# Need advice for taking care of my first mouse!



## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

I went to the mall, and in the mall there was one mouse left. I felt extremely bad for it, knowing it would be probably sold and fed to a snake.

This is my first non-cat/dog pet, so I'm pretty excited.

I want to eventually buy another mouse to keep it company, but when I went to a different pet store none of the females were for sale, and I don't want Nicki(That's her name) to have any babies. The person did sell me a bottle and wheel for her though. My friend gave me a cage, and a little house for her to stay in and so far she seems to love it. The clerk there who seemed very savvy about pets, more-so then the other store(which was in the mall and looked very young) said the bedding I had bought was very good.

I bought her these blocks for rats/mice as well, one a day they told me. Now are there any tips anyone you guys could give me? I'd hate to have anything bad happen to her...

About cleaning the cage though, my god father said that: "these things stink, you're gonna have to clean the cage a lot and the room is gonna smell like crap".

I was told ot clean it every 1-2 weeks. So I'd like some information about that...

I just want Nicki to be happy so yeah. Any toys I could buy for her?


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## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

The care for rats and mice is pretty different. I'd suggest joining thefunmouse or a similar forum


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

It's just because I saw a thread about a lab rat here, which is what I have... are they not mice?


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

Laboratory rats are norway rats, the kind we keep as pets.


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

But I am keeping this one as a pet... Aren't they very similar?


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Yup yup, mice are very different to rats.

Although one piece of advice I will tell you, that someone clearly told you wrong, is 1-2 weeks is WAY TO LONG to wait to clean the cage.
More like 1-2 times per week, depending on how messy she is. If you wait more then a week your room really will smell like poopy.
I have raised many mice so I would know lol.

Basic care is. Pine/Cedar bedding is highly toxic to mice, avoid seed mixes with corn and sunflower seeds. Try and find a Block food like Harlan Teklad, or LM farms. Avoid Regal rat by oxbow, it's great for rats, bad for mice.

They do best in tanks, 10 gallons is the minimum for 1-3 mice, give them lots of wood to chew, and at least an 8 inch wheel. I LOVE the Superpet wire runabout wheel 8 inches. Make she she always has acsess to fresh water from a water bottle.

If you are using a cage make sure it's 1/4 inch bar spacing, any larger and female mice can fit through. Which is why tanks are best for mice as long as they are cleaned 1-2 times a week.

Bedding I reccomend is Carefresh Ultra NOT BASIC, basic contains pine, Yetserdays news is good, as long as it in unscented.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

This is my fave wheel for mice
http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2753362
not the small one, the larger one.

Make sure she has places to hide, like tissues boxes and little igloos sold in pet stores.


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

Kiko said:


> Yup yup, mice are very different to rats.
> 
> Although one piece of advice I will tell you, that someone clearly told you wrong, is 1-2 weeks is WAY TO LONG to wait to clean the cage.
> More like 1-2 times per week, depending on how messy she is. If you wait more then a week your room really will smell like poopy.
> ...


Thanks so much! For an actual reply with help. She's playing on the wheel right now, hasn't stopped for awhile.

Could you maybe... get on MSN so I could ask you more things? I've already grown attached to her haha.

My MSN is [email protected]tmail.com

thanks so much Kiko!

She also has a place to hide already so yeah got that covered too!


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I don't have msn, but you are free to PM me here.


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

Kiko said:


> I don't have msn, but you are free to PM me here.


Anything that is live chat? I just need some sort of chat room. Yahoo messenger?


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I am doing this from my ipod so not really :/

Is there anything specific you need to know right now?


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

Kiko said:


> I am doing this from my ipod so not really :/
> 
> Is there anything specific you need to know right now?


Nothing really drastic. Just tid bits of information, which I like to hear some someone who is talking to me. I'm rather impatient so I constantly hit refresh xD 

Any other chats you use that i could maybe wait for whenever you log on? I don't really use yahoo messenger. I could add you on Yahoo from MSN correct?


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

By the way... I got CareFRESH colors... good?

Here's a video of her btw!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCc-RBWkyr8&feature=channel_video_title

I love her so much <3


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Yep ti's fine, a little pricey. Carefresh ultra is cheaper and just as good.


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

Kiko said:


> Yep ti's fine, a little pricey. Carefresh ultra is cheaper and just as good.


The pet store wasn't that big. I just bought what they had. When I run out of this I'll be sure to buy other Ultra though!


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## ratfan06 (Dec 31, 2010)

I actually use aspen for Bandit and he loves it. I've had girls before and I'll tell you, the smell thing is definitely less of a problem with girls than boys. I had two at a time and cleaning once a week, stopped any smell. I had mine, (and currently have Bandit), on a homemade mix and they did very well on it. I agree with Kiko, I think tanks seem to work best for mice. However, I do have a cage too. I use the cage during summer to avoid overheating in the tank.


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

Thanks for the advice guys!

Now she's been in her little cave all day today... should I be worried?


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## Blizaga (Apr 7, 2011)

She's out of there now, she must be nocturnal. 8D


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