Housing Your Mice

Mice are very easy to please and can be kept in a variety of environments, both shop-bought and homemade.

Wire Cages:
Advantages-
· They often come in a variety of different sizes and shapes, and often have many levels.
· The mouse can exercise her natural climbing ability all over the bars
· Things such as water bottles and hanging toys are easy to attach.
· They are relatively lightweight.
· The bottom is usually removable, and this allows for easy cleaning.
· Excellent ventilation.

Disadvantages-
· They can be very draughty.
· Bedding is easily kicked out all over the surrounding area.
· Mice need cages with a bar width of 8mm or less, any larger and they will be able to squeeze through.
· If the bottom or any of the levels are mesh floored, nasty calluses and sores can arise on the mouse's feet. A sheet of Perspex, lino or wood can sort this. However, beware of wood as urine can soak in, but even that is preferable to a wire floor.

Aquariums
Advantages-
· Completely draught proof.
· The smooth floor is easy on the feet.
· Urine cannot soak in, however, corners must be paid special attention when cleaning out or these will harbour germs.
· There is no chance of little Houdini escaping through any bars.
· The sides cannot be chewed.
· The single floor layout and warmth natural to an aquarium makes a perfect home for elderly or sick mice.

Disadvantages-
· Aquariums are cumbersome and heavy.
· The lids supplied with them do not have enough air holes, so a mesh one must be constructed. It should be remembered that the tank would most definitely need a firmly attached or weighted down lid.
· It is difficult to attach things like water bottles so a wire harness should be made that hooks over the top of the tank.
· If aquariums are placed in the sun, a greenhouse effect will occur, and the mice inside will over heat.

In the old days people would make their mouse cages out of plywood with zinc mesh ventilation. A lot of people these days choose to make their own cages out of plastic tubs and 5mm mesh. Really Useful Boxes seem to be the most widely used as they are very sturdy even when panels are taken out. You can find out more about converting RUBs into mouse cages here (many thanks to Woodland Mousery for allowing me to link to this page). You can also use plastic aquariums and vivariums, such as the Exo-Terra Faunariums and Marchioro Aquazoos.

Mice love to make nests and this natural behaviour should be encouraged by providing hay, Safe Bed or shredded paper for them to weave. The fluffy cotton wool type hamster bedding is highly unsuitable as it can be swallowed and choke your mouse or tangle up in the bowel, or it can get wrapped around limbs and cut off the blood flow.

Bedding can be a variety of materials, most commonly used are wood shavings (not cedar as this is poisonous), hemp (common brands are Aubiose and Hemcore), shredded cardboard, Megazorb and paper based cat litter (such as Bio Catolet).

Mice love to climb and gnaw, and will appreciate toys such as ladders, tubes, apple tree branches and cardboard boxes. You'll find a lot of interesting toys suitable for mice in the parrot and cage bird section in the pet shops.

The cage should be cleaned out once weekly, providing the cage is big enough. If the mouse does not urinate in the nest, this does not need changing so often. I have found that it is a good idea to spray the corner(s) used for urinating with a pet disinfectant, which are sold in most good pet shops. Failing this, an extremely diluted household disinfectant can be used, although this is not ideal. Be sure you don't make the cage too clean though, or the mice will double their scenting efforts in order to make it smell more like their territory.