# Mice as pets



## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

So now I want a mouse....I might get one when my hamster dies.

Anyone have them? Pros and cons?

Thanks


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

I don't have one, but my sister has some and breeds them. The good things are they're really cute, typically friendly, come in lots of pretty colors and patterns, and they're fun to watch. Theres really only one bad thing I can think of, and this is, they stink. And strangely, they stink even more than rats (I have a rat). You'd think that since they're so small they wouldn't stink as much, but they're basically cute, fuzzy, little stink balls.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Pixielator said:


> I don't have one, but my sister has some and breeds them. The good things are they're really cute, typically friendly, come in lots of pretty colors and patterns, and they're fun to watch. Theres really only one bad thing I can think of, and this is, they stink. And strangely, they stink even more than rats (I have a rat). You'd think that since they're so small they wouldn't stink as much, but they're basically cute, fuzzy, little stink balls.


LOL yeah I've heard they are stinky, especially the boys (and I want a boy, lol) But I'm guessing if I clean up after him enough it won't be overwhelming... 

But they are friendly towards people?


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

Well, you certainly have to be prepared to clean a lot. And as long as you can handle a little stink, it should be fine. Its up to you if its worth it or not.

Most of them are friendly towards people. There was only one that I know about that my sister had that would bite her every time she stuck her hand in the cage. The rest are friendly. If you can find one that wasn't bred by a mass breeder, then its likely to be more friendly because it will have been handled by people more. My sister's baby mice that she's raising are much friendlier than the ones she bought from petco.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Pixielator said:


> Well, you certainly have to be prepared to clean a lot. And as long as you can handle a little stink, it should be fine. Its up to you if its worth it or not.
> 
> Most of them are friendly towards people. There was only one that I know about that my sister had that would bite her every time she stuck her hand in the cage. The rest are friendly. If you can find one that wasn't bred by a mass breeder, then its likely to be more friendly because it will have been handled by people more. My sister's baby mice that she's raising are much friendlier than the ones she bought from petco.


Too bad she couldn't ship one to me, lol.


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

Well if you're serious, I can ask her tomorrow if she would once the babies are weened. I know she's not gonna keep all of them. So maybe she would if you want, I can ask her tomorrow. I don't know anything about shipping mice and if you even can though, so I can't guarantee anything.

And if you were just joking then, haha.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Pixielator said:


> Well if you're serious, I can ask her tomorrow if she would once the babies are weened. I know she's not gonna keep all of them. So maybe she would if you want, I can ask her tomorrow. I don't know anything about shipping mice and if you even can though, so I can't guarantee anything.
> 
> And if you were just joking then, haha.


well I am serious about owning a mouse, but it can't be until my hamster dies and he isn't sick or anything...But i don't think you can ship a mouse...wouldn't it get too scared? idk...


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

Oh, I see. I have no clue. Well I think a mouse is a good pet to consider for your next rodent pet. But if you're worried about it being mean, just tell the person at the pet store your concern and ask if you can pet them to see which ones are nicer.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Pixielator said:


> Oh, I see. I have no clue. Well I think a mouse is a good pet to consider for your next rodent pet. But if you're worried about it being mean, just tell the person at the pet store your concern and ask if you can pet them to see which ones are nicer.


That's a good idea, thank you


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## Aus (Feb 3, 2012)

I've owned both mice and rats - and after my first rat, I would never choose mice again. I love looking at them as they are so small and sweet, but a rat is more like having a tiny dog as far as intelligence and responsiveness goes. Plus yes - rats smell less. They don't have to smell at all, if you have two females (rats are social and need rat company) as I did, and clean the cage frequently enough. Boys are whiffier (we have three at the moment) but generally more calm to handle, especially if you get them as babies. 

Daughter has trained the rats not to poop when being held, and is working on litter-training them in the cage so thy poop in one corner, making cage cleaning much simpler. Females take to this training better than boys. But boys get huge and squishy, like beany toys, and have cuter bellies.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Aus said:


> I've owned both mice and rats - and after my first rat, I would never choose mice again. I love looking at them as they are so small and sweet, but a rat is more like having a tiny dog as far as intelligence and responsiveness goes. Plus yes - rats smell less. They don't have to smell at all, if you have two females (rats are social and need rat company) as I did, and clean the cage frequently enough. Boys are whiffier (we have three at the moment) but generally more calm to handle, especially if you get them as babies.
> 
> Daughter has trained the rats not to poop when being held, and is working on litter-training them in the cage so thy poop in one corner, making cage cleaning much simpler. Females take to this training better than boys. But boys get huge and squishy, like beany toys, and have cuter bellies.


I already have a dog for dogginess  

My bf's mom wouldn't let me get rats lol


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

Aus said:


> I've owned both mice and rats - and after my first rat, I would never choose mice again. I love looking at them as they are so small and sweet, but a rat is more like having a tiny dog as far as intelligence and responsiveness goes. Plus yes - rats smell less. They don't have to smell at all, if you have two females (rats are social and need rat company) as I did, and clean the cage frequently enough. Boys are whiffier (we have three at the moment) but generally more calm to handle, especially if you get them as babies.
> 
> Daughter has trained the rats not to poop when being held, and is working on litter-training them in the cage so thy poop in one corner, making cage cleaning much simpler. Females take to this training better than boys. But boys get huge and squishy, like beany toys, and have cuter bellies.


Omg, how did she train them to not poop when being held?? We only have one male rat. So since he doesn't have a rat friend, we have to interact with him a lot so he doesn't get bored and depressed. We would enjoy having him out a lot more if he didn't use the bathroom on us every time. Better yet, is there a way to train him to only use the bathroom when he's in his cage?


