🐁 Vet’s 2025 Guide to Pet Mouse Care: Housing, Health & Breeding Essentials 🧼🍎🏠

By Dr. Duncan Houston, BVSc

Pet mice are small in size but big in personality! Intelligent, clean, and fast-moving, they make fascinating companions when cared for correctly. This 2025 guide will help you master every aspect of mouse care—from habitat setup and nutrition to breeding and health checks. 🐁💫

📖 Mouse Basics

Domestic mice (Mus musculus) live between 1.5 to 3 years and are best kept in same-sex groups unless breeding. Despite their size, they require considerable enrichment and attention to thrive. 🐭

🏠 Ideal Housing

• Cage Type: A glass tank or wire cage with solid base; minimum size 60x40x30 cm for a pair or trio.
• Bar Spacing: Must be <1 cm to prevent escapes.
• Ventilation: Crucial—avoid fully enclosed plastic cages that trap humidity.
• Substrate: Paper-based bedding or aspen shavings; avoid pine/cedar.
• Nest Material: Provide tissue, shredded paper, or hay for nesting.

🍎 Nutrition & Feeding

Mice are omnivorous, but their diet must be carefully balanced to avoid obesity or deficiencies:

• Pellets: Choose a high-quality, uniform rodent block to prevent selective feeding.
• Fresh Foods: Small portions of leafy greens, apple (no seeds), carrots, oats.
• Protein Treats: Cooked egg, mealworms, or tofu in moderation.
• Water: Provide a clean sipper bottle or heavy ceramic bowl refreshed daily.

⛔ Foods to Avoid

• Chocolate, caffeine, onions, garlic
• Alcohol, raw beans, rhubarb
• High-fat seeds and sugary foods

🧠 Enrichment & Mental Stimulation

Enrichment is vital to prevent boredom and stereotypic behaviors:

• Exercise wheels (solid surface only—no wire rungs)
• Cardboard tunnels and tubes
• Chew sticks, blocks, and natural wood items
• Scattering food to encourage natural foraging

🚻 Litter Training

Some mice will naturally pick a toilet corner. You can place a small ceramic dish with safe litter in that spot. Scoop daily to keep it clean. 🧼

🩺 Health & Wellness

• Daily Observation: Look for alertness, clear eyes, healthy coat, and smooth breathing.
• Common Issues: Tumors (especially in females), respiratory infections, mites, and overgrown teeth.
• Weight Checks: Weigh weekly if possible—sudden weight loss is a red flag.
• Vet Visits: Seek exotics-savvy vets for routine care or sudden changes.

🧼 Cleaning Protocol

• Spot Clean: Daily—remove soiled bedding and food remnants.
• Full Clean: Weekly—disinfect with a pet-safe cleaner and replace all bedding.

🐣 Breeding Considerations

If breeding, it's essential to have a plan:

• Gestation: 19–21 days. One litter can be 5–12 pups.
• Separation: Remove males before or after mating to avoid fighting or overbreeding.
• Weaning: At 4 weeks; separate males from females by 5 weeks to avoid unwanted litters.

💡 Handling & Bonding

• Start by offering treats from your hand.
• Use a cupped hand or scoop with a jar to pick them up gently.
• Limit handling to short sessions—mice are fast and squirmy but can become tame with patience.

🚨 Signs of Illness

Call your vet if you see:

• Labored breathing or wheezing
• Weight loss or hunched posture
• Head tilt, circling, or seizures
• Excessive scratching or bald patches

📱 Resources & Support

• 📞 Chat with an exotics vet via Ask A Vet or the Ask A Vet app
• 🧸 Find mouse-safe toys and hideouts at Woopf
• 🩺 Explore supplements and bedding at Purrz

With proper care, enrichment, and gentle handling, your mice can thrive and become affectionate little members of your family. 🐁💚