Intro:

     Mice are such fun, energetic little critters! I love to just sit and watch them run, burrow, and build nests, especially right after they've been freshly cleaned and have to rebuild everything. Below, I will go into detail on some basic care information for mice. While this will go over a majority of their needs, I do still encourage branching out your research to make sure mice are the right fit for you!

Habitats:

     Unlike rats, mice are able to be housed in tanks or bin cages with only one side or the top cut out. They don't require as much ventilation as ratties. Most wired cages have too large of bar spacing for mice, but I did find a decent amount that could work for various price ranges. If you find others not listed that you aren't sure about, feel free to send me a link so I can check if it's a good option!

Suitable:
- 10 gal tank: fits 1-3 mice
​- 20 gal long tank: 3-8 mice
- Bin cages: vary based on how large the bin is. Use 1/4" hardwire cloth for the windows. 
- ROBUD Cage $51 - fits 1-3 mice (the items that come with this cage are likely to be chewed quickly)
- Midwest Homes Cage $80 - fits 1-3 mice
- BUCATSTATE Cage $100 - fits 1-3 mice (the items that come with the cage are likely to be chewed quickly)
- Savic Geneva Cage $130 - fits 1-3 mice
- Prevue Hendryx Cage $67 - fits 1-4 mice
- VINTEX Cage $108 - fits 1-4 mice (the wood items may need replaced or removed often)
- Favola Cage $75 - fits 3-6 mice
- OIIBO Cage (Large) $240 - fits 3-6 mice (smaller version fits 1-3)
- OIIBO 40 Gal. Cage $230 - fits 3-8 mice
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Not Suitable:
- Critter Trail Cages (bar spacing is too large/too flexible, so they can squeeze out)
- Cages with 1/2" spacing or larger. They will fit through the bars
- Wooden cages (urine soaks into the wood even if sealed, which is impossible to properly clean)

Diet:

     Mice do best with a balanced block for their main diet. Below I will list some of the suitable options for them. This is not a complete list, but some of the more commonly found blocks. If you find other foods that you aren't sure about or feel would work, please send me a link so I can check over the nutritional values! I offer 1-2 8oz. water bottles per bin/cage depending on the size of the enclosure.

Suitable:
- Mazuri Rat and Mouse Food (found in most pet store and online)
- Kalmbach 18% 
- Sunseed Vita Prima
- Science Selective

Not Suitable:
- Mixes that include seeds and fillers (Kaytee, Vitakraft, Tropical Carnival, etc. These are not nutritionally balanced)

Treats:
     Giving occasional treats can help encourage trust as well as foraging if they are scattered around. I will list some good options for this!

- Old Fashioned Oats: I like to sprinkle these on top of my bin cages since they're just big enough to not fall through. The mice then have to figure out how to pull them through the bars. I also like to toss them around the cages in the bedding so they can dig and forage for them.
- Gerber Puffs: these are great low sugar options, and they can be bought fairly cheap for a container that'll last forever with these little guys!
- Yogis: These are higher in sugar, so I recommend giving them sparingly.
- Unsalted seeds and nuts: These should be given sparingly as well due to them being higher in fat
- Some fresh items to give are dandelion flowers and leaves (if picking them ensure they've not been treated by any chemicals), kale, apples, carrots, peas, eggs, and mealworms (dried or live). They can pretty much have the same fresh foods rats are able to eat. 

Bedding:

     Mice love to nest and burrow, so I encourage offering ample bedding and nesting materials. Below are my suggestions! This is not a complete list, so if you find another option, feel free to send me a link to make sure it's safe to use!

