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Care of Mice and Rats
Pet mice and rats are small rodents that take up little space and are fun to watch. Raising and training them is entertaining and educational. For types that make great pets, their habits and needs, and more, ask and answer questions here.
3,224 Questions
Why are elephants afrid of mice?
Elephants are not afraid of mice and most often would not even notice a mouse if it was near them. When elephants do notice mice, it is mostly because of a change in their territory, and that can startle the herd animal.
it depends how big the rat is, when it is fully grown it can get to about 15- 20 cm depending on its gender
I don't know if it was a back flip, but late one night I heard a flapping sound and got up, went into the kitchen to see a mouse flip itself from under my open concept (no cabinet) sink onto the floor. It had apparently gotten a taste of some 'treats' I'd left in various corners of the house and was dying and flipped itself out into the open. Yuuch! I screamed and woke up my husband to capture and dispose of the dying beast. So, yes they can and do flip themselves.
Rats communicate in various ways, including scent marking using urine. So female rats will attract males. Also, a good home for rats will attract more rats. Many people will say that if there are rats, there are seldom mice in the same place - which is true to a point - rats will eat mice.
No they do not bite
They are only babies, so they don't know how to bite. When they get a little older they do.
What kinds of food will kill a mouse?
chocolate is the food that can kill your mouse.Do not ever feed that to the mouse
because its poison to them.
Mice will usually eat blackberries, if they are offered.
How did the rats escape from the cages in The Rats of Nihm?
They learn how to read in NIHM. Justin, a rat, learns that the cage has a metal tab on the edge of the cage. The tab says "pull nob out and slide". Justin noticed the nob is under the cage about 1-inch. Justin followed the directions on the metal tab. The cage opens. He tells Nicodemous, a rat, to do the same thing, and the news spreads throughout the room.
For the source and more detailed information concerning this subject, click on the related links section (Wikipedia) indicated below.
Once at the site, scroll down the page until you reach the section on species.
Read more >> Options >>
http://www.answers.com?initiator=FFANS
What are the 4 functions of a mouse?
Right Click, Left Click, Mouse Wheel, and Moving the mouse.
I hope thats the answer you were looking for.
How can you tell if your rat is dying?
When it's time - a ferret that is dying will quit eating and will it no longer engage in any normal activities.
If your ferret has a terminal disease and
* Loses weight and becomes skeleton thin * Barely has energy to get up to use the litter box * Sleeps most of the time * Begins to lose control of hind legs * Never does the Dance of Joy * Never gets out of bed unless you pick him up * Only eats when you hand feed him He is waiting for you to let go and say good-bye
For All Those Who Go On Ahead However did I find you little friends?
And how was I to know everyday
When I come home burdened, weary, frustrated or sad
One look at your cheerful little faces that wait to greet me fixes all
You dance your hoppy dance of joy
And stand, just so
I must almost fall to avoid stepping on you
in your quest to be near me
You'd steal anything not nailed down
Your box habits are appalling
Yet you love me and that's more than enough
I see it in your button eyes
The occasional kiss
The way you give hugs by laying on my foot
I often think of how much joy you leave in your wake
I often think how short your brilliant little lives are
And how will I survive your passing?
But deep inside my soul I know
When our Father calls me home
you will all be there to greet me
And you will lead me to the new place
you stash your toys and stolen goods
And there beneath the very throne of God at last
I will find my heart.
How do you tell a pet mouse is dead?
Sometimes infant mice are born with problems. It's nothing that you or the mother can control. There will often be a runt born with a large litter, or a "peanut" who will always be much smaller than its siblings. Sometimes these babies die.
If the mother is not feeding the babies, that's a different problem. You would need to find a foster mouse, or hand-feed them yourself.
Answera baby mouse would die for a number of reasons:1 reason is it could freeze to death which i have experienced with my orphaned mice shock is another reason if it had been attacked.it could also not been able to get milk from its mother if she had alot of babies like 10 that's what happend to one of my babys when my mouse had like 11 babes
How many babies does a mouse usually have each pregnancy?
Anywhere between 1 & 20, though commonly litters of 8-15 are pretty regular. Super mice & some feeder mice are bred to have large litters (13+) & some shjow & pet types will have about 8 or less.
How much does it cost spay or neuter a mouse?
