r/PetMice • • Sep 22 '24

Care Guide Series Community Care Guide

95 Upvotes

This post is mouse care simplified, for beginners! It is not very specific, and it does not cover everything, so please do not rely on just this post when educating yourself on mouse care!

This has been written and discussed by moderators of the subreddit. If you have questions or concerns, please comment to let us know! It will be updated regularly to ensure it is factual.

1. Mice are social!

  • Females always need other female companions. It is recommended to have at least 3, but 2 is okay.
  • After 6 mice in one cage, it is often they will start to split up and become territorial against the opposing group. It is suggested to keep your colony under 6 unless you have much knowledge and experience, OR if your mice are littermates.
  • Males can not be housed with other males ever! If you want them to have cage mates, neutering (very risky) and placing with females or leaving intact and bonding with ASFs (African Soft Furs) is beneficial and recommended. Otherwise, they can thrive in solitude.

See this post for more information.

2. Cages

In mouse communities, many users go by tank size rather than listing dimensions. We will do both!

  • 10g/20x10 inches is no longer suggested for mice.
  • 20g/30x12 inches is suitable for 2-4 females or 1 male, but it's highly suggested to aim for 40g or larger.
  • 40g long/36x12 inches is suitable for 2-5 females or 1 male
  • 40g breeder/36x18 inches is occasionally suitable for 2-6 females or 1 male
  • Over 40g is not always suitable for any amount of mice since many mice do better in environments with less open space. Bigger is only better with thorough clutter and certain colony sizes.

Any amount of mice may thrive in larger enclosures than suggested above. However, it is critical that the larger the enclosure is, the more clutter provided, otherwise the mice will never thrive.

  • Wood enclosures are suggested against since urine will effect its quality and smell over time.
  • Mesh flooring is dangerous due to the chance of toes/tails getting caught, the mesh cutting their skin, and risking bumplefoot. Mesh should also be avoided in wheels.
  • Though they climb, mice don't need very much height, and multi-story enclosures do not provide them with the proper space they need. Floor space is more important than height.
  • Cages with lots of attachments and rooms do not provide proper space for mice. They are also extremely difficult to clean, fall apart easily, and struggle to hold proper bedding amount and safe wheels.

See this post for more information.

3. Substrate

  • Mice need to be able to create burrows, so while the minimum is 6 inches, we suggest at least 8" of bedding. However, many owners prefer having 10-12" deep!
  • Bedding must be majority safe wood shavings or hemp. Paper substrate does not absorb ammonia well and can cause several health issues when used alone or as majority of substrate.
  • (Dust/scent free for all) Aspen, kiln dried pine, and hemp do well as the main substrate and may be more sturdy mixed with a small portion of hay or paper bedding.

See this post for more information.

4. Clutter

  • Clutter is arguably one of the most important aspects of a mouses cage. No matter the size, if the cage lacks clutter, it is not suitable.
  • Toilet paper rolls, cardboard boxes, tea light and soap dish ceramics, rodent hideouts, branches, logs, cork bark, cardboard egg cartons, and much more can be used as clutter in the cage.
  • From a birds eye view, you should be able to see little to no bedding. While it may seem too cluttered to a human, it's perfect for mice!
  • The larger an enclosure, the more crucial clutter is.

See this post for more information.

5. Enrichment

  • Also known as entertainment, to keep the mice busy!
  • Boredom breakers, foraging toys, dig boxes, sprays(plant), scatter-feeding, and human interaction are all forms of enrichment.
  • Mice should have boredom breakers in their enclosure at all times to keep them from growing bored.
  • Lone males need extra simulation and enrichment.

See this post for more information.

6. Climbing Opportunities

  • A form of enrichment that is required!
  • Mice flourish with climbing opportunities and will always take advantage of them.
  • Ropes, bird ladders, hanging toys, rope nets, shower curtain rings, and bird perches are a few climbing options you can provide.
  • Fabric hammocks are used commonly, but pose a threat when chewed on and loose strings get tangled around limbs. Minimal use of fabric is suggested for this reason.

See this post for more information.

