Mouse Care 101

   So, you want to get a pet mouse? Did you finally convince your parents that this cute creature was made for you to take care of? Or maybe, you might have just randomly found this article and in no way whatsoever are interested in mice... Either way, here are the basics of caring for your pet mouse!

    1. PRE ADOPTION

        Before you get your pet mouse, you'll need a decent sized cage with climbing space as well as at least 10 inches of floor space, bedding (preferably without dust, so no saw dust, aspen shavings or
 anything that causes dust to "fly" if you place or move your hand in this bedding. That sentence was
 probably very confusing, what I'm trying to say is that if you have bedding that emits lots of dust, it
can get in your tiny mouse's nose, eyes and mouth, this usually provokes allergies or other sicknesses
along the way). You will also need mouse food, a food bowl, a water bottle or a water bowl 
(though I highly recommend a bottle as it more practical and cleaner for you and your mouse). A
 staple for your mousie would be a wheel because, in the wild, they run several miles a day. The last
thing you will need is fleece or nesting material as well as a small hideout to make their nest,
remember;if you pick up their nest or move it a lot, you can break their trust. Imagine if a giant would
 destroy your home, your safe place even only one time, it wouldn't really be a safe place anymore.

  2. GETTING YOUR PET MOUSE

*pet mice live to be from 1 to 3 years old, the average being two years.

Now that you've gotten the basic setup for your pet, you can either adopt one from a shelter or rescue
 one from being eaten alive at a pet store. Your choice... You should know that a female and a male
mouse should not be mixed or you will definitely find up to 13 babies in 20 days... Males should not
be mixed either, I only know a few people who have male mice that get along well together. Female
mice should always be in a group of three. It should also be noted that boy mice have a certain
odor that can be "controlled" by a deodorizing powder. Do not clean male cages too often, at least
once a week and when you do, leave some old bedding in as they are territorial animals, they will still
 have some of their scents in the cage. The last thing you should keep in mind is to love your pet
mouse as much as you can!