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Small animals - Mice Care
Just because a mouse is small, this doesn't mean there is very little to consider before you go out and buy one. Never make an impulse purchase of any animal - always read up on their requirements before you commit to any pet purchase.
Mice are rodents and need to gnaw to keep their constantly growing teeth worn down to size. It is an important part of mouse care that you give your mouse objects for it to gnaw on, like wooden blocks, cardboard boxes, a small unsliced loaf of bread or twigs.
Mice spend a lot of time nest building and may use some of the material given for gnawing to include in this endeavour. They appreciate pieces of material and paper that they can shred and use as bedding.
Mice are generally very clean animals in their own way; they will groom both themselves and companion mice. They depend on having a clean coat to keep them warm and healthy.
You may already be familiar with the 'mousey smell', this is important to the mouse as scent is of primary source of information about other mice. The scent comes from scent glands that secrete pheromones. These pheromones are also present in mouse urine and mice mark their territories with spots of their urine on objects and in areas they use. When taking care of your mouse do not bath your mouse to try and get rid of its smell, just brush it with a very soft toothbrush if you think your mouse needs it.
Mice sleep a lot of the time - they are naturally energy conscious - anything they do, they do for a reason. You can easily startle your mouse if you go to pick it up whilst it is dozing or sleeping; this will stress your mouse and make it unhappy. This is also one of the few times your mouse might bite you - this is a natural defence mechanism - so only go to handle a mouse that is actively out and about in its cage.
You should note that pet mice eyes are sensitive to light so there should always be a dark place in the cage for them to hide. Bright light may cause them pain and damage their eyes.
Signs of stress in mice are:
- chewing at the bars,
- convulsive seizures,
- fur chewing,
- running round in circles,
- pacing up and down, or
- other repetitive behaviour
Mice are inquisitive animals and are fascinating to watch. They are easy to care for providing you pay paramount attention to hygiene and general good housekeeping. Remove any spoilt foodstuff daily and changethe drinking water regularly.
Protect your pet mouse from other household pets. As mice have a strong sense of smell they will be stressed by the smell of rats, cats, dogs or ferrets as well as other likely predators. Always make sure your cage is secure to prevent escapees or invaders.
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