Fancy Mice Care
- Mice need 8" or larger wheel and/or a medium size saucer. Smaller wheels/saucers can cause spine and tail damage
- Mice love to climb!
- Bedding should be 2"-6" deep
- Recommended substrates are Aspen, Kiln Dried Pine or Hemp. Paper bedding has been scientifically proven to not absorb the ammonia from their urine & is not recommended.
- Bigger is not always better for mice! Keep in mind that mice are bottom of the food chain prey animals & that fancy mice come from house mice. Where do house mice live? In walls, drawers, etc... really anyplace small enough for them to feel safe. Per scientific studies, the recommendation is 50-100 square inches per mouse. This means a 40-gallon tank needs a minimum of 7-8 mice.
- Mice love clutter! The more places they have to hide, the better! Cardboard items make great cheap/free clutter items
- Rodents have constantly growing teeth, make sure to provide wooden chews.
- Popular enclosures are tanks, terrariums, DIY bin cages & bar cages! The "fun" cages pet stores sell are not appropriate for any small animal, these include PetSmart's Tiny Tales cages and Critter Trails.
- Mice should be fed lab blocks; these contain all the needed nutrients. Seed mixes should be avoided as anything other than a treat; mice tend to only eat the "yummy" parts...which means they don't end up getting all the nutrients they need.
- Mice are granivores, they do not need fruits & veggies. Fruits are high in sugar and veggies have a high-water content, which can cause diarrhea. You can give them very tiny amounts of fruits/veggies as treats if you'd like, but they do not actually need them nutritionally.
- Mites and other parasites can come into your home via bedding, wooden toys & food. It is a good practice to freeze everything in a freezer for a bare minimum of 24 hours prior to putting any into your pets enclosure.
- The most common illnesses mice can suffer are upper respiratory infections and parasites such as mites, lice & worms. If you believe your mouse is sick or shows symptoms of parasites, see your exotics vet as soon as possible. Mice can go downhill quickly without medical care!
- Male mice must live solo, once male mice are mature they can, and will, seriously maim & kill one another. Bucks make great pets & are little attention hogs!
- Female mice must live in groups of 3 or more.
Fancy Rat Care
Another option is DIY bin cages! The 50gal storage bin sold at hardware stores makes a fun & customizable cage option. You’ll need 1/2” hardware mesh & cut out windows on all four sides and the top.
Let us know if you’d like more information on how to build bin cages!
Rat Care Guide
- Rats love busy cages with lots of places to sleep and play!
- Hammocks & space pod hides are a fan favorite.
- Enrichment doesn’t have to be expensive, many items can be found at Dollar Tree and other discount shops. Baskets are an easy to find option to hang in the cage or to use as a hide. Be creative!
- Cardboard is always a favorite, they lov
- Rats love busy cages with lots of places to sleep and play!
- Hammocks & space pod hides are a fan favorite.
- Enrichment doesn’t have to be expensive, many items can be found at Dollar Tree and other discount shops. Baskets are an easy to find option to hang in the cage or to use as a hide. Be creative!
- Cardboard is always a favorite, they love getting something so easy to destroy. Save boxes & packing paper and watch them go nuts!
- Minimal protein is 15% & minimal fat 3%
- Rats primary feed should be lab blocks unless with an experienced owner that can properly mix a Shunamite diet.
- Kalmbach Rodent Feed, Mazuri 6f or Rat & Mouse, Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat and Science Select Rat & Mouse are all quality options.
- You can use store bought seed mixes, or make your own mix,
- Minimal protein is 15% & minimal fat 3%
- Rats primary feed should be lab blocks unless with an experienced owner that can properly mix a Shunamite diet.
- Kalmbach Rodent Feed, Mazuri 6f or Rat & Mouse, Oxbow Essentials Adult Rat and Science Select Rat & Mouse are all quality options.
- You can use store bought seed mixes, or make your own mix, as treats for savaging enrichment.
- Some of our rats favorite treats are plain Cheerios, BOSS & unsalted peanut.
- Rats don’t need wheels like other rodents, but they can be a fun addition to any cage
- Female rats need 14” plus wheel, while males need 15” plus and dwarfs can use 12” plus wheels. The 14” plus wheels are marketed as chinchilla wheels and typically start around $120.
- Free roam! Rats really thrive when they get regular time out of their cag
- Rats don’t need wheels like other rodents, but they can be a fun addition to any cage
- Female rats need 14” plus wheel, while males need 15” plus and dwarfs can use 12” plus wheels. The 14” plus wheels are marketed as chinchilla wheels and typically start around $120.
- Free roam! Rats really thrive when they get regular time out of their cages. You can set up a permanent play pen area for them or simply take them into the bathroom or other secure room to play. Free roam is also a wonderful way to bond with your new pets.
Bedding:
- Kiln dried pine, aspen and hemp are all acceptable substrate options! Paper bedding has been scientifically proven to not absorb ammonia well from their urine. Fleece is not acceptable as it has zero ammonia control. All levels in your cage should have substrate.
Other:
- Rats are social creatures & do best in groups of 3 or more. For this reason, we only adopt out 3+ (pairs can go to those with a current colony).