easily with the sound of his mouse running in its wheel.
If you’re considering a mouse as a pet, check out the FAQ at http://www.rmca.org/Resources/mouse-faq.txt. It’s loaded with great information that will help make your choice easier.
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