Fancy Mice Consideration - thoughts?

by theo1231231 Sat 10 Sep 2016, 8:22 am

Hello, Ive been thinking about getting a couple of companions for my room, being an animator I spend much of my time in there and thought it would make sense to have some company.

Ive been reading up on getting 2 females allot and they seem like the best bet, and I was thinking about getting a large box for them to play in when Im in my room (then they can go back in their cage when I leave the room).

I do have one concern, how much time daily do they need handling to be happy? I cannot for the life of me find this information anywhere at all, like how much time do you need to handle your mice? because there may be times where I am unable to handle them etc.

Any info about this would be great, as I don't want to be responsible for 2 unhappy animals living in my room.

Thanks, Theo Sparks

by MouseLover Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:04 am

Getting some mice sounds like a great idea for you Smile

they're fab company and very entertaining in their way.

I'd recommend 3 female mice over 2 - that way if one mouse dies, the other mouse won't be left alone. Females absolutely need the company of other mice (they can become quite depressed on their own) so this is quite important.

Once tamed, mice really enjoy coming out of their cage and being handled - it's great if you can do this once a day. The more you handle them, the better pets they will become. But as long as your mice have the company of other mice, and lots of toys and things to do, they will be happy.

Any more questions, ask away Smile

by CallaLily Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:05 am

It's usually recommended to have a minimum of 3 girls in a group. It really helps to balance the group and if one dies suddenly, the other isn't left alone.

I would say it's best to handle them at least once a day for 30 minutes to an hour*. But if you miss a day here and there, the girls really don't suffer for it.

*Edit to add: with water available. Probably goes without saying but just in case. Razz

by theo1231231 Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:14 am

okay thats really great advice guys, finally got a rough idea of what they need.
Im still only considering this, I want to really think about it before I got and take the plunge.

The other thing Im kind of worried about is the fact that the only space I have thats out of direct sunlight is quite high up, so Id probably have 2 cages on those shelves with a tube to connect them, then have some different levels for them to explore in the cages.
However this is quite out of the way so I wont be able to see them that easily, and they will be right above my mac where my music comes out of, however I generally keep the volume pretty low and am considering getting speakers to put in different places in my room, away from the mice.

As for getting 3, do you think that much space is enough for all 3? and Im a bit worried handling all 3 of them at once, is this a good idea? (obviously not to begin with).

Cheers people, glad I joined this form its got a nice big community. Fancy Mice Consideration - thoughts? 20160911

Fancy Mice Consideration - thoughts? 20160911

by MooMouse Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:18 am

Welcome to the forums!

If by "box" you mean a cardboard one, I should warn you that mice can very easily chew out of those. Cardboard boxes should ONLY be used if the mice will be under very close supervision. Maybe you could purchase a large plastic bin instead? Mice can also chew out of these but it is less likely

Mice need constant access to water and for this reason playtime should be limited to 10-30 minutes. I'm not sure how much time they will be spending in this "box", but if it's more than that, plan on buying an extra water bottle.

Personally, I own one male mouse and try to spend at least 10 minutes a day either holding him or letting him play in the bathtub. I think around 10-30 minutes of human interaction a day should do.

Also, you are going to want to fill their cage with toys, things to climb on, and hideouts. They should have plenty of things to do and explore whether they are in their cage, or their "box". (The best cage for mice is an aquarium with a lid made of mesh/wire. A 10 gallon can house up to 3 female mice).

So, in conclusion, provide them with food, water, toys, things to climb on, hideouts, and at least 10 minutes of attention everyday and you should have happy mice Smile

Other people probably have more in-depth advice, so I would wait to read their suggestions as well Smile

by theo1231231 Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:22 am

Heya thanks allot, yeah I was thinking like a plastic box to put on the floor and fill with stuff for them to play with and food and water and stuff, but then just high enough so they cant jump out and I can still interact with them while Im in my room.
and thanks for the info about the cage size, really helpful Smile

by Peachy Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:34 am

Welcome Theo! Mouse Wave

Perhas you could measure your space to get an idea of space requirements. A 10 gallon is 20x10x12 (inches) and is the minimum space for three girls. Depending on where you're located, you might find a barred cage that will work.
Here's a cage calculator that can tell you how many mice will fit in any cage you consider.
https://petmousefanciers.forumotion.com/portal