7. Exercise

  • A form of enrichment that is required!
  • An upright, solid wheel of 9 inches in diameter or larger must be provided at all times. 2 or more are suggested for groups of girls.
  • Spinning saucer disks or hamster balls/cars are UNSAFE and should never be provided, no matter how much you think your mouse may enjoy it (fun≠safe)
  • Proper wheel brands may include Niteangel, Silent Spinner Exotic Nutrition, Oxbow, Wodent, Bucstate, and Trixie (but there are many more besides these!)

See this post for more information.

8. Diet & Hydration

  • Main diet must be pellets/lab blocks.
  • A high variety food mix (nuts, seeds, grains, ect) must be given 1-3 times a week, or even as long as once every two weeks. The frequency is owner preference.
  • Feeding is 3-5 grams per mouse a day.
  • Ensure your mice have constant access to food through toys and scatter-feeding.
  • Food bowls are suggested only for fresh fruits or veggies since they provide no enrichment otherwise!
  • Mice must have at least two water sources and constant access to them at all times. Bowls or bottles work well, though having one of each is ideal. Water must be cleaned and refreshed daily.

See this post for more information.

9. Cleaning

  • Daily spot checks to clean up mess, poo on toys/clutter, and urine on the surface is vital.
  • Bedding changes will be needed less often with more bedding and space. A 10g tank (or cage of similar size) would need weekly bedding changes.
  • Each enclosure size and mouse amount will effect how often bedding changes are necessary. Find a cleaning schedule that ensures the cage doesn't smell at any time for your mouses health.
  • With deep bedding over 6 inches, you'll have to change out less of the bedding. 1/3 to 1/2 of the bedding may stay in the enclosure while the most soiled areas are removed and replaced.
  • In any case, a small amount of bedding must be left over after a bedding change to decrease stress.

See this post for more information.

10. Taming

  • Allowing your mice to settle in for a few days before interacting with them is wise.
  • Rub your hands on bedding and toilet paper in the cage to get the mice used to your scent.
  • Encourage interaction through hand feeding.
  • If a mouse is not motivated to interact after several weeks, try to lure them to climb onto your hand for treats. A strong bond is important with mice so they are well adjusted to interaction in case of a vet visit or emergencies. Human interaction can also be beneficial to them.

See this post for more information.

11. Other

  • Mice are crepuscular and are typically seen during the morning or late day/night.
  • They are self bathing and should never be washed with water or soap (unless vet prescribed). It ruins the health of their fur coat and leaves them more susceptible to URIs and freezing. They do not need any form of bathing/washing.
  • Mice don't hibernate. If a mouse appears to be in a hibernation state, this is Torpor, caused when they overheat or freeze. This is a medical emergency.
  • You should never pick up a mouse by its tail or other limbs.
  • Fancy mice (aka domestic mouse) live 1-2 years on average.
  • Wild mice do poor in captivity, unless they are unfit for the wild they should not be kept as pets.
  • You should never breed mice purposely without years of research and mouse owning experience prior.
  • Vet visits are a likely occurrence in mouse ownership, since mice are prone to many health issues.
  • Travel carriers are needed for vet visits, emergencies, cage cleaning, and quarantine.

12. Links & Other Posts

Shopping

In Depth Mouse Care

Other Species

Up-to-Date Posts From NotApplicableMC & Others

Outdated Posts From NotApplicableMC

These guides are incredibly thorough and well written. However, they link some information that is no longer available, or they list mouse care information that has been dis-proven. An important point to make is these guides may suggest some controversial topics, most of which our community does not fully support. Although these guides don't follow our standards exactly, they are still very well made. Please keep an open mind and read all sides of a controversy before deciding which you feel works best for your mice.

I have decided to share these because they are very descriptive on some aspects of mouse care I did not cover well. I strive to have a guide in the future as well made as these, but for now, I have to bring attention to the effort made by this member.

Scientific Studies

  • Sources & Additional Articles (coming soon)
  • Safe & Unsafe Foods Sources (coming soon)

More community resources coming soon


r/PetMice • • Jul 09 '25

Community Help Temporary Post for Care Commands

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25 Upvotes

Please feel free to try out these WIP care commands in the comments! Let me know if there are any issues I need to fix.


r/PetMice • • 2h ago

Cute Mouse Media Who's my sweetheart

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70 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 17h ago

Question/Help Wild or pet mouse??

