Update

So I thought it was time for a little update on the mice. I am currently working on a post about mouse health, but I am not quite done yet, so I hope a little update is good enough.

Life is great here. The mice are very happy and active, and they seem to enjoy themselves a lot. As many of you know, I finally managed to connect Pippins cage with Øysteins old one. I have been waiting over 5 weeks to do it! I had ordered the parts at a pet shop, but the company that should deliver the parts where so slow, and only managed to deliver the tube. So I decided to order the rest online. And finally the parts came!

The two connected cages

When I came home I had to clean and completely disinfect Øysteins cage, so that it didn’t smell like him, or had any traces of him at all. Also the toys that I decided to use again, where disinfected. And finally I could start to organize the cage as I wanted it. Pippin was very curious the whole time, as he was on the playground, and could see that I was doing a lot of things with his cage, and a new one. When I was done I placed him in his cage, so that he wouldn’t get to confused, and then he could investigate the new tube that connected the two cages.

Making sure it's not dangerous

He was a bit cautious in the beginning, which was very cute. He actually turned around and walked away the first time, but then he changed his mind and came back. Being so curious all the time in his daily life, it was clear to see that he really wanted to investigate it, but he didn’t quite know what to think of it in the beginning. He walked into the tube, and backed out again a few times, before he gathered the courage to walk all the way over to the new cage. There he made sure that his butt was always inside of the tube, while he tried to sniff the new cage. But eventually he figured out, that if he wanted to investigate it all, he would have to get out of the tube.

Not so sure about it, so he stays inside of the tube, but still wants to investigate

When he finally did it he was so happy, and ran around like a hyperactive young mouse, because he just had to investigate it all at the same time. Meanwhile I was just sitting on a chair, smiling like a proud mother. It made me so happy to see him like that. The whole process only took a few minutes, and then he would run between the two cages like he had been doing it forever.

Mouse in a tube

It’s been a few days now since the change, and he is really a much happier mouse. Not that he wasn’t happy before, but having much more space has definitely made him happier. Yesterday he really made me laugh, because I had given him a whimzee, and he wanted to transport it to the other cage. So he took the whimzee in his mouth and wanted to go into the tube, but the whimzee was too big and he dropped it. Then he looked over at me like he blamed me for not being able to take it with him. Of course I gave in and helped him.

The girls are also being their usual selves, by driving me crazy because Chewie always throws bedding out of their cage. And she looks so innocent when I walk over to stop her ^_^ So they are being mischievous like always, but it only makes me love them even more.
A life with mice is a happier life <3

- The mouselife 

Playground

Many of you know that I have a playground for my mice, that I use every single day. When I first had the idea, I thought that my mice would just use it for a few hours each day. But I quickly realized that especially the males love to be out for a longer period of time.

The view from my couch

The playground is actually my dining table, that I’ve covered with a towel so they don’t mess up my table, and so it’s not to slippery for them. Unlike hamsters, mice have respect for heights and they don’t just jump off from a table. Mine have never done it, and I’ve had mice for a long time now. Of course you should always be in the same room as the mice, when they are out on the table, because accidents can happen, and it would be really bad if you were gone and your mouse fell down. As my table is in my living room, I always have a view over the table and can keep an eye on my mice.

So why should you make a playground? I find it an easy and fun way to interact with my mice. They love to come out and run around, and they also love to explore me while they are out. I often sit on a chair next to the table, place my knee against the table, and then my mice end up walking onto me. It’s a good way to bond with them, without scaring them by forcing them to come out. It was thanks to the playground that I ended up bonding with Pippin. Because he had the choice to run away if he didn’t want to be near me. He was very afraid in the beginning, so this way I made sure that I didn’t push him too far. But he ended up being really curious, and now he loves to interact with me.