I was recently sold a male mouse when I keep females so I got him neutered at a specialist vets for £25. You wont be able to get a female done though and another thing to think about is if you are doing it so males will get along it doesn't always work.. I would only recommend neutering a male if its so you can house him with females so he isn't spending his life alone. Another thing is if you adopt a male from RSPCA they come already neutered.
If you're talking about catching a wild mouse from your house or yard and trying to tame it, that really is not a good idea. Mice that are not socialized and held from a very young age are very difficult to tame. With wild mice--who have had to fight to survive, constantly running from predators and searching for food--this is nearly impossible. It will bite you constantly and search only for escape. While you could keep a wild mouse in a cage as a pet that you can watch, you'll probably never be able to hold it with any kind of security. Much better to buy an already-tame mouse from a responsible breeder, if you want a pet mouse.
Whoever wrote the above column is absolutely wrong. If you catch a wild mouse in your house or yard, it is with some patience very possible to tame such mouse over time. All you have to do is house the mouse in a ten gallon aquarium give it a wheel to run on, some sawdust for bedding, clean food and water, and you've begun the process. Make sure not to give the mouse a box to hide in because if you do the mouse will spend all it's time in hiding, and only come out during the night to look for food and a way of escape. Instead put some bedding, ( old rags or cotton balls) in a corner and let the mouse make a small getaway out of this. This will force the mouse to hear your voice and it will be much easier to coax him out with food. At first it's a good idea to keep your hands out of the cage while the mouse is getting settled in, however after a couple of days I strongly suggest holding a bit of cracker with some peanut butter on the end of it out to the mouse and softly talk to it. Over time the mouse will be conditioned so that when it hears your voice it will instantly think FOOD! After a while the mouse will get comfortable with you cleaning it's cage and feeding it regularly and over time it will learn not to fear your scent and you should have little trouble holding the mouse inside the cage on your hand.
It Has Disease Though, It Is Nasty And You Do Not Want To Hold Something In Your Hand That Has Diseases. What If You Get Something? It Might Poop On You And You Could Get Salmonella, All Kinds Of Stuff Just Kill It, And Throw It Away Done Finished.
Killing it would just be cruel. It may become a little tamer over time, but wild mice are different from pet mice, who are bred to be tame and grow bonds over time. A wild mouse, even over time would still be skittish and won't have a bond with it's carer. These are animals that spend their life running from the slightest noises, escaping all the time. It just won't be happy in a cage, it would be terrified of having no escape and would be quite likely to bit and scratch you if it felt it had to. Also, catching it would be hard, just spend five dollars at your local pet shop and buy yourself a couple of pet mice. They are tame, and actually come to like you. The only way a wild mouse might not be only wanting escape is if you take it from a very young age, if you do this it still won't be as nice as a pet mouse. I have pet mice and they are lovely, they can be handled they are affectionate. It's not worth the disappointment of trying to get a skittish wild creature to like you.
All throughout the day when ever they feel like it though many are nocturnal so they sleep in the day and come out at night
Are some mices born without tails?
No, but there are tailless cats and their supposed to be like that.
Answer:
Yes there are tailless mice. I have one at home.
Lab name: Brachyury, Tailless, etc
Fancier name: Tailless
Genotype: There are far too many forms of genes which can cause tailless to mention here. Some are dominant and some recessive. The most common tail modifying gene in the US is believed to be Brachyury T/*. However, this is not meant to cause no tails, just short/half tails, though some people try to breed them beyond what the gene is meant to do. This is only successful a small fraction of the time. In other countries, such as AU, they have true tailless mice. It is a recessive gene, yet unknown in the mouse community.
Chromosome: 17
Originated: Too many to specify.
Show class: Tailless, where recognized.
General description: Tailless mice should have little to no tail (no tail preferable). If tail is present, it should be free of kinks. Back should be free if abnormalities.
Source: http://www.thefunmouse.com/varieties/body.cfm
What do rats like to eat more than cheese?
