Tips on how to get the most out of cage space?

by GabbiLuvsMice Wed 08 Jun 2016, 6:17 pm

I have a 15 gal tank, I have not met my mice yet, but they are at my grandmas. (At this point I assume everyone knows that) Whenever I FaceTime her and watch them, I feel that the cage should have more toys and fun things to do. Does anyone have any advice on how to maximize the amount of toys in the cage without making it look crammed? As of Monday we had a wheel, bendy bridge, tv hideout, food dish, two chews, ovo den, and water bottle in the cage. I feel like we could be making better use of the space, but I have no control right now. Is that a completely fine amount and Im just overreacting? Confused

by MouseLover Wed 08 Jun 2016, 8:37 pm

It sounds like they have some good stuff in there Smile

Honestly, mice are grateful little things, and if they have company and a few toys they're pretty darn happy, but the more you give them, the happier they are Very Happy

they're kinda agoraphobic (they don't like empty spaces) so the more you chuck in there, the better Very Happy

Some free things your Grandma can give them are the cardboard tubes from toilet rolls, little cardboard boxes, or cardboard egg boxes. They're such simple things, but mice LOVE them because they can hide in them or tear them up!

Are they in the tank now? If so it will be possible for you to hang cool stuff from the lid, like fleece hammocks that you can make yourself. Lots of us make our mice toys out of popsicle sticks (see the popsicle stick MES thread in the picture section). It might be fun for you to make your mice some things so that you can give them some fun things to explore when you go and visit Smile

Personally, I try to hang as much stuff to the roof of my cage as possible to make the most of space haha.

by GabbiLuvsMice Wed 08 Jun 2016, 8:52 pm

Yup! My grandma moved back into the tank for safety reasons. Thanks for the advice! I must just really want to spoil em'!

by EverythingAnimal Wed 08 Jun 2016, 9:31 pm

Climbing things take up space and are adored by mice. One of my mice's favorite toys are ladders. You can by the wooden ones for birds at the store (there are lots of other fun hanging things for birds that they would love) or you can use popsicle sticks and make your own, possibly attaching it to the side of a MES. In addition to the hammocks Mouselover mentioned, they sell little hanging coconuts for birds too. I have one that I stuff with fleece and IMO they like it even more than normal hammocks!

Hope that gives some more ideas for what to hang to the roof! Smile

by essentiallysue Wed 08 Jun 2016, 10:53 pm

I make houses from empty Kleenex boxes or other boxes. I cut doors and windows, then I elevate them with Jenga blocks. Then I make ladders up to the top. Sometimes, I put on a second floor. I place a couple of these in the bin, with a ladder from one to the other. This way, they have the space on the floor of the cage, and the space through the long houses and across ladders, and even space on top of the houses. Cardboard can be slippery on top, so I use popsicle sticks for the roof. Maybe this will get you started with ideas.
I always have new ones ready for cage cleaning time. I may keep the one they choose to sleep in, but new things always make them happy. They will chew all night with them.