Pippin ready to sleep in hist nest on the table

Pippin loves the playground, and if I’m home all day, then he will be out on the table all day, because the girls only use it for one hour each morning and evening, otherwise they sleep the rest of the day. His cage is open so he can get in and out as he wants to, but he is so comfortable with the playground, that he actually sleeps right on the table, which is very rare as mice don’t like to be too exposed as their instinct tells them, to be aware of birds etc. that might attack them from above.
So Pippin feels very comfortable. And whenever I move just an inch from my couch, he will be right at the edge of the table, begging for my attention. He also follows me around when I walk around the table, just in case I might have something for him. I always say hello to him and let him sniff my hands, to reward him because he wants to be around me. 

When he is begging for attention

It is very easy to make a fun playground for the mice. They love boxes, egg cartons, toilet paper rolls and things like that. Just be aware that they like to push the boxes, and even push them onto the floor. So you need to keep an eye on them, so it doesn’t happen. Otherwise you can use toys that you don’t use in the cage. I have bendy bridges, a wooden house and two wooden playgrounds on my table, because mice love to climb and especially the wooden playgrounds are a big hit here. Use your imagination and make all the toys you want.

Home made digging box

The wooden playground

So I really encourage everyone with mice, to make a playground like this. It’s so much fun to watch them explore everything, and you can really see how much they love to come out and run around. And if you have a male, just let him be out on the table for as long as possible, he will love you for it. But never leave them unsupervised!

Pippin being silly while playing

- The Mouselife

Where to buy your mice?

 There are a few different options when it comes to where you should buy your mouse. The most common options are:

- Animal shelters
- Breeders
- Pet shops

Now, a lot will do it the “easy” way, and just buy mice from pet shops. I strongly advice against this. Mice are very often not divided into sex, which means that males and females are living together. And since females are sexually mature when they are one month old, many of them end up being pregnant way too early, and you risk ending up with one or several pregnant females! The next problem I’ve heard a lot about is, when people come home with the wrong gender! They might have bought mice, thinking it’s females, and they end up with males. And because males can’t live together, they have to be separated and you need to buy new cages. Another problem is if you come home with both males and females, thinking they should all be female. Unfortunately, this happens very often. On top of that, there is a big chance that some of the mice are sick. So if you can, stay away from pet shops.
If you have no other option than to buy from a pet shop, make sure it’s a good pet shop. Make sure they divide them in males and females, make sure the animals are living on fine conditions and that they are healthy.

I recommend to research if some animal shelters in your area have mice, or if they do take mice in. I always recommend adopting from a good animal shelter – if you can. But do remember that females have to live in groups, so if you adopt just one from a shelter, you need to find two other females. When you buy mice from shelters you can be sure that they won’t be pregnant, and hopefully you won’t end up with three boys instead of three females. Plus, you can always ask for help if you have any questions.

The last option is a good breeder. And I really mean a good breeder! Do your research, find a mouse forum and ask if there is a good breeder in your area. Or if you can find a mouse association, then ask them. I buy my mice from acknowledged breeders who are members of the Danish Mouse and Gerbil association. They have to follow a strict line of rules of how to care for their mice, how old a mouse has to be before they can sell their mice etc. They also have to pass a test to be a member of this association. This way you, as a buyer, can be sure that they will have good and healthy mice. Most good breeders don’t breed for the profit of money, since there is no profit in breeding mice. They breed because they are passionate about it, and they want to breed healthy and friendly mice! These mice mean a lot to them, so they will also be critical when it comes to “choosing a buyer”, meaning that they will make sure you are prepared to own mice.

When I bought Pippin, I recieved pictures and updates from his breeder, while he was growing.

I know many people have different opinions of breeders, but if you buy from a good one, I don’t see any problem with it at all. You get help from qualified people, their mice are used to being handled, you will come home with the right gender and they will always be willing to answer any questions you might have. But be critical and take your time to find the right breeder for you. A good breeder should allow you to come and see the mice, and even see the parents and maybe other mice. This way you can also make sure that the other mice are well cared for, and that they are all healthy.

A healthy mouse

I’ve mentioned that it’s important to buy a healthy mouse, so what signs should

you be looking for? A healthy mouse is:

- Active
- Curious
- Clean
- Has clear and clean eyes
- Clear and clean nose
- A beautiful fur that is well groomed
- Has no labored breathing
- You shouldn’t be able to hear it breathe at all
- A clean butt, with no feces stuck to it
- No bald patches caused by scratching, allergies or mites/lice

A healthy mouse is curious, and comes out when you start moving things around in the cage or near the cage

- The Mouselife

-

Good mouse keeping

Owning mice

In this post I will be focusing on what you need for your mice.