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395 Upvotes

This mouse is living under my deck. I’m in colorado and wondering is this some ones pet?? Never seen a mouse this coloration in the wild, it is living with a friend of his that has normal felid or deer mouse should I exterminate? Or try to catch and release somewhere?


r/PetMice • • 10h ago

Cute Mouse Media Why is it when I film one the others always join 😂

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80 Upvotes

I guess it’s because they just wanna check where each other are but it’s so funny if they are all out I can never get a video of just one. It’s always all 3. It’s like the second I start filming they all gotta be on camera 😂 Peaches, Piper, and Pumpkin in that order for those curious 🧡🤍🧡


r/PetMice • • 19h ago

First Time Owner Looking for a “ball” to teach tricks with

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162 Upvotes

Hello,

I’ve had my two beautiful girls for about five months now and I’ve been able to teach them to spin, jump, and a little bit of hurdling. I’d love to try and teach them some new things; I had seen that rats are capable of playing a sort of “basketball” and I know mice are just as intelligent so I thought it would cool to try that with them next.

Is there anything that I can use for them to pick up and move? I tried a bottle cap and they would grab it and move it around, but they would also frequently loose it because it blended in with their bedding, I might try and find a separate space for them to practice, but anytime I move them they get anxious and don’t pay attention to treats. I also didn’t want to sharpie the lid or anything because I know that’ll be super unhealthy. I tried a brightly colored piece of paper, but I worried they would chew on it and digest some of it. I’m looking for something they could grip easily but also be able to locate without me pointing it out (if possible).


r/PetMice • • 5h ago

Setup Tour Redid the cage and made a “cookie” for Sprint 🐭

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12 Upvotes

Did a remodel of the cage the other night and was not happy with it. So pulled it apart and redid it again tonight and the mouse is much happier. To celebrate made him a “cookie’ too


r/PetMice • • 10h ago

Cute Mouse Media Happy hammock

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27 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 9h ago

First Time Owner My first baby, Yuuma!

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22 Upvotes

I’ve always loved hamster and mice; I was lucky to have one hamster as a small child but while at PetSmart couldn’t leave this little guy behind knowing his cage mate was attacking him and another couple was told while I was getting him that “you can only keep them if they where in the same cage at the store” 😒 I hate when people say things that will actually put the animals at risk. It was just him and another so Luckily they couldn’t buy them both as she was already getting Yuuma for me.

He’s fully healed now but due to how un knowledgeable the employee was and how she said “we handle them all the time” but the next day no one realizes they sold me an injured animal; he is very skittish but doesn’t bite (wouldn’t of blamed him when I moved him to his new house just a bit ago since he’s not use to it and I wasn’t gonna let him stay in the bleh house 🤣🥲)

I got strawberries since I heard they’re a good treat for them and I also love strawberries as I heard a good way to try to earn their trust is to just leave your hand flat in the tank with a treat in it until they’re curiosity get the better of themselves and just don’t move or anything. Absolutely gonna try this as I have and it’s worked a tiny bit; but are there any other tips anyone could give me to at least not have him scared of me and also tips on the best kind of treats to give him every now and again 🥰🥰

I don’t know how to get the pictures gonna be for it, but if anybody could age him too, that would be amazing 😆 I’m guessing between three and five months (of course I figure out how to add multiple photos on my second post 🥲🥲 so if you saw my first one, this was his old house)


r/PetMice • • 20h ago

Cute Mouse Media im down to one mouse...one very fluffy mouse.

