# Renting and keeping mice-Who does it?



## shadowmouse

My husband just won this fabulous scholarship to go back for his PHD in Accounting. Only problem is we will have to sell our house and move cross country to either OSU or Florida State. That means renting an apartment or a house for a few years. I know I will take my cat and maybe our dog, but I'm not sure about bringing my mice.  Moustress said she'd take in my girls if I had to give them up, but I don't want to give up my girls if I don't have to.

I've been looking at housing in both states and most apartments allow dogs and cats, but most seem to have rules against "cages animals" which I think are like birds and small animals. I was wondering if anyone else knew what I might expect? Are landlords all pretty much anti-mouse?

Any information would be great!


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## george

mine definatly was anti mouse. so i hid them lol


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## ian

Thats weird, a cat or dog will do much more damage than a caged animal.

I'm not allowed pets in my rented hose, so I keep/hide them all in the garage.


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## bethmccallister

I hope you come to Ohio! Although I don't wish the weather on anyone. I've been to Florida and it's nice to visit but I wouldn't want to live there. I've rented apartments here in Ohio and never even bothered to check if I could have small animals or not and I've always kept them with no issues. I did check for the cats and dogs though and mostly they weren't allowed without a huge security deposit for each animal...some condo associations even have weight restrictions on the type of dogs you can have.


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## moustress

My attitude: what they don't know won't hurt you.


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## shadowmouse

delete


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## shadowmouse

moustress said:


> My attitude: what they don't know won't hurt you.


When I had my hamster in college that was by attitude. But...with the girls I would want to KNOW I could keep them. If I get to Oklahoma or Florida and get caught and have to find homes, then I would be in trouble. I would rather leave them here in MN with you Moustress and KNOW they had a good home. I kind of figured if we got a individual landlord rather than an apartment complex, then I would have better luck. We are a committed professional couple that have owned our own home. We should look pretty inviting to a landlord and I would hope they would want us bad enough to let us have the mice.

Beth- I wish we were coming to Ohio. We're looking at Oklahoma State. At least I know one person there through my horse forum, but it would have been neat to come to Ohio and meet you.


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## bethmccallister

Ah drat! I guess I shouldn't assume OSU was Ohio State University...dang! Oklahoma is a down home country type of state and Florida is for girls that like shopping and looking at buildings and concrete. The beach is nice depending on which part of Florida the college is in...except those times when the bacteria is off the chart, or the jelly fish or anemones are around. Don't even get me started on the Manta Ray...but Florida is great...


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## thekylie

I rent, but from an apartment. I've had my mice in 4 total apartments now and none have had a problem with it. It's something I ask up front, and I explain that they are pets, 100% tame, and stay in their cages. If you asked you'd be able to find somewhere that was ok with it, just do like you're doing and start now, don't put it off. You could also consider asking a real estate agent. It would be more pricey than searching yourself, but it might be helpful.

The other thing I've noticed is that the pet policy posted online is almost never the same as in person. You really have to ask everyone you're interested in. Caged animals they're thinking of might be rabbits/ferrets, that CAN be destructive. I did talk to one lady who had apartments and she didn't like caged animals because they could "get into the walls and die". No joke. She was crazy though, I'm glad we didn't rent from her. Don't write off any place before you ask them.


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## shadowmouse

thekylie said:


> I rent, but from an apartment. I've had my mice in 4 total apartments now and none have had a problem with it. It's something I ask up front, and I explain that they are pets, 100% tame, and stay in their cages. If you asked you'd be able to find somewhere that was ok with it, just do like you're doing and start now, don't put it off. You could also consider asking a real estate agent. It would be more pricey than searching yourself, but it might be helpful.
> 
> The other thing I've noticed is that the pet policy posted online is almost never the same as in person. You really have to ask everyone you're interested in. Caged animals they're thinking of might be rabbits/ferrets, that CAN be destructive. I did talk to one lady who had apartments and she didn't like caged animals because they could "get into the walls and die". No joke. She was crazy though, I'm glad we didn't rent from her. Don't write off any place before you ask them.


Out of curiosity... How many mice do you have in your apartment? And did they give you a limit?


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## moustress

We lived in an apartment for three years with 100 plus and while any number of people might have known, no one complained. It was an old building but not a low rent sort of place, and we had workers in and out of our apartment for upkeep and no one complained. My hubby was nervous; he complained regardless of what I did, and that was the only problem. He didn't mind the presence of the meeces, or the smell, or my weird hours...or worry about them getting loose and dying in the walls, although I have known that to happen in a couple of places with wild meeces, and another with a cat that went into a duct and never came out again.