Unfortunately, many people buy mice because “they are so cute” and “they really want one.” Which means that it is a pure impulse and people haven’t been doing research before buying them. Mostly because they think “mice are so small, so they don’t require that much.” Well, that kind of thinking is very wrong. I mean, you don’t just buy a horse on pure impulse either. I know this sounds harsh, but unfortunately many make this mistake, and I really think it should be avoided.

If you want a pet to cuddle with then mice definitely aren’t a pet for you. They are very active and fun to watch, and yes some will let you pet them, but they would much rather explore the world around them. So mice almost never sit still for a longer period of time. They can be very affectionate and they do bond with their owner, but don’t expect them to lie in your hand forever and be petted.

Mice also need much more space and attention than people might think, and depending on the gender they also have different needs. Mice are also very sensitive and can get sick very easily. And as their owner you have an obligation to take them to a vet – and vets are very expensive. If you don’t have the money, or your parents won’t pay for the vet, then don’t buy an animal. These are things that many forget or don’t even think about, because they haven’t done any research. So I will write about what you need, for either males or females. Remember this is a guideline, I don’t claim to be an expert. But one thing I do recommend you to follow, is to not house males together.

Male or females?

It’s lovely if you have decided to own a mouse or more. But with that decision comes responsibility. First of all, you have to decide if you want a male or females. It’s very important that this is the first decision you make. Like I have written above, mice are very active and if they won’t sit still and let you pet them, don’t force them. Accept that your mouse just isn’t the type to be petted – this applies for both genders, as some males love to be petted and others don’t. Just like some females will bond with you whil others won’t.

- Males:
Males have to be alone, and this can’t be said enough times! Males are extremely territorial and will fight each other if they are placed in the same cage. And it doesn’t matter if they are brothers, they will still fight. I strongly advice to not even take the risk, just because to males seem to be getting along, the smallest change in their cage can cause them to fight. Males can only live with a group of females if they are castrated. Don't castrate two males and put them together, they are very likely to fight anyway.
Now, because males have to live alone, they require much more time with you. You need to be their friend and they have to come out for at least 1 ½ hour each day. Otherwise they will become lonely. Males do make great companions and can get very attached to you. The only little downside to males is, that they do have a strong smell. Some won’t notice it, while others can’t stand the smell. If you don’t like the smell then don’t get a male, because you can’t make it go away. And if you don’t have the time to play with him very often, then a male isn’t the right animal for you. 

Females:

If you choose females then you must keep in mind, that females are extremely social and need to live in groups. And no, two is not enough as two isn’t a group, it’s a pair. They have a social hierarchy, with an alpha, beta and omega. So if you just have two you risk having problems with the hierarchy. Therefore, you need at least 3 females, I recommend 4 as it is a very good number. Another thing you have to consider, if you want females, is that they are a never ending process. If two dies so you only have two left, you need to buy new females to add to the group. And introducing them to each other can be quite difficult sometimes. I will talk about the introduction another time. If a female lives alone she will be lonely, and some have actually died of loneliness, so it is very important to give them a loving group to be in.

Females are also lovely animals, and they are fun to watch as they tend to be very active. It can take more time to tame them, as they don’t really need your company like a male does. But all of my females have been very curious and wanting to socialize, plus they do also enjoy to come out and play.

The cage:

Now that you have decided which gender you want, you have to think about the cage, and where to place it. Mice are active animals, even during the night so if you are a light sleeper you might not want to have them in your bedroom. On top of that, mice have very sensitive airways, so they can’t be standing right next to a window or in a place where they will be in a “air current” if you open your window to let some air in.