I wouldn't feed your rat peanut butter, i fed mine peanut butter and she was choking and puking it up. peanut butter is very hard to get down and people don't even feed it to their young kids so imagine what would happen to the rat's little mouth. My rat was struggling for a good ten minutes and then went under my bureau to rest, it was terrible. I really thought she was going to die, so i would not feed your rat peanut butter just in case. Other than that i did feed my rat a little pb sandwich and she liked it. and she loves cheese, she eats anything
nope Rats and mice are two different creatures. They are not adult and child. Rats and mice are perhaps the most notorious household pests. There are three common pest rodents: the Norway rat, the roof rat and the house mouse. Norway rats live closer to the ground and will inhabit basements and lower floors. They may also live outside in burrows. Norway rats' tails are shorter than their bodies, whereas roof rats' tails are longer. Both species average 16 inches in length, tail included. Roof rats, as the name implies, prefer to live higher off the ground, nesting in trees, inside attic walls or dead space inside ceilings. Mice are smaller than rats (averaging up to 5 inches in length, including tail) but they live longer and are more common. All of these rodents will eat food and chew on property if they find their way into a home. Severe rodent infestations can result in structural damage. Mice and rats have also been known to chew through electrical wires.
How big do fancy dumbo rats get?
The same size as regular fancy rats, unless they're bred to be larger. I've heard of jumbo rats as well and I don't see why someone could not have a jumbo dumbo rat.
How can you tell the age of a mouse?
New born mice are pink with their eyes tight shut and their ears back. At day five, you'll be able to see the mouse's pigmentation. At day ten, the mouse will have a fuzz over it's body. By day fourteen, their eyes will be open and they should be able to move around quite well.
An orphan mouse will need vital care before it's opened it's eyes. Afterward, there's a pretty good chance they will live if you can adequately take care of them.
Can you get a disease if you get bit by an rat?
No as long as they don't bite or scratch you. Rats actually groom themselves very well, but, they can carry diseases depending on where they hang out. It's not wise to keep one as a pet, but, if you so choose take it to your vets to be checked over by a vet. Rats have been known to carry rabies. Remember, any wild creature can attack if provoked.
Marcy
Actually there are some extremely nasty and sometimes lethal diseases you can catch from rats. I know 3 people who have caught leptosperosis. One died, one suffered kidney damage and the other recovered after a few weeks in hospital. Symptoms range from flu like to death. You don't catch it from rat bites or scratches which was Marcy's worry (see above) but from urine. You could catch this from inhaling dried urine or eating food contaminated from urine or from an open wound as small as a scratch coming into contact with urine. Other diseases carried by wild rats and possibly transmitted to humans are : salmonella (my brother caught this and was quarantined in our house for 8 months with endless diarrhea and lost half his body weight and developed an arthritic illness as a result) He thought wild rats would make nice pets ! He was wrong. You can also get rat- bite fever and a type of meningitis or typhus Bubonic plague anyone ? Believe it or not in some countries you can still catch this disease from fleas on rats !
Casidhe
Rats are omnivorous creatures. Often if there is a dead rat near them, they will eat it to gain protein and other nutrients. In addition, they may also bite the ears of other rats in the same cage as them, though this is more of a stereotypical behaviour. Rat pups will also be eaten if there are foreign smells on them, so if your rat has babies please do not pick them up! If you absolutely need to pick them up, do so by scooping up the bedding around them, not by touching them directly!
A1:
Not unless they're cannibals.
A2:
Sometimes two or more rats who don't get along may kill and/or eat each other, and if a female rat who just gave birth is stressed or disturbed while or just after giving birth she may abandon or eat her babies.
A3:
Technically, the house rat is a scavenger and mostly thrive on rubbish as well as dead creatures so it is possible for rats to eat other rats especially if they are dead.
A4:
One sure answer though, is that a rat can eat even a creature of the same kind or from the same phylum (Rodentia) because a colleague of mine had a hamster who died due to rat bites.
"Do rats eat rats?"
Technically, the house rat is a scavenger and mostly thrive on rubbish as well as dead creatures so it is possible for rats to eat other rats especially if they are dead.
One sure answer though, is that a rat can eat even a creature of the same kind or from the same phylum (Rodentia) because a colleague of mine had a hamster who died due to rat bites.
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Also, if two or more rats don't like each other they may try to kill and/or eat each other, and if a female rat who just gave birth is stressed or disturbed while or just after giving birth, she may abandon or kill and eat her babies.
What age should you give away baby rats?
At about 5-6 weeks, you can take them away from their mother and sell them. I wouldn't leave them any longer then that or they can start breeding with each other.
If your pet mouse is cold and it is moving slowly and breathing fast is it okay?
Im Sorry To Sayy But Unfoutunatyy It Is Moree Than Likleyy To Diee
