# How many mice?



## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

I have an enclosure that is 23 x 23 inches, and I am considering housing mice in there in the future  But I'm very new to mice, and I'm wondering, what would be the optimum number of mice to keep in a home that size? And what gender would you recommend?


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## candycorn (Oct 31, 2011)

An odd size for sure! I would love to see a photo of the cage! 
I keep 5 to 7 females in a 20 gallon tank...so I imagine you could keep 7 to 10 comfortably in something that large. But I would be sure to add lots of hides and play areas to keep squabbling down!


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Lots. Like, seriously, lots and lots. All the mice. Mice are not really as enthusiastic about large open spaces as humans tend to think they are, so a space that large would be full of giant wheels, igloos, tons of paper towel tubes, small cardpaper boxes, probably multiple water bottles...

Oh, and groups of mice are female-only, unless for some reason you have access to neutered males. Keeping even a single male with a group of females will mean that the majority of the females are pregnant, nursing, or both at any given time. Constant back-to-back litters aren't healthy, no matter how strong your stock is. If you do decide to breed, you'll need multiple enclosures. One for the doe group, one much smaller one for your buck, one each for any mums who are about to litter or still nursing, and another for housing any young males you may produce until they get new homes.


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

Thank you both!  I am aware of mice liking "crowded" spaces and I was pretty sure they would have to be females so I'm glad I'm picking things up from my mousey research. So a large group then, sounds like it could be a very rewarding experience!

The enclosure is part of something I'm building with four 23x23 inch compartments. One will house my Roborovski hamster and one will house a Syrian hamster, and for the remaining two I'm deciding between a combination of gerbils, steppe lemmings or mice! So when it's built, I'll have photos up!


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## morning-star (Apr 9, 2011)

could keep up to about 10 - 15 mice in there I would say. I don't like to over crowd my mice if I can help it though but you might get away with up to 20.


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## candycorn (Oct 31, 2011)

Gerbils btw can not be keep in anything more than a same sex pair. Any more than that will cause fighting outbreaks.


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

I think 20 might be a bit much for me as a beginner, I'm more likely to stick to something around 10 I think!

I'm a _lot_ more knowledgeable about gerbils than I am about mice!  haha. It is possible to for gerbils to be kept in all-male trios, however, which is my plan if I get gerbils.


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## Emfa Mouse (Dec 14, 2011)

That's huge!! I'd love to see some pictures


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## candycorn (Oct 31, 2011)

genevie said:


> I think 20 might be a bit much for me as a beginner, I'm more likely to stick to something around 10 I think!
> 
> I'm a _lot_ more knowledgeable about gerbils than I am about mice!  haha. It is possible to for gerbils to be kept in all-male trios, however, which is my plan if I get gerbils.


No...just pairs. Gerbils in a trio will pair up and kill the 3rd wheel.


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

Hmm I know several people who keep gerbils, and none have ever had problems with male trios as far as I'm aware. I even know one who has kept 4 brothers together without issues. Females in anything more than a pair are generally very hostile, but this doesn't appear to be the same for males in the majority of cases I've heard about.


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## JohnColson1 (Mar 11, 2012)

I put about 17 in a cage that big, and they were happy. Until... One of my females turned out to be a male and I had a mouse baby boom. I still don't know what to do with half of the offspring! Yeesh!!!!


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

Oh wow! That sounds like a dilemma, I'll have to be wary of that!


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## PeachnZelda (Feb 23, 2012)

-drool- I really want a bigger cage, esp with the babies getting bigger.

How many would fit in this bad boy? :lol:

http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... CCEQ8wIwAQ


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

PeachnZelda said:


> -drool- I really want a bigger cage, esp with the babies getting bigger.
> 
> How many would fit in this bad boy? :lol:
> 
> http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalo ... CCEQ8wIwAQ


I'm definitely no expert, but since that's around the size of my cage (mine's 529 square inches, yours is 504) I'd go with the same recommendations as people have given me here


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## Farley (Apr 7, 2012)

I had 4 male gerbils who lived happily until one died. The trio didnt last long before one ganged up on another and a lot of blood was drawn! I am Also very experienced with gerbils but I wouldn't risk a trio again


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## genevie (Mar 11, 2012)

Farley said:


> I had 4 male gerbils who lived happily until one died. The trio didnt last long before one ganged up on another and a lot of blood was drawn! I am Also very experienced with gerbils but I wouldn't risk a trio again


This could possibly have been because the group dynamic was disturbed though. Because they weren't used to living as a three. Perhaps it is just a regional difference in terms of temperament? I haven't heard of any problems like this in the UK (London specifically) where I live.


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## STandTR (Apr 11, 2012)

i should say 5-7 mice  im so afraid of fur-biting in a too large group. not too much mice and more space is better! thats what im thinking


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