For handling, you can take them out all at once in the bathtub. Or one at a time in the tub. Or move them into their playbin and bring them out of there one at a time... at least until you're comfortable handling them and they're tamed a bit. You'll likely find something that works for you.

by theo1231231 Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:54 am

Hey thats great I got the dimentions, the space I have there is around 20 (length) 9(width) 12 (height) inches, and then the spacw above that is the same but mlre than twice as high, I know there need more surface area to run around, as appose to heights, which I think their scared of, but yeh Il check out the calculator

by theo1231231 Sat 10 Sep 2016, 9:58 am

Okay thats awesome, it says I can get 3.4 mice Smile

by EverythingAnimal Sat 10 Sep 2016, 10:08 am

Welcome! Glad you have chosen to consider mice! I agree that a ten gallon tank and 3 does would work best for you, Its not recommended to connect cages with tubes because the floor space of only one cage would count (they cant run in a strait line from cage to cage), and they could get stuck and panic. This is a great place to research, everyone can tell you just about anything you need to know about mice! Make sure you get a pretty high bin too with rounded corners to stop chewing and smooth sides. You'd be surprised how high some mice are capable of jumping! Which is ironic because they are scared of heights. Very Happy

by theo1231231 Sat 10 Sep 2016, 10:18 am

Okay well those are the dimensions of what would be the smallest cage, its a pretty long shelf at about 25 inches. I just thought an extra cage connected with a tube would give them some more options. but do you not think this is a good idea?

by Artistwolf Sat 10 Sep 2016, 12:52 pm

What kind of cage are you thinking of? The whole "tube" idea makes me think you're considering buying a Crittertrail cage. DON'T DO THAT. Critter trails are hard to clean, the tubes have poor ventilation, they're not big enough (connecting two together doesn't really count as double the space—you need at least 20"x10" of floor space in one area, not two of less that size—, and overall they're just not good cages for mice.
Unless you live in the UK—I really would just recommend you get a ten gallon tank.
If you haven't been even considering getting a Crittertrail cage, sorry Laughing

. But it could be hard connecting tubes to a tank, and plus the tubes really aren't good for ventilation and if your mouse is in there having some sort of medical emergency, you can't get to them very quickly and easily, unlike in an open tank, where every corner is accessible.
Another thing to consider before getting mice—are you willing to get them vet care if/when they need it? It's very important that you are prepared to do this.

by theo1231231 Sat 10 Sep 2016, 1:07 pm

Hey I wasn't thinking of getting a critter trail, I was thinking more of a normal wire cage which they say is best for ventilation. The space I have is 25 by 9 inches, so do you think it would be okay if the cage went an inch over? maybe if I secured it with bungies or something?
Also it doesnt have to be a tube, maybe I would just connect the two cages together and make a clear opening for them, I just like the idea of them having a fair amount of space to be happy in.
And yeah I would look up what symptoms to look out for, and keep an eye on them and if they have any of them then Il take them to the vet.
thanks again for all your help Razz

by EverythingAnimal Sat 10 Sep 2016, 1:35 pm

I'd also be worried about escapes and not being able to access the mice easily with two cages combined, but I guess you could do it. Perhaps something connected like this?- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDg1mWT0q90 However this one is wood so it would be easier to chew out of, and it would be hard to do at the top of the cage if that's what you're thinking.
I know there are some awesome cages available in the UK, they have many that will be plenty big. Just make sure the bar spacing is no bigger than 1/4 inch. Otherwise, tanks are always a good option, and a mesh lid provides plenty of ventilation already. If I were you I would just go with a tank and be done.

by CallaLily Sat 10 Sep 2016, 3:52 pm

In my opinion, the main concern with two separate cages/tanks connected in some way (tubes or some other small opening) is it increases the risk of a split colony. It makes it easier for one or two of the mice to claim one section and bully and shut out the other mice from that side. The fights can get pretty serious if it does happens. This can happen in very large cages sometimes too.

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