Polski
The domestic color mouse comes from the house mouse (Mus musculus). Mice originally come from Asia, but thanks to humans they have traveled all over the world and ended up in every corner. The bond between humans and mice goes back a long way, because these smart animals have been kept as pets since before the Common Era.
Head-body length : 6.5 to 9.5 cm
Body weight: 20 to 40 g
Life expectancy : 2 to 3 years
Mice are active and curious animals that quickly become tame and get used to their caretaker. They are social animals that must be kept together. Thanks to their long tail, they are also good climbers and can keep their balance well. This also helps them to walk well on the hand and because they see depth, they also stay on the hand.
In Western Europe (Mus musculus domesticus) the mouse can be found in buildings all year round. But in Eastern Europe (Mus musculus musculus) also in fields.
Mice live in small groups
A group of several females can usually be kept without any problems
Keep 1 castrated male with 1 or 3 - 4 females, uncastrated males should not be kept together (fighting for the hierarchy)
Tame and familiarize yourself with the Mouse
Always read carefully before you decide to get mice. They are very nice pets that are awake regularly, so they can also be seen during the day. This can be especially fun for children. Mice are very friendly and curious. They can be shy and fast at first. Once the mouse is in the hand, it can balance well thanks to the long tail, the animals walk nimbly from one hand to the other or between the fingers. This makes them easier to handle in the hands than, for example, Gerbils or Hamsters.
New residents should be approached calmly, especially during the first few months. The animals must first become familiar with their own enclosure and feel safe in it before they dare to approach people. Of course, there are also daredevils who immediately walk up to you and are social, but most mice are a bit shy at first. Give the animals time and try to make contact calmly by talking to them. Giving treats out of hand often works well to gain the animals' trust.
Tip! Mice love spray millet!
Housing for the Colored Mouse
Colored mice are social animals that must be kept together. In the wild they live in colonies with often one dominant male. The best combination is a group of females, males quickly argue with each other about ranking. It is important that the animals are coupled at a young age. Newcomers are not easily accepted at an older age.
Mice need a spacious enclosure of at least 75 x 40 x 40 cm for two animals. For each additional animal, 20% additional land area must be calculated. A good enclosure gives the animals the opportunity to exhibit their natural behavior. Mice are very active in the wild, they would like to continue to do so in captivity, they do not want to get bored. The Mouse needs an extensive enclosure with plenty of play and climbing opportunities. Thanks to their long tail, mice can keep their balance very well, making them great climbers.
Hamsterscaping is also great fun for Colored Mice!
In our home, a good mouse enclosure translates into a spacious enclosure with lots of challenge and plenty of hiding places. A terrarium is the best choice thanks to its closed nature. It is important that a terrarium allows good ventilation, so preferably it has two grilles (top and bottom). This is especially important in summer when temperatures rise above 25°C.
Don't give the Mice a sandbox. Sand is too dusty for the sensitive airways of mice.
Colored mice cannot tolerate high temperatures in combination with high humidity. An optimal humidity for mice is on average around 55%. A temperature between 20 - 24°C is recommended and a humidity between 40 - 60%. You can use a hygrometer to measure these values.
House for a Mouse
Colored mice are lucky! because many houses made for hamsters are also a good size for mice. Mice are prey animals and do not like to walk openly through the enclosure. If they occasionally come across a shelter where they can escape, they feel a lot safer. Mice like to sleep together, so at least one house in the enclosure must be large enough to accommodate the entire group. In addition, one extra sleeping house or hiding place per Mouse is ideal. The animals like to sleep together, but they also need a place where they can retreat for a while.
Grass houses are also very natural for mice and the animals really like them because they imitate a natural hiding place.
The urine of mice smells stronger, just like that of rats. The animals mark their territory by leaving a drop of urine everywhere. This means that parts of the mouse enclosure can quickly start to smell. We therefore recommend using a " Urine Spray" for parts where urine can penetrate.
For wooden accessories, it can help to paint them with clear varnish. Lacquer from the hardware store should not be used for this purpose because of the toxic substances. It is best to use a special paint for animals for this.
