# Cage Questions



## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Hi guys! I have a few questions for you.

1- What are the cage size requirements for mice? For rats I know it's 2 square feet per rat, so what is it for mice?

2- What is the ideal cage? Wired, glass tank?

3- If I were to get a wire cage for a mouse how small would the bar spacing have to be? (I'm guessing 1/4"?) I know they can fit through anything they can get their heads through.

4- What is the ideal breeding set-up for a pair of Mice (while the Male is still in with the Female)?

5- What is the ideal set-up for a Mom and her bubs?

Thanks so much for the help!


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

1- What are the cage size requirements for mice? For rats I know it's 2 square feet per rat, so what is it for mice?
I have read in some places that a female mouse needs 67 square inches of floor space. It was a study done Duke University. This is only what I have read on another forum so I cannot say if this is true or not.

2- What is the ideal cage? Wired, glass tank?
I have plenty of cages, Pet One, Habitrail, Critter Trail etc. My favourite cages are my Ferplast and my Habitrail OVO Loft - not the suite. Other than those two cages, I use tanks. I find them cheaper, easier to clean and its much easier to find a big tank than a good big cage.

3- If I were to get a wire cage for a mouse how small would the bar spacing have to be? (I'm guessing 1/4"?) I know they can fit through anything they can get their heads through.
That was my theory. I know its not the same but I have seen wild mice go under doors that have bugger all space. If I have a mouse who is skittish, I will keep them in a tank because if a mouse is scared, I believe that it will manage to find a way through almost any gap. Anyway, many of my cages with bars have spacing between 5mm to 10mm.

4- What is the ideal breeding set-up for a pair of Mice (while the Male is still in with the Female)?
I'm not exactly sure what you mean but when I breed my mice, I have a male and a female in a 10 gallon tank. All the normal toys and stuff. I treat them just like two females being housed together if that makes sense.

5- What is the ideal set-up for a Mom and her bubs?
When my female has babies, she is in one of my converted plastic tubs, its about 5cm longer and wider than an A4 sheet. She has the basics, something to chew on, water, food, house. Once the babies are starting to open their eyes, I move them and Mum into my Ferplast cage and I introduce the wheel back in, a few more simple toys like TP rolls and such.

I hope I answered your questions correctly..


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Thanks for the reply, you answered my questions great. 
So a tank would probably be best, the only thing is that they suck to clean, at least for me. Wire cages are so much easier because you just throw them in the tub, scrub them down and you're good.
I would love to use tubs but I have no clue how to make them properly...


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

You can still stick a tank in the tub. I can't, don't own a bath.. haha. 
If you plan on breeding, wire cages are a no no because the babies can easily squeeze through the bars. As for the tubs, they are pretty simple to make. Mine are a little more complicated with alluminium strips holding the mesh onto the lid via rivets but you can easily buy a plastic tub, get rid of the lid. Make a square wooden frame which is bigger than the tub and then staple mesh to that frame. Ta da.


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Cordane said:


> You can still stick a tank in the tub. I can't, don't own a bath.. haha.
> If you plan on breeding, wire cages are a no no because the babies can easily squeeze through the bars. As for the tubs, they are pretty simple to make. Mine are a little more complicated with alluminium strips holding the mesh onto the lid via rivets but you can easily buy a plastic tub, get rid of the lid. Make a square wooden frame which is bigger than the tub and then staple mesh to that frame. Ta da.


Oh, of course I would never use a wire cage with babies, I wouldn't want to be losing any bubs!
As for the tank thing, I used to have 2 African Soft-furred rats and I HATED keeping them in a tank and finally switched them to a wire cage because the tank was just so bulky and awkward to clean, even in the tub.

I think I'll have to see about making some tubs. I was going to see about making one for my future Crested Gecko anyways so maybe I could make a couple for some Mice too!


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## Cordane (May 22, 2012)

It is always possible to get a 10 gallon tank. Many of my cages are bigger than a 10 gallon which is suitable for 3 females.


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## KTyne (Jun 8, 2012)

Cordane said:


> It is always possible to get a 10 gallon tank. Many of my cages are bigger than a 10 gallon which is suitable for 3 females.


That's the thing though, even a 10 gallon is really annoying to clean for me, lol. A tank takes like 10 minutes to clean while a wire cage takes like 2.


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