# Enrichment for Boys



## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

My new Satin Him male doesn't seem to understand toys... Little interest in toilet paper tubes, won't use a wheel, hasn't chewed any of the rope/wood toys I give my boys, not a climber...

All he's been doing all day since he got here is digging. (Soil-based substrate.) Digs on one side, then the other, then fills in one side, re-digs it...

Tonight I noticed he was low on un-soiled nesting material so tore up some newspaper and began poking them into his nest, and instead he grabbed one from me and ran off. Repeated this behavior several times. Me tearing a three inch piece of newspaper, giving it to him, him running off like a madmouse and adding it to his bed, before scampering back.

So... we have digging and building nests that he seems to enjoy, but really nothing else so far. I can't imagine him being thoroughly entertained with the soil, though I imagine it's possible it's the first time he's ever experienced it so that may play into effect. My other boy is so much easier... his cage is stuffed so full of items I can barely maneuver my hand in to get him out some days. Wheel, bird toys, ramps, ladders, platforms, treehouse, knitted climbing things, et cetera.

In any case... Any suggestions for enrichment and toy ideas I haven't tried yet?


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

It sounds like he's a builder rather than a mouse content to play with toys you give him. Digging is a natural mouse behaviour. I'm not sure what soil based substrate you use. However, if it's rodent safe and he likes digging, as well the pieces of paper you give him, he may respond well to more building raw materials. For example, pieces of bark, twigs dried leaves, a pile of paper pieces, some coconut coir - this type of thing. Keep in mind anything you get that's plant based has to be non toxic, and prefereably slow dried by baking in the oven, or frozen for a couple of days to eliminate mites or other parasites. Another suggestion is to partially bury some toilet rolls in the substrate. Mice love tunnel building if they have the right resources, and in a "natural" enclosure enviroment can build intricate tunnel and room systems. Hope these ideas help, or prompt more ideas for you!


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## onionpencil (Jan 6, 2013)

ha mojo! you had the same idea i had! 8D the tubes that is...


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## scrapheapchallenge (Sep 17, 2012)

When we used to keep gerbils they had a huge deep glass tank which was filled with soil to enable them to create burrows and tunnels to express natural behaviour. Perhaps you could get him a deeper tank and do this so he can have a proper deep dig?


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

Deeper substrate as suggested by scrapheapchallenge sounds the go! Try half burying some building materials. Your boy seems to have the instinct, but needs to discover the knack of reinforcing and lining his excavations. Half buried tubes, seconded by onionpencil, may also give him the idea to get started.


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## mouseypeach (Jan 13, 2013)

I just picked up the XS Kong toy for my boy. So far he can't get enough of it, I stuff it with treats. I'm not sure they sell them where you live though but it's worth a look


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## Mauspup (Aug 13, 2012)

I have a boy like this as well. I enjoy filling his tank up with good tunneling substrate and timothy hay and burying some cardboard tubes in there to assist him in his tunnel making exploits. He seems to really enjoy it and it's fun to watch him tunnel and see the structures he makes. I agree with everyone above, sounds like you've a tunneler on your hands


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

When I kept a colony of females in a semi natural environment, here are some pics. The first pic shows their sleeping room (against the glass wall of the terrarium). The second pic shows a mouse peeking up from an entry tunnel. They made day beds on the surface. The third pic shows the entire set up - soil based substrate and building materials on the bottom, and dining, day house and "gym" on the landing. 

You can see in the first pic how they used building material to support/reinforce their structures. They had several rooms joined by tunnels.

The interesting thing about this is that the didn't poop in their underground home. They used a spot in the corner, so with local cleaning, the structure lasted several weeks before I had to change the substrate.


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## andypandy29us (Aug 10, 2012)

cool pics


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Well. He has a rich tunnel system now, supported by cardboard, hay, a reptile rock den thing, et cetera...
However he turned into a little gardener. o.o
He tipped his water dish over a couple days ago, I didn't think anything of it, fixed it.
Apparently he tipped it right on his food hoard.
We have grass now growing in his bachelor pad. -facepalm-


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## MojoMouse (Apr 20, 2012)

That's great to hear.  Have you thought about a water bottle? Also, watch out for mould growing in the substrate after it got wet. It can be harmful to a mouse's respiratory system.


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

One of our water bottles recently sprang a heavy leak. (Completely emptying itself within an hour.)
My main stud's cage is too cluttered for a water dish. And he likes to throw food.
Since this new Himalayan has a mainly level cage floor due to his disinterest in toys he was the best choice for a water dish until I can make it back into town.

Edit:
Wow. Jinxed it.
After this post went to fill the stud's water bottle back up, and it snapped in half.
Guess I'm clearing a spot for a water dish for a few days in there too. >.<


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## Mouse Girl (Dec 2, 2010)

Pets at home do a burrow toy if he likes digging mine seem to love it 
http://www.petsathome.com/shop/woodland ... -box-98551


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

I buried his cave at the very bottom of the aquarium. He has since built tunnels to all three entrances to it. How often do you think I should unbury the cave and clean it out?


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## Paradigmatic (Jan 22, 2013)

Well the little turd found something to amuse himself with. He wanted attention earlier today, and instead of accepting that I was ignoring him, he somehow got to his aquarium roof and chewed a hole out in no time flat. Very literally one moment I saw him inside, next time I turned around he was sitting on top just staring at me.

Regardless, a trip to the hardware store and a lot of metal clipping later, we have re-secured him and given him an assortment of new rope, cardboard, glass jars, et cetera to get him busy.


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