You can either buy a wired cage, a tank or make one yourself. Even though you just have one male, he still needs space. A cage for a male has to be at least 60cm long, and about 35cm tall. Of course you can always give them a bigger cage, they will love that. Females need (in my opinion) a bigger cage, even though some also have them in a cage that’s 60x35. My three females live in a cage that’s 70cm long and 45cm tall. They thrive in it, as they can be together but they can also have some alone time if they want it.

If you buy a wired cage, make sure that the space between the bars is under 1cm as they can get out if the space is bigger. Personally I prefer the wired cages, because it is easier for me to give them access to the table, plus I can use all the sides of the cage, to hang toys from. The downside of wired cages is, that mice like to throw their bedding around, and some will end up on the floor. And if the cage is right next to a window, your mice have a bigger risk of getting sick.

If you buy a tank or make a DIY cage, you need to make a mesh lid to make sure they don’t escape, and they still get fresh air plus you can use the mesh to hang things from it. The good part about these type of cages is, that the bedding won’t be all over your floor, but it can be a bit more difficult to get a hold of your mice, since there is no opening on the sides. But I do know many people who love these cages, so I guess it’s a matter of taste. All 3 types are great for mice, with their own advantages/disadvantages.

A DIY cage - the picture is borrowed from a breeder.

My friends tank, where her females live.

Do not buy these cages!

Please do not, under any circumstances buy a crittertrail cage or anything that is as small as a crittertrail! Not unless you connect it to a much bigger cage! The crittertrails are way too small for any kind of animals, as there is no space to make a fun and interesting environment for your animals!   

Bedding

Now that you have found your cage, it’s time to choose the type of bedding you want. There a lot of different types on the market, and it can be difficult to know, which you should use and which you have to stay away from. I will start with the bedding that is an absolute no go! The most common bedding you can find, is the wood shavings made of pine or cedar. These shavings are extremely toxic, because when they get wet they release toxic phenols, which are really dangerous for your mouse’s airways. On top of that they are very dusty, which isn’t good either. So you are probably thinking; “Well then, what should I use?” Good question! There are many very good beddings on the market. The best are:

 

Aspen bedding

 Hemp bedding

 

Paper based bedding. 

When you buy carefresh, make sure it is without the new baking soda formula, as it's not healthy for animals!

All of these beddings are very good, so you can just use the one that you prefer. Personally I use hemp bedding, because it covers their smell really well. You need to clean the cage once a week, depending on the size of the cage. But mice can’t really be litter trained like hamsters, so they might not “go to the toilet” the same place every time, which causes the cage to smell faster as you can’t clean out one small area every day.

Nesting material

Very dangerous!

Just like hamsters, mice need nesting material. They love to make nests, and they make them so well, that I’m often left amazed of how they are able to make such nests. But what should they make nests with? The most common material people use, is the fluffy cotton nesting material, that you can buy in pet shops. This is extremely dangerous and I can’t point it out enough times. Do not use this! Mice and hamsters can get tangled into and get stuck with the material around their legs. This stops the blood flow to the leg, and causes severe injuries. Some have even lost a leg because of it! It’s also extremely dangerous if they accidently ingest it. As it can be digested, it gets stuck in their stomachs and can’t get out again, causing severe pain for the animal and in the end, death. 

Instead I recommend that you use plan toilet paper. It’s soft, can get through their digestive system and it’s cheap. If you live in a country where ink used in newspapers is safe, you can also use newspaper. I live in Denmark and here there’s no danger in using it. So with both toilet paper and newspaper you just shred it in pieces and spread it around in the cage, so the mice have to spend time finding the material and building their nest.

Mouse food

There are a lot of different brands of food you can use for your mice. But you have to be selective when you choose your food. It can’t contain too much corn, and it has to have protein in it as well. The recommended amount of protein in their food is around 15 to 16%. If there’s too much protein in their food, they can develop an allergic reaction to it, called hot spots.
Many use mixes placed in a food bowl, which is fine. But personally I don’t use it, because the mice can just pick what they want to eat, and the rest they just throw out and never eat. This means that they do not get everything they need, and of course that is not optimal. And since mice need constant access to food, you can’t just wait until they’ve eaten it all. So I recommend pellets. They are good because they contain everything a mouse needs, and it helps to wear their teeth down. Personally I don’t use a food bowl, as the mice will take the food with them anyway. So I spread it around in their cage, and during the week I just make sure that they have enough food. 