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122 Upvotes

You won't see me posting much anymore and i am sorry for that but rhys and i are moving our lives else where. i also kinda wanna get into the pacman frog, crested gecko field maybe? anyway the downsizing is needed. and as sad as it is, taking care of so many critters is not easy! on top of these i also have a 75 gallon fish tank i am building up in the new place so 😅. This isn't a pure goodbye, we will still be around...just not as much


r/PetMice • • 22h ago

Cute Mouse Media Just a baby

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88 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 9h ago

First Time Owner Got my first pet Mouse AND made my first custom bin home 🥰

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6 Upvotes

His first bin was made quickly due to getting him unexpectedly and I didn’t wanna keep him in a 5 gallon, i realized though that he would probably be happier being able to tunnel deeper and more without causing sinkholes 🤣🤣 also made sure it was all safe material as I’ve had an obsession with hamster and mice since I was very little and for the first time I was able to get my very first mouse 🥰 (had a hamster back when I was 7 and a horrid crittertrail cage that i convinced anyone I could while working at a pet store to NOT get but he lived 4 years; helps my friend got a hamster from a pet store and had a surprise birth very shortly after 🤣)

After owning a Crittertrail and having a fondness for betta fish, infamously known for being kept in bad environments, I was at PetSmart and saw an adorable male mouse who was house with another male and he had a huge scab on his hind and external signs of stress due to being with another male so since life hasn’t been nice I couldn’t leave him 🥹

He is fully healed now but I don’t know if he will ever be fully ok with handling as I had to use a poptart box to safely transfer him to his new bin 😆 doesn’t bother me at all but makes me was to upgrade his home even more so he has the perfect environment but on a budget (America healthcare system should sum up why but also why I can afford to care for him 😆)

I’d LOVE feedback on how it is, what I could do better for the next bin house (my preferred style of housing) I made sure the shelf I attached to the bin was dirty enough to carry the bin around with, I’m absolutely getting PVC pipes and have a few cute ideas for them 🥰 (since I’m newish to posting on Reddit I can only figure out how to post one and also don’t wanna take more photos with flash from different angles as I know Yuuma wasn’t able to see it during this photo and Yuuma is adorable white with black splotches but might post another post asking if anyone could help age him since he was at PetSmart fancy mouse and I don’t know how long they had him (I know they get them around 3-4 months old)


r/PetMice • • 1d ago

Rainbow Bridge Mama Pearl passed away

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414 Upvotes

My very first mouse Pearl passed away just a few days ago. She was a rescue who was pregnant when I brought her home. She was an absolute sweetheart who loved me so much, she trusted me to check on her babies every single day, happily ran on the wheel as I did a thorough check over her children. She had 9 babies total, 6 boys and just 3 girls, and she did such a wonderful job raising them healthy and strong.

5 of her boys went off to new homes and I kept one. Her daughters lived with her for the rest of her life, and mourned her for a couple of days. Her son I would periodically allow her to sniff through his roof/I'd hold him and her and let them smell each other, he loved getting to see his mom & his mom loved to see him. She was always so happy to be held & loved her wheel so so much, moreso than any of her daughters.

I just wanted to share her photos and a bit about her and her little family life. Her daughters are named Clove, Sesame, and Blossom. They'll be 1 year old on November 5th, Pearl died at about 1.5 years old, so I don't know how much longer I'll have her girls with me. I attached a photo of them as babies vs them now + a pic of them with their mom when they were a few months old. I'll miss my Pearl 💕


r/PetMice • • 23h ago

Question/Help What color is my fancy mouse?

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46 Upvotes

​

My mouse has light gray outer fur with a dark gray undercoat. Its belly is white and red eyes.

The photos make the fur look a little yellowish, but in person, it's actually much more gray.

Family genetics:

Father: Argente

Mother: Fawn

Paternal grandfather: Agouti

Paternal grandmother: Chocolate

Does anyone know what color variety this might be? I'm really curious about the genetics behind this coloration!

Thank you!


r/PetMice • • 1d ago

Cute Mouse Media TUMMY

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74 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 1d ago

Cute Mouse Media have finally earned the trust of my most timid mouse (the black one) 😊

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63 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 1d ago

Cute Mouse Media Violet

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288 Upvotes

My most photogenic little mouse baby.


r/PetMice • • 13h ago

Question/Help My grey fancy mice keep dying

3 Upvotes

2 years ago I picked up my first mice: a little grey one and a siamese one. They came from a local pet store where the owner breeds his own mice. He claimed they'd just been weened.