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## gn3ranger (Jul 7, 2012)

Well with my rat when ever she went #1 or #2 I put her back in the cage right away. When I had her out I gave her treats I kept doing this till she finally stopped going restroom outside. Not sure if that can work for mice though. Its funny how when I put my rat back in the cage She goes straight to the corner of the cage and pee's right away.


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

Thanks, I'll give that a try.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

You could go for a dwarf hamster. That's what I did after my syrian passed away.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

MaisyDawgThirteen said:


> You could go for a dwarf hamster. That's what I did after my syrian passed away.


was the dwarf hamster a better pet than the syrian?


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I've only had it for a few weeks. :S

They are completely different in personality. 

My Syrian was the most cuddly, tame, hamster I have ever seen. His favourite thing to do was to fall asleep in my arms. He was just chilled out.

My Dwarf is very hyper, and much more fun to watch. She is awake in the day much more, poops a lot less. She lets me pick her up and she will sit on my lap and have a back rub. 

I like them both for different reasons. Syrians are more inter-active, and draves are much more fun to watch, plus they poop less as they are much smaller. I have heard of dwarves being nippier than Syrians. There are four different kinds of dwarves, the campbells russian (most common, it's what I own), winter white russian (similar to campbells, less common, similar tempermant to syrians), chinese dwarf (very similar to mice), roborovskii (very hyper, and almost impossible to tame). Dwarves can be kept in groups, but expect fights to break out.

You just have to be patient with them and give them their peace ( ie. not bother them every two minutes).


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Heh, well my Syrian would be just as happy to have nothing to do with me...I'm never having a Syrian again


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

Strange. Them and winter whites are the friendliest breeds.


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## SDragon (Sep 26, 2011)

I have a dwarf hamster. All I know is that she is a Russian. Anyways she is always very friendly to me unless I wake her up when she is sleeping. She always comes to the front of the cage if I make any noise and she loves being held.


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Finfinfriend, syrian hamsters are the sweetest, cleanest (and they don't smell either), cuddliest and most adorable rodent pets ever. In fact, I had my Holly on my bed, cuddling with me just now (I just got done putting her back in her tank), My mouse, a REW named Algernon, was mean and wild and bit a lot. He also smelled so bad his cage was put out in the garage. Never again will I get a mouse. Hamsters are waaaaay better, IMHO. 

Unless your abusing/neglecting your hamster, he/she should be cuddly and sweet too. 

I was at Petco today and I saw a syrian sitting on her house, spinning her wheel from the outside. It was the funniest and cutest thing I ever saw!! I am totally in love with hamsters, in case you can't tell.


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## BettaHeart (Jan 2, 2011)

if i can spend my two cents lol, if you do decide to get a mouse try to check out a pet store maybe acouple days in a row, watch how they interact with each other and maybe if the chance comes along ask if you can pick one up. My girls all came to my hand when the actual time came to deciding which one and each one has been the gentlest and sweetest, i have seven, three girls are over a year and four daughters to one of the older girls, she was sold to me pregnant, the worker just said she was fat but i could tell it wasnt. Momma had 10 babies 6 boys 4 girls. I found the boys wonderful homes and kept the girls, three albinos and one brownish grey. They are 7 months now and wonderful companions for my children. ok that was more then i expected but i think it really boils down to what you decide and which little critter will choose you lol. 
All the best in your pet finding :-D


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## gn3ranger (Jul 7, 2012)

*cough* get a rat Jk but mice aren't really smelly Imo I've only ever owned 1 mouse only because I took one home that my friend was gonna feed to his snake and i asked him if i could have it. They really are nice pets Not very picky eaters fun to watch as they are extremely energetic constantly roaming around and running on their wheel. Uh this post is really even tempting me to get another rat and 2 mice now >.>


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

I do not abuse or neglect my hamster.


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## TheCrabbyTabby (Jul 7, 2012)

Hamster are not as easy to have as one may be lead to believe. They really shouldn't be a child's pet as children are prone to loosing their attention quickly and moving onto other things. That and they aren't the best animal care givers. Hamsters really should be a pet for those who are mature enough to handle them. 

They are about as complex as a betta to keep and sadly, are as likely to be abused and neglected as one. People don't realize that they are as sensitive and delicate as they are. Especially the smaller species. That and they find it acceptable to cram a syrian into a crittertrial or habitrial cage. That is just unacceptable!! A syrain should be kept in a glass tank no smaller than a 20L OR a homemade bin cage, made from a large clear bin and hardware cloth/metal wire mesh. Nothing smaller.


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## finnfinnfriend (Feb 3, 2012)

Okay I don't know why you are saying all this but I am an adult and I have a home made bin cage that is 30 gallons... Also I would have to politely disagree and say that a hamster requires more care than a betta, providing the betta is in a 5 gallon and the hamster is in an appropriate sized cage as well.

Good for you that your hamster is so cuddly though.


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## Pixielator (Jul 22, 2012)

TCT- Not all syrian hamsters are the same. Yes TYPICALLY they are very friendly, but you should take into account that they also each have their own unique personality, and there are the few acceptions to the rule who are not friendly. Just because someone's syrian isn't nice, that doesn't necessarily mean that it's owner is abusing or neglecting it. And its not very polite to swing around accusations like that.


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## MaisyDawgThirteen (Dec 7, 2011)

I also have to say, a 5 gallon/ 20 litre tank is WAY too small. IMO a 20 gallon is good for a single syrian or a pair of dwarves.


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