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There are around 700 different varieties of fancy mice kept as pets in a range of colors from white to black and tan. There are 30 varieties of fancy rat which, like mice, have been bred to have coats and even eyes of different colors. Mice are smaller than rats weighing in about 30 g and measuring 15 cm long whereas rats can weigh up to 500 g and measure about 25 cm long. Males of both species are usually heavier than females. Mice live for about two to three years and rats can live for about three or four. All mice sold as pets are descendants of the wild house mouse and fancy rats are descended from the brown rat. Rats and mice should not be kept together.
Life in the wild
In the wild, both rats and mice social creatures that like to live in groups. They live in a wide range of habitats and breed quickly when the conditions are right. They both have very strong incisor teeth and can chew their way through a variety of materials to get to food. Rats and mice are nocturnal.
Source of animals
Animal centers, reputable breeders and rescue centers are reliable sources for mice and rats your local veterinary surgeon may also be able to advise on sources. It is important, wherever possible, to always see young mice and rats with their mothers as this gives owners a good picture of how well they have been cared for, their eventual size and sociability.
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Prior knowledge and preparation
Before keeping mice and rats, it is crucial that any potential owner finds as much out about them as they can. Only then can they decide if mice or rats are the right pets for them and if they can provide the specialist care, time, financial means and long-term commitment to look after them properly. Before bringing the mice or rats home, owners should make sure they have the right accommodation, food and the necessary accessories in place. They should also take the time to speak with other experienced rat and mice keepers and a vet for advice before making a final decision about mice or rat ownership.
Vet care/costs/holiday cover
Mice and rats will need regular veterinary care to check their general health and problems like overgrown teeth. The veterinary surgeon can advise on costs of consultations and provide information regarding their care and treatment.
They will need to be looked after every day while you are away on holiday
There are various boarding facilities which look after rats and mice, but you may have a reliable friend or neighbor who understands their complex needs and is prepared to come and look after them, or who will care for your pets in their own home.
Health issues to find out about:
Respiratory infections
Ringworm
Middle ear disease
Overgrown teeth
Allergies
Unhealthy/healthy animal signs
A healthy rat or mouse will be bright eyed, alert and active with no signs of discharge around its mouth, eyes, ears, nose and tail. It should breathe quietly and evenly and should not be sneezing as this could be a sign of a respiratory infection. Rat and mouse fur should be clean and glossy and the skin should be free from lumps, bumps and sores. Tails should be undamaged and teeth and claws should not look overgrown. If a rat holds its head on one side and walks in circles it may have middle ear disease.
Why are mice and rats vulnerable in captivity?
Rats and mice are completely dependent on their owners to provide the correct accommodation, food and veterinary care.
They can be damaged by incorrect handling and many owners are not prepared for the fact that these animals can smell very strongly. This smell comes from their urine and cannot be stopped although the problem can be reduced by regular cleaning.
Females also tend to smell less strongly than males. Dusty and dirty bedding can cause respiratory problems. Some owners attempt to breed them and then cannot find good homes for the young. A female rat could have 11 young every four to five weeks while a female mouse can have 14 babies in a litter.
Handling/transporting the animal home
To pick up a rat, place one hand around its shoulders and support its hindquarters in your other hand. Rats need to be handled regularly to keep them tame. A mouse should be picked up by the base of the tail using one hand while supporting its body with the other. Mice should be held close to ground or close to a flat surface. Rats and mice can be transported in a special carrying case, but in an emergency a small, well-ventilated, secure and chew proof box or tin can be used. Mice and rats should never be left in parked cars on warm days even with the windows open as they could literally roast to death.
Needs: grouping, diet, accommodation and environment
Mice need to be kept with other mice and rats with other rats. Mice can be kept in groups of the same sex to avoid unwanted breeding and rats should be kept in single sex pairs or in single sex groups of three if the home is large enough.
Litter mates get on the best.
Both rats and mice should have a large home, indoors, in a warm place and kept out of direct sunlight. Rats particularly need a lot of floor space and ideally on more than one level. Rats and mice also need nesting boxes and lots of hiding places. Mice need a solid exercise wheel with no open rungs fixed to the side of their home. Toys like tubes and ladders also keep mice and rats active and amused.
Their homes should be lined with a clean layer of newspaper on the floor with soft hay and kitchen paper for bedding wood shavings and cotton wool are not good bedding material. Wood shavings should not be used because they can contain natural phenols that are an irritant to the respiratory system and can also cause liver damage. Cotton wool should not be used because if eaten it can lead to blockages in the gut. Their homes should be tidied every day and thoroughly cleaned every week.
Mice need a balanced diet of mixed grains, washed fruit and vegetables. Rats can also have seeds, nuts and small pieces of cooked meat. Both should have a salt or mineral lick to keep them healthy, a constant supply of water in a metal spouted drinking bottle and a hardwood gnawing block to wear down long teeth.
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