# Do Mice Bite



## Shyone

Hello,

Well the title says it all really  Do They?

Thanks


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## Matt Haslam

In short, they can.

however a good temprement pet or show mouse must not bite unless subjected to severe danger.

biting is a defensive action by a stressed mouse feeling threatened.

just my opinion


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## nanette37

shiprat is correct  . but they also nibble sometimes if they smell food one you or are just being curious (just softly though--doesnt hurt). and my mice also like to bite my fingernails which i think is cute haha


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## Megzilla

only time i've been bitten and it's drawn blood was when i was little and my sister kept mice. 
...I used to pick them up and squeeze them  :| 
I was only 4!!

Mine lick and lightly nibble me, but it tickles


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## Jack Garcia

They bite _much_ less frequently than similar small pets such as hamsters or gerbils, at any rate.

In all the years (the better part of 10 years) I've kept mice, I've been bitten exactly once and it was totally my fault.


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## Megzilla

My goodness yes hamsters are the worst!


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## Cait

If mice are tame and handled correctly (and considerately) then they won't bite. They are most likely to bite if they are unsocialised and scared - after all they are a prey species.


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## WillowDragon

I have kept mice on and off for 12 years... and been bitten once, by a 2 week old baby that was scared.

I agree whole heartedly that hamsters are worse... though saying that, I have never even come close to being bitten by my boy, but I spent 4 weeks talking to him and playing with his cage bedding before i even attempted to handle him, so he was well used to me.

W xx


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## Cait

I've had a few hamsters over the years (Campbells and Syrian) and have never been bitten by one yet - but I still think mice are the least likely rodent to bite


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## Jack Garcia

I agree with that. Mice are the best. Not that I'm biased or anything.


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## Toast

Just like everyone else has said. Mice can bite if they are frightened or haven't been handled properly. Mice are less likely to bite than other rodents. In my expierience pet store mice will bite more often because they have not been properly handled, but the risk is still very low. Mice that have been handled since they were a few days old are even less likely to bite.


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## Megzilla

MouseBreeder said:


> I've had a few hamsters over the years (Campbells and Syrian) and have never been bitten by one yet


wow really? I used to always keep hamsters when i was younger, and i was the 'hamster tamer', and i've only kept 2 thar never bit me :shock:


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## Matt Haslam

a hamster is the only rodent that has bit me!


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## Norman's Mom

I concur...the only times I have been bitten were by socialized pet shop mice who were frightened. My breeder's...I have never been bitten by any of them.


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## wyliegirl12

they can if they smell food,awaken all of sudden or with young pinkies


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## Toast

wyliegirl12 said:


> they can if they smell food,awaken all of sudden or with young pinkies


Last night, I guess Juliet was going into labor, I was bit, but that was the first time in four years.


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## Megzilla

Norman's Mom said:


> I have never been bitten by any of them.


 I thought you said 'I have never bitten any of them' :lol:


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## Cait

Different person Megzilla 

I have never been bitten by one of my own mice since I first started keeping them in 2001. I have had pet shop mice both friendly and very unsocialised, and bred what must now be thousands for showing purposes. I did get bitten when judging in Poland, but it didn't hurt, it was more of a surprise. I didn't want to disqualify the mouse (it's automatic there if they bite) so I asked if I really had to because it was a nice mouse :lol: I am still awaiting the day a dutch bites me while judging. So far I have run the gauntlet with success


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## Shyone

Thanks everyone  .
As long as I get my mice from a breeder I should not be bitten


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## WoodWitch

Shyone said:


> Thanks everyone  .
> As long as I get my mice from a breeder I should not be bitten


It's true, if you get your Mice from a reputable source you are unlikely to be bitten.

It's worth pointing out, however, that even a timid mouse that might initially nip, is not _totally_ dismissable.
Obviously if you are working on showlines a non nipper is desirable, but.........

I once made the mistake of getting a mouse from a Non-reputable source and when I got it home it was the most evil little Devil mouse that ever existed.
I persevered with him and handled him everyday, despite the bites. I wasn't going to be beaten!
My work paid off because now he is my favourite mouse and the only one that has the privillage of being called a house pet. All the others live in my shed. 
He is very affectionate and nips me no more.