If you live in Europe, you can buy Versele-Laga Rat & Mouse complete og Mr. Johnson's Rat and mouse.

Both have 15% crude protein in them, and the mice love them. I use Versele-Laga for my mice.

As a treat I use the food mixes that you can buy, give them a few meal worms a few times a week, give them fresh veggies, give them some budgie mix as they love the small seeds. Don’t give them any dairy products, as they are lactose intolerant.
Here are some mixes that are great to use as treats:

Toys

Mice are very active animals and need lots of toys to keep them entertained. They are also very intelligent, so you need to change the cage setup quite regularly otherwise they will get bored. On top of that, mice are so much fun to watch, when they use their toys and explore their cage. With males it’s important that you don’t change all the toys at the same time, as this can stress them. So just remove one toy and add a new one, while you use the rest of his old/used toys. In this way he still has something new to do and explore, but his smell remains on the rest of the toys.

I use a lot of toys made out of wood, which I would recommend to use. Yes, it does smell after some time. But you can just wash it or throw it out and buy a new one. The wooden toys aren’t the most expensive. The wood is also good because they like to chew it, and it isn’t dangerous.

When it comes to toys you can be very creative yourself. One of the best things to give them, is egg carton (not one that’s colored). They love to chew through egg cartons! You can also put treats in a toilet paper roll and then close the ends so that they have to work to get to the food. There are no limits for your imagination with these kind of toys. Just be sure they are safe!
I won’t recommend too many toys made of plastic, because mice are chewers and can end up chewing the plastic. But it does depend on the individual mouse. So just keep an eye on your mice and if they don’t chew plastic, you can use it with no problems.

The wheel

Because mice are very active you need a wheel for them. Again, there are lots of wheels out there, and unfortunately many are not suited for mice. Mice may be small, but their tails are very long. And because they have those tails, they need a big wheel. The tail is a part of their back and spine, so if their tails are continuously forced to bend upwards, it will cause severe pain for them, as the tail will end up bending upwards all the time. This is a big problem for mice, as they use their tails for balance when they climb. And of course it hurts all the way to their spine, and we all know that a painful spine is not something anyone wants.

So I recommend to buy a running disc or flying saucer in medium size. They are very good for mice, as they do not force the tail to bend upwards.

But if you do want a wheel, use a mesh wheel (and a big one). Mesh wheels are not dangerous for mice, as they will not get bumble foot like hamsters.

Make sure to buy one that is big so their tails aren't forced to bend upwards.

But do never use wired wheels! They are really dangerous! When a mouse runs on it, it risks getting stuck with its tail or paw between the two wires, causing severe injuries! Don’t ever use them.

Do never use these wheels! This is also a good example to see how much a tail bends in a normal wheel.

That was it. This was just a quick information on the basic things you need to think about, and buy, before getting a mouse or several females. There a lots of other things you need to know, and you are more than welcome to ask me questions if you have some.

- The Mouselife

New blog!

Hello, and welcome to my new blog page! I decided to change everything, as my previous blog page was always causing problems, and was difficult to work with. This page is much easier and also a lot more fun to work with. So I hope you will like it as much as I do. I’ve finished the description about the mice, which means that you can now read about every single mouse. Just click on their names on the list to the left, and you’ll reach their “personal” page. You can also see our latest Instagram posts, find the most popular posts on this blog and gain easy access to my previous posts. You can find all of the in the column to the left.

Life here in the little mouse paradise is great. The mice are happy and active, maybe they can sense that spring is closing in? The girls are happy and joyful, despite the loss of Dahlia. It took them some time to establish the new order between them, but they are doing just fine now. All three of them cuddle up together and there is a great harmony in the little group.

Pippin is being as lovely and fun as ever. He is so precious and I wouldn’t have survived the loss of Øystein if he hadn’t been there. I miss Øystein so much, but luckily Pippin requires so much attention, that he managed to keep me busy after I had to say goodbye to Øystein. I have bought a tube and some “holders” for the tube, so that I can connect Øysteins old cage with Pippins, so Pips will have much more space. I’m just waiting for the parts to arrive.

