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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 9, 2004 21:19:54 GMT -4
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Post by mishimouse on May 11, 2004 0:13:48 GMT -4
Yup, I just saw that a minute ago. Interesting stuff. I'm glad people are starting to think of mice as pets now rather than vermin. I have 18 mice myself and I love them to bits - even my bad-tempered ones. I am a breeder, rescuer, and owner of mice and I will never regret getting into them. I still have my first pair of female mice (I have had males before), Anastasia and Felicity. They came here in September 2004 and I have lost many a mouse but I still have my two original girls. They are sisters, and they do not live together anymore (Felicity had a problem being in a cage with a young 4 week old mouse and had to be kept with a different posse of girls) but they do get to be together during their playtimes.  |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 11, 2004 1:08:21 GMT -4
SS, tell us more about having mice, for those who never had any. What are the needs, and problems? Just the basics. Thanks. ("Bad-tempered ones"?).
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Post by mishimouse on May 11, 2004 18:03:31 GMT -4
HOW MANY MICE? Mice are very social creatures and enjoy being in groups or pairs. You can keep both males and females in same-sex groups, but many have had males start fighting and sometimes have to be seperated. If you are getting mice, it is advised to get a same-sex pair of females if you are a first-timer. HOUSING The best housing is a tub with a wire mesh top, an aquarium (ten gallons or larger), or a wire cage made especially for mice as they can easily fit through the bars on a hamster cage if they are wide enough. ACCESSORIES/NESSICITIES Mice should have a: • Wheel - must be solid, dwarf sized SuperPet Comfort Wheels work wonders • Waterbottle - Flat-bac waterbottles from SuperPet work best with a suction cup on the back for aquariums and tubs • Food-bowl - best to use a food-bowl that is made especially for dwarf hamsters It is not required, but is nice to have: • Hiding place - mice enjoy running through them and using them as sleeping places • Toilet paper rolls - mice LOVE chewing on these and running through them FEEDING It is best to feed a rat/mouse mix rather than a hamster/gerbil mix. I also feed Forti-Diet Lab Blocks to my mice. More information soon! That is what I posted in the Care Thread on mice. It's not much but if you are getting mice feel free to ask me any questions.  I have only one mouse with a bad temperment and she was a petstore bought female. Her name is Louise, she's a beautiful little thing but a real *****.  |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 11, 2004 21:45:17 GMT -4
Thanks.
More than two female gerbils is not advised as the possibility of fighting significantly increases. Are groups of 3 or 4 females possible?? Two in a ten gallon seems very few owing to their size.
I guess their pee smell isn't too bad. (?).
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Post by mishimouse on May 11, 2004 22:34:31 GMT -4
You can keep quite a few more in a 10 gallon tank! Breeders keep 10 females per 10 gallon and 5 males per 10 gallon. I personally wouldn't do this though - here's my list:
Cage 1 - 6 females
Cage 2 - 4 males
Cage 3 - 2 males
Cage 4 - 1 male
Cage 5 - 4 females
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Post by mishimouse on May 11, 2004 22:37:05 GMT -4
I guess their pee smell isn't too bad. (?). Not at all. I cannot seem to find any odor from their urine. |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 11, 2004 23:09:01 GMT -4
Interesting about the urine.
So what is the best numberof females for a ten gallon tank?? Is sexing very hard - it sure was with dwarf hamsters?
Are they bitey at all?
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Post by mishimouse on May 11, 2004 23:16:06 GMT -4
If you tame them right from the start, they are great when it comes to handling. They aren't very bitey, they can be quite skittish though. My mice that were born here are all very sweet and love being handle because I've been holding them from day one. They are nothing like hamsters, you don't have to wait two weeks to handle babies - I handle mine right when they are newborns. I'd say 5 - 6 females per tank is a good amount for a 10 gallon. Sexing is fairly easy, it is sometimes hard to determine males from females so you have to let the mouse relax on your hand and if it's a male his bits will pop out. ;D I have both male and female mice and sexing was very easy. |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 11, 2004 23:20:38 GMT -4
Sounds good. Owing to their small size, and a free tank I just got, plus an extra water bottle and Comfort Wheel, I will see what the pet stores have, or e-mail the breeder in that article.
What is a fair price for one mouse, or half a dozen as a group? (Fancy mice, that is).
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Post by mishimouse on May 11, 2004 23:27:33 GMT -4
For my fancy mice that came from a petstore, I paid about $1.39 each so for six that would be about $9.
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 11, 2004 23:57:10 GMT -4
A lot cheaper than guinea pigs!
I sent an e-mail off to the person in that article. I suppose I will get a response tomorrow or Thursday. I'll let you know. . .
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Post by mishimouse on May 12, 2004 13:48:41 GMT -4
Yup, a lot cheaper than pigs. I paid $30 each for my piggers. Good luck getting the mice, DF! |
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Post by Die Fledermaus on May 13, 2004 20:24:43 GMT -4
Yes, that's about what the prices were for GP's I saw. Not cheap when you need two. But I need more space, more time, more GP knowledge, and an appropriate habitat. I had considered the current rabbit cage for GP's before I got the bunny; of course now the cage has the bunny in it, although she is often out roaming around. That reminds me, that cage has three levels and two ramps. are ramps safe for GP's?? (Or would they fall off?). Here's the response I got from the mouse guy: >> Hi, having a crazy week here, will get back to you in the next few days... mike <<  |
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Post by mishimouse on May 13, 2004 23:59:05 GMT -4
Great! Hope you get the mice. They are addicting, I'll tell you that. ;D
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