How long will a pet mouse live with proper care?

Answer 1

I had 10 mice (now i have 3 i gave 1 away so theres 4 )

Ginny- died @ giving birth (mum)

Jedi- died from old age about 2 yrs 3 mth (dad)

Luna/Hagrid/Karate- died from heat (it was about 43 degrees) (mouselings)

Oreo- tuma or "mouse cancer" (mouselings)

Chino/Narcissa/Bellatrix/Domino - N/A (mouselings)

Mice usually die from old age 1.5 yrs- 3 yrs with proper care

I had a pet white mouse when I was a kid that lived to be 2 1/2 years old. When the poor little guy died the whole family was upset. He was quite the character. The norm is about 2 years, but if well looked after in your home they can surpass this by a bit.

In captivity, a mouse can live up to 5 years with proper care. In the wild they live to about 18 months.

Something I have not seen said was that mommy mice will NOT care for their babies once they have been touched by a human or probably even another animal. HOW MEAN!!! Well, it is nature, so...okay..Thanks : )

The above statement is not entirely true I have had several mice and rats under my care who have given birth... I was able to handle about 45% of the litters without incident... However, having said that i would still suggest that unless you have had prior experience... DO NOT attempt to start handling the babies until they are at least 6 weeks old. Remember, the possibility of abandonment is always a threat, no matter what the circumstances... Kechara

The average life span of a mouse is anywhere from 2-3yrs however, I too have had experiences with mice living for close to 5yrs. So don't be surprised if your little guy lives past the 3yr mark. Remember mice don't always like to read or follow the rules...LOL......

Kechara