Now, can you believe that I have almost had these mice for a year now? Pippin came home the 2^nd of May. And this month is very special, as two of my darlings can celebrate their first birthday! Adelaide is born the 10^th of March and Pippin the 13^th. So this is a wonderful month in the little mouse home.

That was it, I just wanted to give you all a little update and show you the new blog. I really hope you will like it.

-  The Mouselife

Taming process

A lot of people have been asking me about advice on how to tame mice. So I thought I’d make a post about it here. It’s easier for everybody to read this, and if it doesn’t help you are more than welcome to write to me for more help and advice. Now, I am not an expert and don’t claim to be. I just give advice from what I have experienced with my mice, and hope that this might help some of you.

Taming a mouse can take two weeks to several months. It really depends on the individual mouse, it’s personality, where it comes from and how old it is. The younger they are, the easier it is to tame them. I will use some of my own mice as examples, because they are very different from each other.

Step 1:

When you bring your mouse home, you have to give it a few days to settle down. Keep in mind that everything is new for it; the sounds, smells and even its home – as nothing smells like the mouse. Don’t try to place your hand in the cage the first few days, unless you can see that your mouse is ready. Here are some examples from my mice.

- Dahlia was extremely trusting when I bought her and the other girls. I had only had them for about 30 minutes, when she decided she wanted to explore me. I had opened the cage to adjust something in it, and she immediately walked onto my hand, as if she had been doing it her whole life. And because she was the leader of the group, the other girls quickly followed her example and started to investigate me. Keep in mind that this rarely happens, even I was quite surprised.

- Dahlia on her very first day. She was very trusting.

- Another example is Pippin. Now he is very different from my girls. Those of you who have followed me since I got him know, that he was very very scared when he came to live with me. I couldn’t move without scaring him. He would run and hide in one area, and not move for an entire day. I knew it would be very difficult to gain his trust, so I took it one day at a time – never expecting him to improve a lot, and letting him decide when he wanted to know me.
The first week I would just sit next to his cage and talk to him – even when he was hiding. This way he would get to know my voice. Sometimes he gathered some courage and would peek out to look at me. I just kept talking and did not move at all, so he wouldn’t get scared again. It is very important to read their body language, as they will tell you if they feel safe or not. In the picture below you can see very clearly, that Pippin isn't comfortable. He is very alert and ready to run if I make just one wrong move. So I froze with my phone in my hand and didn't move, until he relaxed and started walking around again.

He is tense and ready to run away and hide.

- Pippin was in a different room than the other mice in the beginning, and when I could see that he was out exploring, I would just not enter the room. I gave him time to adjust to his cage without me being there. After one week he started to come out and check me out, when I was sitting next to his cage. He slowly began to show interest in me.

Step 2:

When your mouse starts to come out, and stays out while you move around and talk to it, it’s probably time to go to the next step. If you have a cage with wires it’s a quite easy step. When the mouse comes near the cage opening, give it a treat, and keep talking to it. In the beginning it will probably run away with the treat and then come back to get another one. But eventually it will eat the treat right after you’ve given it. (The best treats for this are small seeds, as they eat them quickly and therefore come quickly back again.) If you have a tank you can try to offer the treat to your mouse by putting you hand in the cage. But I would recommend that you move to step 3 if you have a tank, as it is easier. Use the method of spreading some seeds around in the cage, while your hand is in the cage.

- I did this with Pippin a lot, because he also got a bit used to my smell whenever he took the treat from my fingers. After some time, he would be waiting for me to give him a treat, whenever I was in the room. When that moment comes, don’t give them a treat every time, but let them smell your fingers instead. This was very helpful for Pippin.

- Pippin smelling my finger after being given a treat.

