We have six pet mice. All of them are boys! Tabitha brought the mice home from the pet store she works at. Male mice are usually sold as feeders. Tabitha fell in love with their personalities so she couldn’t stand the idea of them being used as food.
Housing
The mice live in separate twenty-gallon aquariums that are secured with a screened lid. All of the mice have exercise wheels, toys, and boxes to hide in. We use paper bedding in the tanks because wood shavings, such as cedar, contain oils that are harmful to their respiratory systems.
Making Things Just Right
It’s so cute after Tabitha cleans their cage because they pile up almost all of the bedding on top of one of their houses to make a cave to sleep in. They spend lots of time rearranging things in their cage to make everything just right!
Food
We started out feeding the mice a store-bought mouse food. Over time the mice started getting skin allergies. The veterinarian said either mites or nutritional deficiencies were the cause of their skin problems. Tabitha started doing research and found out store-bought mouse food contains too much protein for pet store mice. After learning this, she started making their food by combining oats, budgie bird seed, flax, quinoa, dry pasta, Spanish peanuts, pumpkin seeds, and boss (black oil sunflower seeds). The mice really enjoy their homemade food. It’s been a slow process, but they are getting better at eating their daily salad too.
Treats
The mice love getting treats! They get plain Shredded Wheat cereal (the unfrosted kind), baby Gerber baby snacks, plain Cheerios, dog biscuits, yogurt drops, and more. Usually when we give them treats they take the treats into their house to eat. When they get unsweetened Shredded Wheat cereal, they eat it out in the open the second they get it!
In Memory
Friends come in all shapes and sizes. As of March, 2021, all of the mice have scurried across Rainbow Bridge. We’ll miss their curiosity, their excitement over a new toy, and their unique personalities. Until we meet again, my friends.
