# captured wild mouse



## nene (Feb 20, 2013)

Hello all. I posted this question in my introduce yourself post, but thought I would start a new topic. I've had Sparkles for about a month now and she seems to be doing great. Even plays in her wheel and ball. It was suggested that I get her a friend. However I don't really know for sure if she is actually a she. How can I tell? And if she is a she, could I buy a mouse to put with her? And if she has any diseases would she show any signs of having any?? Also I just got two dwarf hamsters from a friend. They are in different cages but can see each other, is it a bad idea to let them see each other??


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

So long as they aren't distressed by seeing each other it's no problem.
Buying a domestic mouse is not a good idea, as wild mice are better equipped for fighting and more territorial.
S/he will be fine on their own.


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## pro-petz (Nov 14, 2012)

Someone else posted about keeping a wild mouse as a pet. Apart from the health issues which are transmitted to humans, keeping any wild caught animal in captivity raises the animals stress level. Wild mice will carry many diseases and illnesses and due their nature will not show any symptoms until they have reached a point whereby it would be too late to successfully treat. Introducing a domestic mouse in with the wild mouse is putting the domestic mouse at risk of catching any illness that the wild mouse has.

Dwarf hamsters will live happily together providing they are a sexed pair with initial squabbling to sort out dominance, two males may be difficult to introduce depending on age. Keeping the cages within sight of each other is a good starting point to introducing them together as is swapping the animals into the others cages to pick up the scent more of the new companion. When this is done also a good indication to how long it may take to introduce the pair together by watching the individuals behaviour.


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

nene said:


> Also I just got two dwarf hamsters from a friend. They are in different cages but can see each other, is it a bad idea to let them see each other??


Firstly what type of dwarf hamsters? Are they Roborovskis, Campbells, Winter Whites or hybrids? It shouldn't cause a problem, in my experience dwarf hamsters tend to just ignore each other when they don't live together. Hamsters have fairly poor eyesight anyway, if anything it would be the smell of another hamster that would disturb them. Are they both the same sex?



pro-petz said:


> Dwarf hamsters will live happily together providing they are a sexed pair with initial squabbling to sort out dominance, two males may be difficult to introduce depending on age.


Not all species of dwarf hamster are likely to live happily in a pair, and I'm not aware of any species where males are less likely to get along than females. The only species where gender seems to be a factor is Chinese hamsters, which are not true dwarfs anyway, and with them it's the females who tend to fall out more.


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## nene (Feb 20, 2013)

Thank you all for your replies! I'm sorry that my question wasn't a clear one. I noticed after reading it, it seemed like the hamsters were in different cages. The hamsters are together in the same cage. The mouse is by herself. But she can see the hamsters. I didnt know if the mouse seeing the hamsters would bother her???


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## DaisyTailsMousery (Nov 8, 2012)

as long as the mouse isn't distressed by their presence it should be fine


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## nene (Feb 20, 2013)

Ok. She seems ok. Just curious. Which makes me feel bad for her/him not having a companion: (


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