I wouldn't breed towards exhibition from him, but he is a superb pet


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## Megzilla

That's what my trio of Choc Broken Tans are like. I bought them at some tiny poorly kept petshop in boston because i saw the owner sell 2 rats with a small hamster cage (didn't want the mice to get a bad fate like those poor things!). I fed them millet spray from my hand, and now they clamber onto my hand whenever they get a chance.

One of the girls however does play tag, by gently nipping the end of my finger, and i have to poke her for her turn, so funny to watch :lol:


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## Kallan

Shiprat said:


> a hamster is the only rodent that has bit me!


So far a hamster is the only small furry that hasn't :lol: Been bitten by rabbits, guineapigs, chinchillas - even mice (but they've always been nibbles, not had one break the skin yet, even the wild ones my cat brings in) - but not a hamster, which is the thing I'm actually most scared about!


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## miss.understood

I've got 2 does and 1 buck. The does don't bite at all, but the buck can nip now and then, mainly if he wants to move through between my fingers he'll nip them so i spread my fingers so he can fit his fat body through lol. xx


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## ian

I have a couple of my mice living at the nursery I work at, and they mice there are handled by 2 year olds (with a lot of adult support!). No one has been bitten yet, some of the mcie were actually born at the nursery and are really used to being handled a bit more roughly than the ones at my house are used to. The older children have a hamster in their classroom and they cant handle it, its bitten several times


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## WoodWitch

It's nice that the 2 year olds in your nursery are getting to meet and handle Mice from such a young age Ian.
Maybe as adults they wont be terrified of them and leap onto a chair at the very sight!


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## ian

I hope so, all of the children love them, none are scared but some of the parents dont react very well and im sure that will rub off on the children in time.


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## zany_toon

My first litter of babies bit me but I waited until they were a week old before handling them because the mums were really jumpy. Other than that I've been bitten four times - twice when separating boys which started fighting and twice when I woke a mouse up with a start (he had been sleeping in a hidey hole when I was playing with his brothers and i touched him. He woke with a start and gave me a nip.) My cat gives worse bites though  My mice love to eat my finger nails too. I'm trying to talk them into shaping it with a nail file but they are having none of it


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## Tricksy

Whats the best way to avoid being bitten? 
I know being gentle etc is always smart but having never owned a mouse I'm a tad concerned that when I do get nipped I'd drop it or something in shock. I've owned a hamster and he never bit me. Saying that, I'd get him out his cage after work and he'd just sleep in the front pocket of my jumper. Made going the toilet difficult!

You know that fear of the unknown? Think I'm experiencing that  Maybe I should just get bitten on purpose so it doesn't shock me in the future.


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## Cait

My answer would be to just treat the mouse with respect - don't poke it or touch it in a way that makes it seem uncomfortable. Ask the breeder you get a mouse from how it's used to being handled. I always explain that mine are used to being picked up by the tail from a very young age, so trying to grab it the way people do pets and chasing it round the cage is not the best plan :lol:


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## zany_toon

MouseBreeder said:


> My answer would be to just treat the mouse with respect - don't poke it or touch it in a way that makes it seem uncomfortable. Ask the breeder you get a mouse from how it's used to being handled. I always explain that mine are used to being picked up by the tail from a very young age, so trying to grab it the way people do pets and chasing it round the cage is not the best plan :lol:


Mine are used to being picked up by the tail too - some of them think it's a great game! I always tell my mice off on the few occasions they have nipped me - and I tell them that if they try to continue that behaviour they will be smacked and sent to bed without any dinner :lol: Never did me any harm :lol:


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## Yelena

I'm kinda worried about dropping them if my babies nip (T-2 hours until the lady brings them over!!!), so I've asked her if shes handled them before and if when she comes over she could show me the best way to get them out of the cage.

Luckily for me, her kids have been handling them so I doubt I could do anything that would annoy them after being man handled by 5 year olds haha!

Suppose getting nipped wont hurt that much


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## Cait

Mouse bites don't hurt, it's more the shock :roll:


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## Yelena

I've just got my mice and their settling into their cage. I've held one but the others too quick for me to catch- can see I'm going to have to bribe him into being my friend lol.


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## arliejacobs

I didn't get rabies shots, though. No one felt it was really necessary, and I heard it was nearly impossible for a mouse to give me rabies since they would probably die from the bite of any larger predator that might give them rabies


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