House mouse - description, types, what it eats. The white mouse is an excellent decorative pet. How to keep a mouse at home
Funny and smart rodents are one of the most common pets. At home they also keep representatives of the mouse family: decorative mice and are very popular among animal lovers. We will talk about the maintenance of decorative mice in this article.
Despite all the variety of colors of decorative mice, they are all representatives of the same species - the house mouse. Yes, the same one house mouse, which sometimes starts in our apartments and interferes with our lives. Of course, it is not “wild” rodents that are kept at home. Decorative mice were bred specifically for keeping homes and participating in exhibitions, and they began to be bred quite a long time ago - back in the early 17th century.
Now, thanks to the efforts of breeders, there are many colors of decorative mice. These include, for example, black, chocolate, white, beige, lilac, red, fawn, cinnamon, golden agouti, silver agouti, blue and others. In addition to coat color, decorative mice may differ coat pattern and type. For example, mice can be not only one color, but also spotted or with tan marks. And the coat can be short and long, smooth and curly.
So, you decided to buy yourself a funny decorative mouse. What should you pay attention to when choosing a pet? You should only buy decorative mice from reputable breeders or trustworthy pet stores. Be sure to make sure that males and females sit together in the pet store. different cells . The fact is that decorative rats can become pregnant in early age, but it is harmful for the female. If males and females live in the same cage in a store, there is a high risk of purchasing a pregnant female that may not survive after giving birth.
A healthy mouse has bright, smooth and clean fur, and the skin on its tail and ears is also clean and pink.. Make sure the nose and eyes are clean, and the area under the tail and mouth are clean and dry. Ornamental mice breathe relatively frequently, but breathing should not be noisy or labored. It is better to give preference to an active animal.
Decorative mice are kept in metal cages or special plexiglass aquarium containers(a container is preferable if there is a cat at home). The cage should have frequent bars, because mice are able to crawl through even narrow holes. And the container should have a wide bottom and low sides, and it is best to cover its top with a metal mesh. Decorative mice need a spacious home, because they are very active and are almost constantly on the move.
It is best to choose a cage or container with a retractable bottom (pallet) to make cleaning your home easier. It is best to use clean soft napkins (not dyed) as filler.. But you cannot use newspapers and other colored paper. Decorative mice are shy animals, so it is better to pour more bedding in one part of the home so that the mouse can hide in it. Or you can just put up a wooden house.
The mouse cage should have a feeder, a water bowl, and a variety of toys (logs, ladders, a running wheel, etc.). Wooden toys should not have varnish or paint. You need to place the cage away from drafts, radiators and direct sunlight: decorative mice are afraid of hypothermia and overheating. Once a day you need to wash the feeder, drinker, remove garbage and excess food, and once a week - change the bedding.
What to feed decorative mice? Ornamental mice are rodents, so the basis of their diet is cereals and grains(oats, wheat, millet, corn, barley, you can buy ready-made food). You can give nuts, pumpkin and sunflower seeds, but rarely, because they are very fatty. You also need to give them vegetables and greens (cucumbers, cabbage, beets, carrots, dandelion leaves and grass), non-acidic and not exotic berries and fruits. It is advisable to grow the grass yourself or collect it away from roads.
In the diet decorative rats must be present and source of animal protein, it can be low-fat cottage cheese, unsalted boiled chicken, a hard-boiled egg. For grinding down constantly growing incisors It is useful to give chalk, crackers, as well as tree branches (fruit trees, birch, willow). It is forbidden to give branches of lilac and resinous trees! Food from your table is also prohibited - fatty, fried, smoked, spicy, sweet.
Decorative mice are active mainly in the evening and at night; during the day they sleep. They are social animals that require a lot of attention.. So if you cannot play with your pet often, it makes sense to get two mice of the same sex (preferably females). You should tame your pet gradually - decorative mice are afraid of loud sounds and sudden movements. You need to take the mouse in your hands carefully; you should not grab it by the tail.