Step 3:

You have now reached the point where your mouse gladly takes treat through the bars and stays while it eats it. Now it’s time for you to open the cage! If you have a very trusting mouse it will probably check out what you are doing, and maybe even walk onto the cage door. If it does this, let it! Place your hand under the door, so that you support it. This way your mouse can also feel your skin between the cage bars. If you have a mouse that’s this trusting, you almost don’t need treats. But you can still give it some when it’s out.

- Ivy on her second day, curiously exploring me, while still feeling safe.

If you have a mouse that’s a little less trusting, it’s no problem at all. Take some seeds and place them in your hand. Even place some between your fingers, so they are easy to take for the mouse. You can also place some right next to your hand, so the mouse can take it without actually touching you, but still has to come close to your hand. This process can take some time depending on the mouse. Some aren’t even interested in treats, and then you just have to be patient and let it decide when it wants to explore your hand. With the very first group of girls I had, it took me about two weeks, before they sat on my hand and ate the seeds. In the beginning they will most likely take the seed and run away to eat it. This should stop when they figure out that your hand isn’t dangerous at all.

- Pippin wasn’t interested in any food, so I just placed my hand in the cage and waited for him to take the first steps towards me. He was very cautious in the beginning, not even wanting to move when my hand was there. Therefor I only did it for a few minutes each time, so he wouldn’t get too stressed. It took quite some time, and don’t give up if you have a mouse like Pippin! It is very important to let them set the pace. If you push your mouse, you risk having to start all over again. Because of Pippins fear of me, I didn’t clean his cage for the first two weeks. When he finally trusted me enough to run around while I was there, I changed half of the bedding, and left the other half. This way I wouldn’t stress him too much, because it is quite stressful for a mouse to have the whole caged cleaned, because their familiar scent disappears.

Step 4:

Is your mouse walking around on your hand? Sitting on it or right next to it and eats? Well that’s great! You can start cutting down on the treats, because mice can’t have too many treats, otherwise they will get fat which really isn’t good for them as they are prone to diabetes. If you’ve come this far it’s time to get your mouse used to being lifted and held. Some mice are really cool about this, and don’t mind it at all. Others find it very scary, which is understandable. Start by just lifting your mouse a few centimeters and then put your hand back down right after. This way your mouse can jump down if it wants to, without injuring itself. Most mice should quickly get used to this. You can gradually increase the distance between your hand and “the floor”. Some mice don’t like being held at all, but don’t be scared to do it if you really need to. They are usually quite forgiving animals, and if you need to check its health or give it medicine, you need to hold it no matter if it wants it or not.

- This is what a curious mouse looks like. All ready to say hello to you and wanting some fun.

- Dahlia didn’t mind being held at all, and I could carry her around with no problem. She would be looking down, and mice being mice, she didn’t sit still at all. Don’t expect your mouse to be like some hamsters, that are more calm and just sit still in your hand. Mice will walk all over you, and are busier exploring everything, than wanting to be petted. If you want to pet your mouse, it takes a lot of time and some will never really like it. So don’t force them!

- Dahlia, being held without any problems.

- Pippin was very different. He felt most comfortable when he was in control. So I did everything very different with him. He was allowed out to run on the table as he wanted to, and could run in and out of his cage on his own. Over time he would come to the edge of the table and slowly start walking on my hand. It took a lot of time, but eventually he would run all over my hands and legs as he wanted to. After several months he will now finally let me touch him and pet him. He didn’t like being touched on his body, and that’s why it took me so long to achieve this with him.

- Pippin exploring me on his own free will. He decides if he wants to touch me or not.

Please keep in mind that this is just a guideline. Most mice should react in a positive way if you take it slowly and let them decide the pace. But not all mice are the same. Some might never be really tame – and you just have to accept that. They are just as lovely animals and companions even if they won’t let you pet them. I love Pippin with all my heart, and I fully accepted that he didn’t want to be touched in all these months. I was happy with letting him run all over me, and he was happy to, as long as I didn’t try to pet him. Of course I was filled with joy the day he decided to let me pet him, but even if that day hadn’t arrived I would still love him as much.

I really hope this little guideline can help if you have problems with taming your mouse. I will gladly answer any questions if you have some, and remember you can also post at comment on this post.

- The Mouselife