# Cage size?



## Daisy&amp;Peach (Apr 13, 2016)

The amount of variation I have seen in recommended cage sizes is... ridiculous. Quite frankly, I don't know what to think.

I've seen a 20L gallon tank (about 30 by 12 inches) recommended for anything from 3 to 15 mice. Some people say extra shelves/levels count as extra space, some people say it doesn't count at all. Some of the cages people use for a small group of females seem huge to me.

What's your opinion on the recommended cage/tank size for mice? Do two mice need twice the space as one mouse, or less? What about 5 mice?

My current cage is about 23 by 15 inches, how many mice could live in that comfortably?


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

Cage size reccomendations vary because pet owners anthropomorphize mice and imagine they would feel cramped in small spaces. Considering we're designed for open plains, that's not surprising. Mice aren't.

A 23 x 15 space I'd say is good for 6-7 adults. I wouldn't keep a single mouse in anything under 100sqin, and I add 50sqin for the third and subsequent mice. That gives me a rough idea of what I can use a space for.

There are breeders who use smaller spaces and who use larger spaces. For me, density isn't just about what they'll be happy to live in, but also about what I'm fine to clean. I don't want to pack them in and then be cleaning every cage every week. But I also don't want a huge empty cage that's hard to manage. You'll find the balance that works for you.


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## Daisy&amp;Peach (Apr 13, 2016)

Thanks for sharing your thoughts Laigaie!

I think you're right about pet owners anthropomorphizing mice. I think your rough guidelines sound very reasonable.
I've seen a lot of things on the internet stating "the bigger the better" and "there's no such thing as too big" for a cage/tank, which seems over the top to me.


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## pauly (Feb 21, 2013)

When you consider the millions of mice that must be bred worldwide in labs in cages I consider far too small. It can only be a matter of opinion really.


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## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

I've tried to give my bucks bigger cages, but it seems they're just happier in a smaller one. If I just had one buck as a pet then maybe a bigger cage with a ton of plastic or wood tunnels, but even the wheel if I have it in with a buck ends up with them messing on it and it reeking within a day. In a big cage without the wood/plastic toys they end up either sticking in one corner or seeming a lot more skittish, so I put a bucks in homemade bins that are a little bit smaller than 12"x17" and that is also big enough for a doe or possibly two to go in for a couple of weeks while pairing them up.

My does tend to live in groups of 6-8 in a 24"x17" bin and that is plenty of space for them to have lots of cardboard to chew and not have to clean every few days.


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