Mary Allen
In the wild, mice live in a clan. Therefore, if you keep them as a pet, they don’t want to be alone. A mouse needs at least one conspecific. And even if mice are small: They want to live in a sufficiently large cage.
A Mouse is Not a Mouse
The following applies to mice: a mouse is not a mouse. Always give your rodent a companion to the side. So that there are no offspring, you keep at least two same-sex animals or a small group of same-sex animals or neutered males. The mice usually get used to each other at a young age. You can also socialize two older animals together – put both of them in a new cage that neither of the mice knows yet.
The Cage: Space is Important
When it comes to the cage, it is important that it has tight wiring so that your mice cannot escape. This problem does not exist with the terrarium, but here you have to make sure that it is well ventilated and very large, otherwise, the animals will get sick from the ammonia smell that collects. The terrarium should definitely be covered with a sufficiently close-meshed wire mesh so that the animals cannot get out. Space is also important in the cage: mice want to live spaciously. The mouse cage for two animals should have a base area of at least 70x50x70 cm (LxWxH). But bigger is always better. Mice cannot tolerate drafts, and they cannot tolerate direct sunlight. Therefore, choose a place protected from the wind and sun for the mouse cage. When choosing the location, keep in mind that uncastrated males sometimes have a strong smell and the mice are awake early in the morning.
Games and fun are very important for agile little animals. Therefore, do not forget to use suitable accessories and toys when keeping mice in the cage. A sufficiently large impeller, in which the mice can whiz with a straight spine and also not be trapped by open struts, would be great. The animals also like to climb ladders or branches for their lives. Provide them with hiding places, a sleeping house, climbing ropes, various floors, and gangplanks. Food bowls and a drinking bottle should not be missing either. It is best to use press chips as litter.
Play and Movement
Freewheeling is stressful for most mice and humans because the animals do not feel comfortable outside their territory and very quickly disappear into even the smallest crevices. It is, therefore, better to give them a very large cage or an escape-proof “second cage” that is set up again and again in an exciting way. So the animals can explore new things and you can watch them relax.