AY Honors/Small Mammal Pets/Answer Key
Fancy mice ("fancy", in this context, means "hobby") are domesticated versions of the common or house mouse (Mus musculus).
Physical description
Fancy mice are approximately 16-18 cm long from nose to the tip of the tail, and weigh about 35 g for females and 50 g for males. Most mice come in black, brown, or white, but others, such as show mice, can come in blue, champagne, white (albino), chocolate, cream, dove, fawn, lilac, red, silver, or cinnamon. Female mice are called does and males are called bucks.
Mice as pets
Mice are kept as pets because they are small, inexpensive, keep themselves clean, and they generally have a good temperament. Female mice may be a better choice because they get along with each other and their urine does not smell. Bucks will fight with each other and produce an odor. It is a good idea to have two does together for comapany since mice are sociable animals. If a buck and a doe are put in the same cage they will keep reproducing as much as possible until separated.
Mice should be kept in well-ventilated areas. Fish tanks or cages with bars and plastic flooring make good housing. The best products to have inside the cages are hay, wood shavings, or newspaper. Small hideaways and toys (such as a cardboard tube) are also good to have in the cage.
Feeding is inexpensive; a good mouse food mix from a pet store will do. The occasional dog biscuit can be good for their teeth and provide protein. They should have clean water at all times and pregnant does can benefit from milk.
Cat owners must make sure the mouse's housing is secure.
Breeding mice
Bucks and does should be housed in separate enclosures until you want to breed. When the time comes you can place them together. When they have mated remove the male to stop him from remating with the female or harming the young. Several does can have their young together; they will keep all their young in one place. The young mice will suckle the mother, then wean onto solids. Then it is a good idea to move them into two separate cages, one for males and the other for females, at 5 weeks old. Make sure bucks have contact with other male mice, not only their siblings, or they may not be able to live with older males later on.
Mice clubs
Many fancy mice clubs have been set up around the globe. Shows are also held so owners can display their mice. See External links below.
External links
- Rat & Mouse Club of America
- Mice as Pets
- Varieties of Fancy Mice
