# Keeping Mice



## welshie87

Hi im new to keeping mice and wondering if something like this is http://www.petsathome.com/shop/large-fa ... store-only)-28207 is suitable to keep 2 female mice in. Im thinking as just a starter till I gain more experiance and get a bigger cage or something similar for them. Plus I dont really want them escaping on the first night wouldnt be a great start. Help very much appreciated.


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## AyJay658

Sorry the link didnt work for me!


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## candycorn

Your link is bad. But two (or ideally three) female mice can be kept in a ten gallon tank with a screen lid.


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## Cordane

I believe the link is this..
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/large-fa ... erra-28207


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## AyJay658

That doesn't look very big to me.. But if its only temporary I guess it would be ok. I use a smaller one of those to put my mice in for cleaning out but they dont stay in it longer than half an hour.


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## Cordane

I have a container that size which I use to house any mouse that needs to be quarantined. 
It seems to be a decent size but personally i wouldn't use it. I like to give my mice lots of room.


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## besty74

that is quite a small cage, if you want to buy from pets at home they do a ferplast mini duna which is excellent.


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## Cait

If price is an issue, try eBay and Freecycle for fish tanks and small animal cages.


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## Meese

Cages can be flimsy beware of petco/petsmart brand name cages -.- I've have 4 escapees in those and wasted over 100 dollars on cages that don't work.

I personally use a tub about 50 gallon sized, with a screen top. I house 2 breeding females and a male in.


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## Frizzle

Tubs are the cheapest per unit of space, they just take some extra effort on your part. Really simple to make though; storage bin, hardware cloth, zip-ties, and something to cut holes for the screens & zip ties.


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## welshie87

I do apologise for the link not working properly. Well went to the pet shop today and got a little female mouse shes 8-10 week sold. Only had the one female there  would have preffered another to keep her company. Ended up with http://www.amazon.co.uk/Savic-Hamsterk% ... B000LXY03O to house her in. Im hoping this link works but if it doesnt its a rody hamster cage. Was recommended by the staff who we're very helpful and have had animals and other things there before so I trust them.


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## AyJay658

That is a fine cage for a pet mouse =) But you should definitely get her a friend as soon as one is available! They do get terribly depressed by themselves. Congratulations on your new pet! I hope you find her as rewarding as I have mine =)


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## welshie87

well so far so good but only been 12 hours or so and only now shes waking up. Would adding another female in a week or 2 be ok. I know there can be trouble with males and not sure on females its all new to me and learning all the time.


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## AyJay658

Yes it should be fine. They might have a little scuffle to establish whos in charge but you can usually stop any injury by cleaning the cage before hand and washing everything thoroughly. I had to wash my wooden things with vanilla essence (it covers up scents) to stop one of my mice being territorial. You can also try putting vanilla essence on the mice themselves so they smell the same. The real stuff mind, not imitation stuff. But they might have no issues with each other at all =) She will be very glad of a friend =)


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## welshie87

Think I will try that next week thats if they have any females there. I was reading an article on here about vanilla but that was for making the males less musky. But will try and get another female for her next week. Might calm her down as she's abit scitty tonight but thats to be expected in a new envoriment. Although she did spend a few seconds on my hand earlier then jumped off she spent more time on the others halfs hand than mine must be a female thing.


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## ArchNL

I have pet mice too. I have 2 males and 4 females. The males drew blood so are in 10ltr plastic tanks. They have a coconut bed and one of them has a straw thing to climb on. I did have 2 but my females ate it and I need to replace it. I introed a female into 3 females today. I rubbed her in their bedding and cleaned the cage out. They had a few squabbles but it got progressivly less over the evening. I have the females in a habitrail ovo which I plan on buying an extention for when I get a bit more money. I prefer the plastic tubs but they arn't big enough for my female colony..


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