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. As fancy mice have a different process of natural selection than their wild cousins, they come in a variety of colors and patterns. Most fancy mice tend to be black, brown, or white in their primary color, but others (blue, champagne, white-albino, chocolate, cream, dove, fawn, lilac, red, silver, or cinnamon) in color are available. Female mice are called does and males are called bucks.
Mice as pets
Mice are kept as pets in many countries for a number of reasons. Fancy mice are small, inexpensive, clean, and generally have a good temperament. Female mice are more popular with many owners since they tend to cohabitate with other mice better than males. Additionally, the urine of female fancy mice does not contain as strong of an odor as that of the male mice. Bucks will fight with each other, unless they were introduced at a very young age, and they produce urine with a strong, musky smell. Some people, however, prefer the personality and curiosity of male mice. It is a good idea to keep fancy mice in pairs if possible, since they are sociable animals. However, if a buck and a doe of breeding age are put in the same cage they will keep reproduce every three weeks 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 for in-cage bedding are aspen wood shavings, dried corn cob, or a commercial paper-based material. Mice can also be given newspaper with black-and-white printing for nesting. Small hide-aways and toys (such as a cardboard tube) are also good to have in the cage.
Food for fancy mice is relatively inexpensive. Veterenarians generally recomend a product called lab block, a scientifically-formulated blend originally desinged for mice in laboratories. Dry dog food is another good option when lab block is unavailable, as it offers balanced nutrition for a mouse and helps keep their teeth conditioned. In order to keep variety in their diets, mice can also eat oats, oily seeds, clean egg shell, breakfast cereal, and stale bread. They should also have clean water at all times and some sort of chewing wood in order to keep their teeth from growing too long.
Cat owners must also take special precautions to ensure that the mouse's housing is secure, as even the friendliest of domestic cats have been known to torment or kill fancy mice if given the chance.
Breeding mice
Mice should not be bred before 12 weeks or after 8 months. Doing so can be very dangerous and some mice can even die while giving birth. Don't forget, when a mouse gets to 9 months old they are already OAPS!
Bucks and does should be housed in separate enclosures until you want to breed. When the time comes you can place them together. Place the doe in the buck's tank, otherwise the doe will fight with the buck to defend her territory. Does come into heat around every five days, so it is best to leave them together for ten days or so.
You can tell when a mouse is pregnant because they grow very round, almost looking like they have 'swallowed a golf ball'. After 18-21 days a doe may give birth from as little as 1 baby to 32! 8-12 babies is most likely though. Its best to remove the buck otherwise he will mate with the female as soon as the first litter is born, putting a huge strain on the mother, unborn litter and the new babies.
Baby mice (pups) are born blind, naked and death. Their eyes are closed and ears are stuck to the sides of their heads. It’s best to leave the mother alone for a while, otherwise she might panic and eat the babies. She might also eat any dead or sickly offspring, getting the litter down to a reasonable size. You can tell if the babies have drank any milk for thier tummies turn white.
Hair begins to grow at two to four days; you can see what the patches in marked mice will look like now. Ears open at three to five days and they start squeaking more. Eyes open at 14 days and now the babies will start exploring the world around them. At 3 weeks old they look like a miniture version of adult mice. At 4-5 weeks pups must be seperated otherwise they will breed with their siblings.
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.