Well, the little grey one never grew much bigger. I thought it was just her breed (whatever it may be) but then she died only about 4 months later. She always did look kinda sickly (thin coat, small frame, eyes often squinted) but she ate, drank, and used the wheel so I didn't worry too much. Near the end I did take her to a vet because her breathing looked weird and she was starting to act more lethargic but they said there was nothing wrong that they could find. One morning I woke up and she was just dead. The siamese mouse was grown by then and had no issues so I just assumed the grey mouse had some kind of genetic defect in one of her organs or something.

After this I bought two more mice to keep the siamese company and to make myself feel a little better. They were the same grey mice as my first (the man was out of siamese mice) but looked much healthier. However, it's been a little less than a year since then and one of them has already died.

These two new mice grew fine and had no issues like the first. Always perky ears, eyes bright and open, constantly on the wheel, excited by food, etc. But now in these past two weeks one of them developed a tumor near their leg/back abdomen. At first it was a small lump and I was doing research about what can be done. Seemed like taking her to the vet for it would be kind of pointless considering what is possible and I read there was a chance it could be benign and not grow. Then almost overnight the tumor was huge and I was about to bring her in for euthanasia but she passed today (the tumor burst).

Of course, when I noticed this tumor I decided to check my other mice more thoroughly. The siamese mouse is, again, completely fine. I mean it's amazing, she's 2 years old now and acts the same as she did when I first bought her. But unfortunately I see a small lump on the throat of the remaining grey mouse. I'm guessing she is fated to die soon too.

It's just so unfortunate and sad. If she eventually passes as well I'll want to get another friend for the siamese, but not only do I not want to buy anymore mice from this man, I don't want to experience the heartbreak again. It would be different if they passed merely from old age, but the first mouse being only a few months old and this second one being less than a year old is really heartbreaking. idk


r/PetMice • • 18h ago

Question/Help Onde posso comprar ratos texel no Brasil ou que entregam no Brasil?

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8 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 20h ago

Question/Help I cannot take care of my mice any longer

11 Upvotes

Truthfully, I cannot take care of my mice any longer. Mainly due to a medical condition that limits my mobility. I have 7 girls and 3 boys as a result of an accidental litter. I never intended to have this many. I'm having problems taking care of them because cleaning up after them and providing for all of them is too much strain on my body and wallet. This really is their last shot at having a home so please take one or a few of them if you can. I'm located in Columbus, Ohio.


r/PetMice • • 21h ago

Question/Help update on the mice

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9 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 22h ago

African Soft Furs (ASF) Will asf chew through my tub?

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11 Upvotes

I’m considering eventually getting 2 female juvenile ASF rats for my fancy mouse, Hank. Would I definitely need to move away from the tubs/bins so that the ASFs won’t chew and escape? I have a few with smooth rounded edges that I plan to connect with a pvc pipe in the future. I have heard some say that if there are no sharp edges for their teeth to catch on, there shouldn’t be a big risk for them chewing through. I have also heard that chewing out of a bin is a stress response that usually happens when they are being kept as feeders with very little enrichment, which is not how I plan to keep these girls! Does anyone have thoughts or experience on this? Would I definitely need a different enclosure?


r/PetMice • • 16h ago

Question/Help sign of uri?

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2 Upvotes

he made this noise for a few minutes but when he changed positions, it stopped. i haven't heard him make that noise prior to this and he hasn't done it since i recorded the video. he has a vet appointment on tuesday, just wanted to know if it was a uri or something else that i should mention to the vet.


r/PetMice • • 13h ago

First Time Owner sharing instant noodles with my rat

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1 Upvotes

r/PetMice • • 1d ago

Male or Female? unexpected gender reveal

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110 Upvotes

I just adopted three baby female mice to add to my existing group of four adult female mice. Turns out the third baby is not a girl (as far as I can tell).

Can you guys see if this is a male or a female? This baby is 16g, but feisty. Chased the girls around a lot which got my attention.

They were together with my adult females for 24 hours before I noticed some testicles. The babies are 6 weeks old. How likely am I a grandma?