TYPES OF PETS
Amphibians
Ants
Birds
Cats
Crabs
Dogs
Fish
Frogs
Guinea Pigs
Horses
Insects
Mice/Rats
Rabbits
Reptiles
Rocks
Spiders
Turtles & Tortoises
Worms
 
PETS GALLERY
Cats
Dogs
Birds
Others
 
STORIES
Q & A
HOME
 
EMAIL
 
 

Visitor Counter by Digits


This is one pet that I've had a bit of experience with. I used to do a theme on mice with a Grade 6 class  and kept mice in the classroom which often escaped much to the dismay of the Principal. I think this was one reason I was "demoted" to Grade 5 when the opportunity arose!! I also kept mice in lovely ornate cages at home and they bred quite nicely until one day the cat tipped over the cage while it was airing in the front yard much to my kids' dismay as all the babies quickly disappeared from sight! As for rats, I haven't kept them for any length of time, they were on the menu for the snakes my son kept and often accidentally escaped when I felt sorry for them. Probably why I still have the occasional rat snacking on the wild birds' food!
 
QUICK FACTS:

Life Span - 2 years for mice, 2-4 for rats. Longest lived was 7 years.
Care - Medium maintenance
Food - Mice and rat pellets, bird seed, grain and vegetables
Housing - Mouse or rat cage, bedding and toys
GENERAL INFO:
Domestically raised mice and rats are very popular pets in the United States. They are readily available, relatively inexpensive and easy to care for. If you have no room for a pet and no backyard and want a pet but don’t want to spend a fortune on buying and feeding it then maybe a mouse or rat is just the pet for you. Mice and rats make fascinating pets. They are social, gentle creatures and cost very little to purchase. They are also cheap and easy to maintain.

Mice and rats can be housed in a variety of containers. Their rodent residence should be made of strong material that will resist the attempts of the mouse or rat to chew through it. Mice will rarely return to their cage if they escape, although by comparison, rats often do.
 
SETTING UP THE CAGE:
  • Metal or strong plastic cages are ideal. An old aquarium makes a good house as the mouse or rat cannot climb the glass walls. However, if you are using an aquarium, be sure that it has added ventilation and is in a shaded location, as it can become a very humid hot box if you are not careful.
  • Mesh cages are suitable but they must have a solid floor.
  • The cage should be as large as you can manage and preferably should have two or more levels. An upper level should be the ‘bedroom’ and should have a sleeping box such as a flowerpot or empty coconut shell, while the food and water should be in the lower ‘lounge/rumpus room’.
  • Go to the hardware store and buy PVC pipes and connectors to give your rodents some fun. They love to explore these and will rest and sleep in them too. Toilet rolls and plastic butter containers make good cubbies for mice and rats and you can buy a fascinating range of mouse and rat modular tunnels from your local pet shop as well as wheels which give endless hours of enjoyment to your mouse or rat.
  • Unscented wood chips can be used for bedding as the unscented varieties are better to avoid respiratory problems. Cedar and pine woods emit aromatic hydrocarbons that can contribute to a variety of respiratory diseases in small mammals, especially for pets kept in small enclosures with poor ventilation. Cat litter such as the paper-based litters or the lucerne -based litters  are suitable alternatives. Avoid sawdust as it is too fine and dusty.
  • Bedding should be absorbent and changed regularly to prevent smell and to promote hygiene. Two to three bedding changes per week are normally needed as rats and mice are the smelliest pets I've ever had. Shredded newspaper can be used as nesting material.
  • Although mice are very social creatures, male mice will usually fight if housed together. Therefore, males should be housed in separate containers. Male rats, on the other hand, are more tolerant of each other, and several males and females can be housed in the one cage. Some mice also eat their young so once babies, you will need to keep an eye on them.
PRO & CONS
  • Mice and rats only have a short life span so children could get upset when they pass away. However not a long term commitment.
  • Rats are usually regarded as being more docile and intelligent than mice. They seem to enjoy being handled more, they live longer and are more ‘robust’. They also seem to smell less.
  • Unlike dogs you don't have to walk them daily, and unlike dogs you can go out all day leaving them safely behind.
  • Unlike cats they do not destroy the local wild bird population.
  • Unlike rabbits they eat little, can be handled easily, and can stay indoors.
  • Rats and mice are low cost to buy, low cost of upkeep, not noisy, do not demand constant attention, and can be bred easily.
  • They are not as affectionate a pet as a guinea pig.
  • Their cages really smell if not kept clean.
  • Their cages are small enough to be portable if you are going away.
  • To keep your pet’s teeth in fine fettle, give it something to gnaw on such as a piece of raw rib or shank bone or a length of hard wood.
  • Mice and rats should not be given cheese to eat as it gives them diarrhoea.

LINKS & RESOURCES:

 

Pages  - GBK Graphics, 2007