Mice?

Does anyone here have experience keeping mice?

There's a good chance that I will be fostering a group of lab mice (all males). I've never had mice before... only rats and gerbils.

Anything particular I should know about mice?

I've heard that male mice smell... is that true? I live in a small apartment... do you think I should be able to keep the cage more or less smell free?

Since the mice will be lab mice, I am guessing that they are all white... is there a safe way to identify them? (a dab of food coloring maybe?)

From my own experience: Mice are SMART, are escape artists, and can run FAST!!!

If you clean the cage daily, you shouldn't need to worry about smell. Just be really careful not to let them get out while you're cleaning their home.

If you are picking them up for any reason, use the tail, and please grasp them closer to the base than the tip. Tails CAN break off, so again, grasp by the base. THis will help kep your fingers from getting nipped.

And please wash your hands thoroughly after handling them, and try to keep them and their waste away from your cats to prevent any exposure to worms that they may carry that cats can catch.

Is there a particular reason that you will need to mark them for identification?

I have had mice before and they make the sweetest pets!

I had a two tiered cage for them and lined the bottom with cat litter and that greatly reduces the smell.

Be careful with the food you feed them and their bedding, I got some mouse food and bedding at the feed store and it infected my mouse with ticks

I would save my mice tiny scraps of human food as treats and they became quite friendly after a while.

I used to bath them once a week too and wash them with cotton buds to stop them being so stinky.

Be careful of the cage you choose, anythign with small bars is a no-no as they can squueze out.

Thanks for the tips!

Originally Posted by GingersMom

And please wash your hands thoroughly after handling them, and try to keep them and their waste away from your cats to prevent any exposure to worms that they may carry that cats can catch.

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I will. Thanks.
(hopefully since they're lab mice they should be very healthy, but I wont take any chances)

Is there a particular reason that you will need to mark them for identification?

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No, I just thought I'd like to tell them apart so I can name them and keep track of their personalities. But I guess it'll be fine even if I can't tell them apart. I'll just name them all Mr. Mouse

I had a mouse I got for a science experiment in 7th grade (don't worry it was just a maze) his name was Sniffles and he was very friendly, I would carry him around with me all the time and he NEVER bit me, and never ran away either. They had some mice at the pet store last week, they were so cute, but rats and mice don't mix very well

Originally Posted by marie-p

I'll just name them all Mr. Mouse

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I like that idea! No confusion!