# Mice as pets?



## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Ok I found 2 baby mice a while ago which is how I got started on this forum & owning rats. I hand fed them & raised them (they were domestic mice...still never found out where they came from)
Anyway they were male & female, I gave the female to a friend who had other mice & kept the male...he passed away not too long ago. He was a wonderful little guy, huge personality & um stinky ...but once he matured he seemed to get super aggressive....to the point he would bite EVERY time we tried to get him out...you would have never guessed he was hand raised!
I would like to own another mouse...I miss the little guy! He was fun to watch...would you recommend females this time? Do they still get aggressive when they mature or are they a bit more easy going?
Also, do they have a bad odor or is that just the males?
He had no smell whatsoever...until his boy parts appeared...then it was like instant odor! LOL.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

This was the little guy...some of you may remember him. His name was 'Mickey' (daughter named him lol)  & yes he was FAT lol my daughter constantly gave him tidbits she was quite attached.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I've never had mice, but this is what I know

Females are recommended as they do not smell as badly, but they have to live in groups. Males have to live alone.

I believe females are more easy going then the males, but it could of just been your guy because I've heard even male mice are extremely nice to people.


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## TheGirls2012 (Jan 8, 2013)

I've had both males and females. The females do smell a lot less and are a tad sweeter. But, I've had males that have been sweet as well. Maybe your little guy got aggressive after he hit a certain age? He sure was a cute little guy, though. :O)


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

I have had both males and females and have had mice for years. JD is my first male and I adore him. He has a slight smell compared to females, but I think 3 females create alot of ammonia and males have more musk. Males honestly have a wonderful personality as they totally rely on you for interaction where females have other females. My male will walk out onto my hand and happily take treats from me, whereas only ONE of my many many females I have owned and rescued as done that.


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## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

I have nine mice (Just adopted 3 more today off of craigslist). They are all females and currently my six girls are kept in a 10 gallon tank (four are young so I'm building a bin cage that I will move them in before the young ones get full grown). They don't smell at all. I clean their tank every week (sometimes every week and a half). 

I only had an issue with my two mice (I started out with two) fighting each other, but that stopped immediately once I added more mice to the group (which I was recommended to do by a person who has studied mice for 18? years). I've never once been bitten by a mouse.

Males do not have to live alone, but sometimes males will often fight if they're not related to each other. (I've heard of many people keeping a father and son together). Males have an extreme odor. I had a male mouse for 3 days and had to return him to the pet store because of the smell (I couldn't have kept him because I was in an apartment and I didn't have anywhere to keep him outdoors). I honestly didn't think it would be that bad, but an hour after I put him in the cage it smelled like I imagine my females' tank would smell if I didn't change their bedding for several weeks.


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## Awaiting_Abyss (Jul 24, 2012)

All but one of my females seek my attention and actually climb onto my hand if its in reach for them. Even if I'm just putting my hand in the tank to give them food or something, they will try to climb my hand (and often they succeed). I think how tame they are depends on how much time you spend with them and their personalities; not gender.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Hmmm...not sure why my boy got so aggressive then especially as we always interacted with him & I hand raised him from a little fuzzy with his eyes closed. Could have been my cat freaking him out...but he was a pretty bold & confident lil guy! He didn't seem like he was phased by my cat.He didn't live very long, but I don't think he had an illness...he was chubby & showed no sign at all of any health issues.But...I suppose like with any animal, they all have their different personalities...he may have just been a feisty fellow!I think I will def give females a try...idk if I would want that smell back in my house haha! And if females seem to be more easy going then that's an even bigger reason to try them out.


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

I love mice. Though not as social as rats and they don't bond as well to people (as far as I've experienced) they are fun to watch and cool to hang out with. I've currently got two little boys-well one is "my little brother's" but I take care of it. They're brothers named Zim and Gir. I've had many mice, though, as well as rats. I like them both in their own ways  





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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Am probably going to get 2 mice this week sometime or maybe next week depending on things. Will post pics as soon as I get them


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

Just beware that males WILL fight each other. So if you are getting two, maybe get girls 


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Oh I totally plan to get girls! As much as I loved my boy, I don't think I could handle having that smell back in my house lol...don't think my fiance will be too happy either!


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## Rodents=Love256 (Aug 26, 2012)

Oh my gosh mice!!
Mice!
Love them.
Mice were my first rodent pets! 


I acquired my first male from a friend who was breeding them for her snake.(Amos)
When he died, I got four girls from the same friend. (Lily, Estella, Lil'Miss, and Winky) Each time I got them as babies. The girls lived to a ripe old age, one making it to two and a half years old! Pretty incredible, if you ask me. I got a black mouse, (Paranelle) who was in a feeder bin and was looking quite beat up. I nursed her back to health and got her a friend. Later I got three more because I always make sure the females have a buddy living with them, so when one would die, Id get a new one so theyd be kept company.(Abbey, Arianna, Sprout) Then, I got a little female at the local pet shop. (Treacle) A week in to owning her, she had blown up like a golf ball. Soon I had NINE squirming pinkies, 5 boys and 4 girls. (Aberforth, Oliver, Snitch, Norbert, Tiny/Dobby, Slivia, Lacey, Minerva, Fleur) I refused to give them away, and I still have 8 of them, one, Minerva, has passed away. 

Well, theres my mouse story. I think Ill make a thread and post their pictures 

Anyway.
Males: Are very stinky. Sorry boys. You will need to change the tank every three days or so. They pee and scent mark everything. None of mine bite and they tolerate being held, thats only because I handled them since they were babies. But the males WILL fight. Mine were raised together. They were fine until about a week after reaching sexual maturity. There was blood and fights and it was downright horrid. Now, everyone has his own cage. All over my room. 3 of my boys are hyper and dont sit still. However, two of them will just chill out in my hand, have a cornflake. Very chill.

Females: Not too smelly! I found that my girls were more timid if left alone for periods of time. The run away when you reach in the cage moreso than boys. But once gentled down they are so sweet! Whats great about girls is watching a group of at least three run about and play. They are soooo amusing to watch. I never watch TV, I watch my mice. All of my females have died of tumors, they are prone to them. So watch out for lumps and bumps, if it is hard, its a tumor. If it is squishy, it is an abscess and can sometimes be drained, if the mouse is put on antibiotics they can live. Anyway, females are pretty much always on the move. 

Well theres my long post on mice. Haha. If you wanna talk about em, I will, for hours.










This is Silvia, my smallest, fastest mouse!


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## ratjes (Mar 26, 2011)

The reason he was aggressive might be from being handraised so he imprinted on people and regarded you as one of his to boss around. It is common with all pets that are handrised wheter they are horses, cat or dogs.
I have had mice throughout my life and the males have all been great. Some of the females were kind bitchy towards their sisters. I think three females will not smell worse than 1 male. But you just clean the cage when it is needed. I love my mousies (and rats).


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

I'm not sure now if I'm going to get any mice...I'm torn between that or to add a new reptile to my mini collection...gonna think it through before I make a decision.Thanks for all your tips tho, much appreciated!


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## windyhill (Apr 19, 2008)

I have several mice.
Males do best alone and females do best in groups
Males smell, no matter how much or how often you clean.

Mice can be friendly, but not like rats.


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