0
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
Do rats like mirrors in there cage?
Well i have a hamster that likes his mirror it's a little mirror meant for birds so you'll see it in the bird section at a petstore(:
If My new rats keep sneezing what's wrong?
Common and Benign Sneezing
It's not uncommon for many rats to sneeze regularly while they explore their environment. They will most likely sneeze frequently when sniffing around new or strong smells, and this can continue throughout their life (most likely slowing as they become accustomed to their environment). For this reason it is important to make sure that you do not use strong chemicals or strong smelling cleaners around their cage, as these can upset their delicate respiratory systems.
Common Health Issues in Domestic Rats
The time to worry is when a rat exhibits heavy breathing for no reason, or their sneezing/breathing is wet and rattling. If your rat seems to be having trouble breathing, or his/her breathing is wet or ragged, it could be an upper respiratory tract infection. If they have a reddish looking fluid coming from their nose (and crusting there or all over their cage and your nearby furniture) it could be invasive mycoplasmosis
which is very serious and can be deadly. The flip side is that a reddish/pinkish mucus is also a common occurrence for new rats due to the stress of a new owner and environment. If the fluid persists for more than a week keep a close eye on the rat in question, and if it reaches two weeks make a vet appointment immediately.
Thoughts to Keep in Mind When Looking at New Rats
When picking out rats it is a good idea to look for a reputable local breeder if possible as they will most likely have fewer animals to attend to than a chain store and will most likely have noticed any health issues. In addition local breeders will have had more time to socialize young rats, which is most successful at a younger age and can make for a calmer and more playful pet. When evaluating rats for sale look for the reddish fluid that might indicate mycoplasmosis
and/or labored breathing, as these are very common health issues in rats. Look for rats that are active and unafraid to approach people. Keep in mind that Females will be more active and more likely to chew, while males will be lazier as they age, have softer coats, and establish a more rigid pecking order. Make sure to keep rats in same sex groupings as they get lonely and can mate in less than the few seconds it takes to catch and separate them.
I read somewhere else it's called a "grasping foot paw" by anthropologists. I just googled the same thing!
Which rat boy or girl gets through a maze faster?
Most studies show that male rats get through a maze faster.
Owls, snakes, foxes, weasels eat mice. Mice are one of badgers primary foods. Mice are eaten by dogs, wolves, ferrets, badgers, bears, opossums, chipmunks, squirrels, raccoons, herons, otters, bobcats, lynx , mountain lions, alligators, crocodiles, minks, and skunks.
Basically many organisms will eat mice or rats. These include, but are not limited to: Hawks, Snakes, and some cats. Male mice will also eat baby mice. they do this in order to mate with the female again.
Where is the best place to get a pet rat and cage from?
Petco and Paridise Pets Walmart is cheap for cages though than the others. What i did was buy the rat at Paridise pets and bought the cage at walmart.
Can a rat bite through anything?
Not everything, but pretty close. It all comes down the way their mouth is constructed. There are four teeth at the front that shred just about anything and their chheks 'cave in' so that they don't swallow what they're chewing on.
Can you prevent your rat from eating her babies?
Are you certain you should? Most animal mothers kill or eat their young because there is something wrong with them (the young).
How long will a pet mouse live with proper care?
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
How many stages of life does a rat go through?
The average lifespan of a rat is two to three years. Just as other animals rats begin as babies, reach pubescent age, and adulthood.
Is it all right to keep two pregnant rats with the same due date together?
No because they will steal eat and kill each others babys. So unless you want a cage full of dead mice SEPERATE THEM! And as for the father he will rarely atack his babys. Remove the boys before 5 weeks or they will breed with their sisters or mum.
WARNING: If the mother has a wheel in her cage, make sure the clearance between the wheel and the bottem of the cage is at least 1 inch. If it is less than this then you need to remove it while the babys are 1 to 2 weeks old. Otherwise a baby can be trapped and suffocate.
as I sit here watching my two male rats jump, play and generally goof around I will assure you that they can move in all directions. Side to side, back and forth and definitely up and down ^_-
What would cause you to have many dead mice outside of your house?
One of your neighbors may be using mouse poison. Some poisons like Decon cause the mice to be thirsty, they go looking for water & die (hopefully outside the house). Local mousy diseases could also cause die-offs. Wouldn't be inclined to handle them either way -- toss them in the trashcan with a shovel.
Because they mess up your garden and poo everywhere.One pooed in my food. No joke.
How can you tell when a rat breaks its leg?
if the rat is dragging it leg or hopping move anything away from him/her that will lead to further indury and just leave it to heal. healing takes approxamtly 3-5 days but DONT take him/her to the vet or they will just put him/her down :(
What is the difference between rat and mouse?
The difference between rats and mice are rats are a bit larger and they don't get as scared of things like mice. I prefer mice more than rats because mice are alot more active and it's easier to tell if they're pregnant
Should you put a mouse that you believe is 4-6 weeks old back outside?
If it is of good size, it's eyes are open, and if it has fur you probably should. But I just happened to find 2 baby mice a couple of weeks ago. They had fur, their eyes were open, but the were pretty small so I put them in a long aquarium with shavings, wood, seeds for my parrots and wild birds, and water, and they are doing just fine. I would take them in just in case. Although, once you take them in and raise them, you cannot put them back outside because they will not have any idea about how to find food and as a result they will die. If you take them in, be sure you can do a little care everyday and every week. Also make sure you have a lid for the house you put them in because mine have jumped out numerous times!! Mine are on the way of being hand tame and I intend to teach them numerous tricks, so it should be fun! Hope this helps...
What to do if one mouse is pulling hair out of another mouse and the mouse is squeaking?
They are barbering, which is actually biting the hair off at the skin. They would have to either work it out themselves, as this is a show of dominance by the mouse doing the barbering, or you must separate them.