The house we live in now was chosen in part because of the layout, which was suitable for housing the two of us, my disabled son, and the mousery in a most comfortable manner. Smell is an issue even if you only have 6-10 mousies, as it gets into cloth, paper and other porous materials. Changing the litter twice or three times a week can reduce the problem, ventilation and ammonia neutralization are something that has to be dealt with if you have more than 10 or thereabouts depending on the volume of space you use for them and the type of housing. You can fool yourself into thinking the odor is not a problem...I know I did for the first year and a half of my mousekeeping period.

Keep me posted on your plans, OK?


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## shadowmouse

moustress said:


> Keep me posted on your plans, OK?


I will.

We hope to know more by January. Nate will apply to the 3 or so colleges in December and probably know more by January. Then we will go into house selling mode and house finding mode.

I can't believe you kept 100 mice in an apartment. LOL. My husband would die if I asked him to do that. :lol: It'd actually be pretty entertaining to watch.


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## thekylie

I have about 30 right now. I have no limit now, but I do live in a place that is below the amount of rent I could be paying, which was chosen specifically because I have to spend about $300 a month to see my long distance bf, and because they have a reasonable pet policy.

The first place I had them finally drew the line at 6 cages/tanks (1 rat, 2 cages of mice, 2 cages of hamsters, plus a ton of fish), the second place I had a snake, 3 cages of mice, a cage of rats, and several fish. The third place wouldn't allow me to keep my snake but they were ok with 2 cages of mice, a cage of rats, lots of fish, and a guinea pig. The 4th place was after a huge move and I had to give away the guinea pig and the rats because my parents refused to have them in their house and they would have to keep my pets for about a month and a half. I did get my snake back though, so I had a snake, several fish, and 2 mice when I moved in. I fostered a dog for a while, found out a dog isn't something I can keep up with right now, and got my rabbit. So I have a rabbit, a snake, 2 bettas, and about 30 mice in my place now and they haven't said anything about them at all.

Every office I've worked with has known that I have assorted critters. Usually they are more worried about the snake than any other pets. MY biggest annoyance at this current place is they know I have critters so they like to talk with me about them when I'm at the office and I'm thinking to myself "you were in my place to fix XYZ, not look at my mice". No one around here really understands why I keep mice but I don't care as long as they keep letting me!


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## moustress

:shock: Girl, you have spooked me now!! Our main squeezes have the same last name!

...I kind of like being spooked :!:


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## bethmccallister

I'm renting now and I have 1 horse, 1 pony, 2 goats, 15 chickens, 2 ACD puppies, 2 cats, 2 guinea pigs, 1 beta fish, and 50 mice but it's not an apartment. You don't have to get an apartment right now...you could always rent a house with some property. Our monthly rent now is the same as the condo we had in town.


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## Jack Garcia

I rent an apartment (for 6 more weeks at least) and own mice. I asked the landlord before I moved in if mice were ok, and he said yes. He also had a billion questions such as "Why mice?" but I've never had problems.


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## Jack Garcia

I should also add that my mice have their own room, a large bedroom devoted just to the mice. I choose to pay more for a 2-bedroom so that my mice can have their own designated space. It makes things a lot easier than having them in my bedroom or living room would.


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## thekylie

I can't tell you how much more I like my mice, and all other animals, now that they aren't in my bedroom constantly. I can actually sleep!

I plan on my next place being 2 bedroom so I can have a mouse room/craft room as well. They are in my living room right now, but I do wish sometimes you noticed other things first than the wall of mice.


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## shadowmouse

Well, hopefully whatever landlord we have will be fine with it. We'll see I guess.


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## Jack Garcia

If he or she isn't ok with it, just take Jenny's advice and tell them you have "African long-tailed hamsters." :lol:


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## countrygall721

This is such a interesting consept! Thanks for posting about it!


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## Bella

shadowmouse said:


> moustress said:
> 
> 
> 
> Beth- I wish we were coming to Ohio. We're looking at Oklahoma State. At least I know one person there through my horse forum, but it would have been neat to come to Ohio and meet you.
Click to expand...

Won't be too far away from me, if you move to OK... I'm in AR. And a horse person as well!


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## jessierose2006

We rent and our landlord said small animals only we originally had 2 ferrets then i had a gecko now have a snake and now have mice when i asked the land lady about the snake and the mice she said the landlord is ok as long as it is caged i did have one landlord when we were thinking of moving. the ad said small pets welcome and whe i mentioned about it she asked me what i had and i told her 2 ferrets and 1 caged snake.. i was told with much hatred "Umm ferrets are NOT allowed and the snake is definitely not allowed." 
....SO WHAT THE HECK IS A SMALL ANIMAL THEN?!?!?! i assumed a small animal classified anything in a cage or aquarium but i guess i was wrong.... :evil:

needless to say we are staying where we are as he is ok with all our pets .


