Mary Allen
Mice like to climb and conquer new terrain in their lives. It is therefore important that the animals do not spend the whole day in the cage, but are allowed to roam at least once a day. However, there are a few things to consider when running mice: The room must be absolutely “mouse-safe” and every little rodent must be hand-tamed so that it can be caught again.
This is How Mice Become Tame
In preparation for the first free run, you have to tame your mouse first. When your new pets move in, first offer them a cozy corner to sleep in instead of a sleeping house. Then the mice cannot hide and become trusting more quickly. You encourage this by holding small treats in the cage with the flat of your hand whenever the small pets are hungry. This beckons your mouse irresistibly, so you’ll repeat this often. Soon the little animals will climb onto your hand. This is how you act when running free if you want to catch your mice again: always hold them a little treat and then let them climb around on you. Mice love to do that for their lives!
Safe Free Run for Mice
There are many potential sources of danger to watch out for when freewheeling. One thing must be clear to you when keeping mice: The animals love cracks and holes and will disappear into them, possibly for days. You, therefore, need a room that is absolutely “mouse-safe” and in which all possible loopholes have been closed. Also, make sure that nothing is lying around for the mice to nibble on. Poisonous houseplants and drugs are just as dangerous for the little rodents as cables.
Alternatives to Running Freely in the Room
If you are afraid that your mice might disappear into a crack, never to be seen again, there are also alternatives to running free in your room. You can build a small adventure playground for the mice on a tabletop. You can let the mice run well on the table because they don’t jump down from a great height on their own. Just make sure that they can’t crawl down the table legs. A cardboard box with hiding spots is also a great activity for your mouse. You can also offer your mice an exercise bike, but choose a model that is big enough that they can’t get caught in the bike. And finally a tip: Your little animals will love to climb around on yourself too! Let them climb your shoulder, slip into your jacket pocket, and run down your arms. The mice and you – will have a lot of fun with it!