Suitable:
- Wood Shavings: Pine, aspen, and poplar are good options. You may have to shop around with different brands to see which ones are least dusty. I personally use poplar bedding, but it's pretty hard to come by. 
- Paper Bedding: Carefresh, Kaytee, Frisco, and Oxbow are good options. Be sure to avoid dyed and scented options, as well as ones that include baking soda. They cannot consume baking soda, so it can be a risk when they chew on the bedding.
- Paper Pellets: Equine pine pellets, Vitakraft Fresh World Pellets (non-scented version), Yesterday's News (non-scented version), and Sunseed Bedding (non-scented/baking soda free)

Not Suitable:
- Cedar Wood Shavings
- Scented or dyed paper/bedding
- Includes baking soda (harmful for them to ingest)
- Clay based bedding 
- Dust baths 

Nesting Materials:
- Newspaper (not the glossy/waxy kind)
- Crinkle paper (typically used as gift filling)
- Packing paper
- Scrap fabric
- Cardboard
- PomPoms (not the shiny /tinsel ones)
- Timothy/Oat Hay

**Avoid stringy material like stuffing or fluff. The threads can get caught around their limbs easily and cause damage or death. 

Enrichment:

     Mice are super active and love to explore! They benefit from multiple enriching items. I will list some of the ones I use and recommend as well as ones that may cause harm. This is not a complete list, so if you find items not listed here, feel free to send me a link or picture to ask if it is safe or not.

Suitable:
- Exercise Wheels/Saucers: I prefer to use wheels and recommend the Kaytee Comfort Wheel 8.5" (solid plastic), Kaytee Silent Spinner 6.5", and the Ware Saucer (Medium).
- Wooden Chews: Most wooden chews for small animals and birds are suitable. If you're not sure about one, send me a picture!
- Hammocks: These can be as simple as cutting fleece into small squares/rectangles, making/sewing your own, or I do also have an Etsy shop where I offer all kinds of hammocks and beds!
- Houses/Hides: I like to have a few "indestructible" hides (usually plastic or ceramic) as well as some ones they can destroy (cardboard boxes, drink carriers, popsicle stick houses - fun to make!). 
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Not Suitable:
- Exercise Balls: these are harmful for all animals. Their limbs can easily get caught in the slits as they walk/run in them, they provide little air flow/ventilation, and most rodents have poor eyesight, relying more on touch an smell. Being in a ball severely limits these senses, causing them to panic and continuously run to try to find a way out. This causes unnecessary stress and a likely chance of physical harm. 
- Wire Wheels: there is a misconception that these cause bumblefoot, which isn't the case. However, I have personally experienced mice getting their toes/limbs caught in the grids, causing harm. I have also experienced mice breaking their spines when multiple are trying to run and get caught between the bars holding the wheel in place. So, I highly discourage using metal/mesh wheels. 
- Items with small holes: Some houses/hides, wheels, etc. have small holes big enough for a mouse to fit their head it, which they will attempt. However, it isn't big enough for their whole body to fit. This can cause them to get stuck and harm themselves. Just be mindful of the items you are purchasing. 
- Chew toys/treats held together by honey or molasses. These items are too sugary for them to have unlimited access to. 

Social Needs:

Males:
     Male mice are social, however, they cannot be housed together unless in a breeding colony, or if the line they come from does well having males stay together. Typically, male mice will fight to the death though, so it is best to keep them alone. However, they can co-hab with female African soft furs. Since they are separate species, there is no risk of breeding between them. ASFs are typically not as handleable, but can do well with time and patience! 

Females:
      Female mice are social as well and need to be housed in a minimum of a pair, but a trio or more works better! I love watching big groups of females interacting together. I often find them all in a big snuggle pile, or working on building a nest together. 

Personality/Handling:

     Mice can do really well with handling, and some even crave it! Others prefer a more hands off approach, so it really just depends on the personalities of the mice. The males do tend to be a bit more attention seeking from my experience, but I do have quite a few females that also love to crawl up my hand and arm to nestle on my shoulder or against my neck. These little guys can be quick though, so I do recommend they go to homes with older children or adults. Not to say they can't do well with younger children, but their small size and ability to move quickly can be harder for smaller hands to grasp onto.