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## thekylie

A lot of places aren't ok with ferrets and rabbits. They can be very destructive without proper care and supervision, and not everyone is a good pet owner. Many places also don't allow reptiles. Both of these are based largely on stereotypes and ignorance, but that's something that's difficult to overcome in a rental situation. Most pet owners love their animals and always want them to be safe and healthy and work to prevent escapes and damage to the property because it can also hurt the animal, but there are an awful lot of kids that just don't care about their pets, and an awful lot of people who own huge snakes because they are "macho". As well as a lot of people who have never had something other than a cat or a dog and can't understand the joys that come with owning non-traditional pets.

While I'm sure your ferrets are lovely and you care for them, imagine the people who have one and the ferret messes all over the house and stains the corner of the carpets and is allowed to chew and dig and destroy and they never try to stop it. Or worse yet, what about the ferret is kept in the cage and it's filthy and waste runs out of the cage and it makes the apartment reek and stains the walls and carpet? Or the lovable snake that escapes and is found in the downstairs neighbor's bedroom? I'm not saying I agree with it, but that's how landlords tend to think because usually they are trying to keep their places at least somewhat decent.

I know for my place here I had to print out a picture and a fact sheet about ball pythons to prove they were non-venomous and stayed a reasonable size. The place before this said no snakes (I had a friend keep mine for a while) or ferrets, and rabbits if they are kept in cages only.

Generally, a small animal is a hamster. Or a gerbil. Even mice or rats can be pushing it but usually as long as you assure them they are always in their cages it's ok. That is definitely something to ask when you hear small animals ok. And honestly... ferrets and rabbits are NOT small animals. If allowed they can easily and quickly destroy an apartment. /eyes her rabbit who scratched up the carpet in the corner when she wasn't paying attention for 5 min.


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## jessierose2006

:lol: yeah i actually asked our landlord's wife if the snake was ok because i kinda got him before asking but lucked out because our landlord is pretty cool i think when he said ok to the ferrets he wasnt thinking they were going to be allowed to run around out of the cage but his wife thinks theyre awesome. They go out in our yard with us and play chase and dig in the garden lol. they even know which door is ours when they are ready to go in they stand there like OK im done playing outside now let me in its amazing how smart they are. our landlords wife actually said stuff along the same line as you did about different people and how they take care of our pets. my bf seems to think if we live here for a long time our landlord will ok a dog :roll: but who knows


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## thekylie

It is easier if you are renting from a private individual than through a complex or company when it comes to pets. I lived one place where they only allowed caged animals, but they allowed my friend to have a cat, and the girl who took our place to have a puppy, but that's because they knew us.

A lot of times with a complex, the manager might be ok with an animal, but the company is against it. That's not a fight worth fighting to me.  Not when there are so many options. I hate my apartment now honestly, but for the sake of keeping my pets and my BF's dog eventually I'll put up with it.


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## Sapphyre

Not sure about the States... but here in Ontario I have discovered that although many landlords will say that they do not allow pets, it is actually illegal for them to take any action against a person for keeping any sort of pet while living on a rented property, unless there are extenuating circumstances (i.e., keeping more animals than permitted by law, or if a pet is causing serious damage or is vicious). I would check into the laws surrounding pet ownership and renting to see whether or not potential landlords actually have the right to tell you that you cannot keep your pets.


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## jessierose2006

hmmm.... that is very interesting i might just look into that. so its illegal in ontario EVEN if they own the building you are staying in. bbecause im sure weve all heard this growing up.. "you live under my roof so youll abide by my rules or get out" i thought it was the same general idea only instead of your mother its a landlord.


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## Rhasputin

I'm dyslexic, and. . . I just want to say.

EVERY time I read the title of this thread, I read, 'Ranting and keeping mice-Who does it?'
And I think to myself. . .

"I know a few people like that!"


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## WoodWitch

Rhasputin said:


> I'm dyslexic, and. . . I just want to say.
> 
> EVERY time I read the title of this thread, I read, 'Ranting and keeping mice-Who does it?'
> And I think to myself. . .
> 
> "I know a few people like that!"


 :lol: :lol:


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## SarahC

Rhasputin said:


> I'm dyslexic, and. . . I just want to say.
> 
> EVERY time I read the title of this thread, I read, 'Ranting and keeping mice-Who does it?'
> And I think to myself. . .
> 
> "I know a few people like that!"


 :lol: 
I love that observation,can't beat a bit of humour.


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