Ground cover for the Mice
It is important that the ground cover is diggable for mice , which means that they can make tunnels and holes in it, which preferably remain standing. This can be achieved by choosing ground cover that is already diggable in itself or mixing ground covers with each other so that they are diggable. An example of a diggable ground cover is the Humus and the Holenzand , but also Cotton & Cotton . A nice mix is, for example, the mix of Cotton & Hemp Fiber , Cotton & Wood Fiber or a mix of Wood Fiber , Hemp Fiber and Hay. Ground covers such as Back 2 Nature are not suitable because animals cannot dig in them. An ideal height of the ground bed for digging is around 20 cm.
Mice, like rats, have sensitive airways, so the bedding should not be dusty.
Mice are nest builders
Mice are real nest builders. They also like to line their nest with soft nesting material . Making a nest is therefore part of the natural behavior of a mouse. Therefore, always give the mice 15-25 grams of nesting material. Mouse nesting material must be nice and soft, absorb moisture and have fragile fibers so that the animals cannot become entangled in it. Materials such as cotton, hemp, toilet paper and hay are ideal.
Mouse nutrition
Mice are granivores (seed eaters). The diet of mice consists mainly of seeds and a small amount of vegetable food in the form of herbs , but also animal proteins. Mice catch small insects in the wild, so it is good if their diet also contains animal proteins.
The mouse's stomach is simple and the cecum and large intestine are not particularly well developed, which is consistent with animals that in nature mainly eat low-fiber foods, such as seeds.
An optimal diet for mice looks like this:
Crude protein: 12.5-18%
Crude fat: 4-5%
Crude fibers: 6-9%
Calcium : 0.4 - 0.7% - with a surplus of phosphorus there is a risk of renal calcification 0.3-0.4% (Ca-F ratio: 1-1.5
The percentage of crude fiber in the diet should be a maximum of 10% for optimal digestibility and absorption of the diet.
Gnawing material to wear down the teeth
Colored mice have a natural need to gnaw. This is because mice are rodents and have continuously growing incisors. It is therefore necessary for mice to be able to gnaw on something to wear down their teeth. If mice have too few opportunities to wear down their teeth, the teeth can become too long or grow crooked, with all the consequences that entails.
Gnawing wood is used by rodents to wear down their teeth. Because rodents' teeth are always growing, they need to be gnawed regularly so that they do not grow too long and crooked.
Most mice gnaw very actively on gnawing wood. However, it is a matter of taste and on the other hand a matter of need as to how much the animals gnaw on it. If a mouse has no need to gnaw because its teeth are kept in good length through food, hay or other nibbles, it will gnaw less on wood. It is good to always provide natural gnawing wood so that the animals can always gnaw when they need to gnaw.
Dental problems in mice
If you notice that your Mouse is very enthusiastic about taking the food, but then does not eat it, there may be something wrong with its teeth. Drooling can also indicate dental problems. If you suspect that there are dental problems, it is best to contact your veterinarian.
Reproduction of the Colored Mouse
Colored mice are social animals, the entire group is involved in the education of the young. The parents care for the young until they start to become independent from the 18th day onwards.
The female is willing (in heat) and ready to mate every 4 - 9 days. This takes about 12 - 24 hours. If successful mating has taken place on these days, the young are born after approximately 24 days.
The difference between males and females can be seen in the distance between the genital opening and the anus. This distance is greater for a male than for a female.
Sexual maturity : females after 4 - 5 weeks
Breeding maturity : females 12 weeks
Number of litters : 3-4 per year
Litter size : 2 - 14
Gestation period : 21 days
Birth weight : 1.5 - 2 g, nest stayers
Weaning time : from week 3
Health of the Colored Mouse
The most common health problems are tumors, obesity and dental problems. In addition, mice have sensitive airways and are susceptible to cold and respiratory infections. A draught-free stay is therefore very important.
We recommend regularly checking the teeth of the animals to detect any dental problems in a timely manner. To prevent digestive problems, a good balanced and complete gerbil diet is essential.
It is not necessary to treat the animals preventively with anti-parasite. It is not necessary to provide extra vitamins with a complete hamster diet.
It is wise to consult a vet if you have the following symptoms:
Dental problems
Drooling, moist nose and eyes, protruding teeth, not eating, losing weight, eating foreign materials that are softer than the food.
Skin
Bald spots, lots of scratches, scabs, wounds, bumps and lumps
Other
Wet and dirty ass, drinking a lot, falling over, lethargy, different shape and color of the feces