Decorative mice - cute and funny pets, which quickly become attached to a person. The main thing is to follow all the rules of keeping so that your pet is healthy and happy.
Decorative house mouse (Fancy mouse) is a domesticated descendant of the House Mouse (Mus musculus), one of the most widespread and numerous species of mammals from the order Rodentia of the House Mouse genus. 
IN wildlife House mice are crepuscular and nocturnal animals that, when settling in a human home, easily adjust their daily routine to suit new conditions. Wild mice they set up a home in the ground, digging out complex labyrinths, in trees, in old hollows, bird nests, under stones. House mice are omnivores and are content with almost any available food.
The house mouse is a rodent capable of overcoming any obstacle, adapting to any conditions and getting food everywhere.
Mice are very fertile and breed all year round; they live in packs, building entire hierarchies with a leader male and several dominant females. Adult males are quite aggressive towards each other, females show aggression much less often. Female mice are more popular as pets because they are easier to keep in a group and do not have as strong an odor as male mice.
The domestication of the House Mouse is believed to have occurred in China. The first written mention of keeping mice as pets is found in the oldest Chinese dictionary from 1100 BC.
House mice have been used for laboratory research, as live food for animals, in sports competitions (mouse racing) and as tame pets. Domestic mice show significant physical changes compared to their wild ancestors. Decorative mice appeared in Europe at the beginning of the 17th century. The first English National Breeders' Club was founded in 1895. Thanks to the work of breeders, many varieties and breeds of ornamental mice have been developed, which differ in:
- type of coat (short or long, smooth or curly),
- coat color,
- options for the location of contrasting spots in the color (markings),
- color distribution schemes in painting (patterns).
Animal size and lifespan
The body length of the Ornamental Mouse is from 6.5 to 9.5 cm, the tail, which makes up at least 60% of the total body length, is covered with scales and sparse short hairs. The weight of mice is from 12 to 30 g. In nature, the lifespan of the House Mouse usually does not exceed 12-18 months.
The lifespan of decorative mice is 2-3 years. In 2005, a record was recorded for the lifespan of a laboratory mouse - 1819 days (almost 5 years).
Features of animal cellular maintenance
Decorative mice quickly get used to the new owner, become tame, sociable and recognize the owner by smell. Only females or females and a castrated male can be kept in a group.
It is believed that optimal options To keep decorative mice as pets, keep 3 females or one male. It is advisable to buy young animals - they adapt more easily to changes in environment, transportation, and are tamed faster.
To create optimal conditions To keep decorative mice, you need a special cage or terrarium with a minimum bottom size of 40x50 cm. In the case of a terrarium, it is necessary to ensure good ventilation - sufficient air circulation.
Closed plastic or glass containers can only be used for transporting Decorative mice due to insufficient air circulation and high humidity.
Decorative mice are most active at dusk or at night and this should be taken into account when choosing a location for the cage; drafts and direct sunlight into the cage with mice should be avoided.
Special fillers for rodents, hay, sawdust or shavings of non-coniferous trees are used as bedding. Undyed napkins, paper towels, or toilet paper odorless can be used as bedding and as material for a mouse house.
Special high-quality hay is not only a food product for Decorative mice, it helps to wear down teeth and is used by mice to build their houses (nests). 
The following are highlighted necessary equipment and accessories for places where decorative mice are kept:
- hole-house made of ceramics or plastic;
- two feeders for dry and succulent food or treats;
- automatic drinker with ball valve;
- special wheel for jogging;
- a sufficient amount of entertainment and toys (swings, hammocks, ladders, ropes, labyrinths, etc.).
Special complete food for mice can be supplemented with various vegetables and fruits (succulent food): pumpkin, apples, carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, zucchini, pear, apricot, peach, melon, eggplant, cauliflower, Jerusalem artichoke, broccoli. From berries, you can offer ornamental mice currants, raspberries, and strawberries.
It is necessary to ensure constant access to clean and fresh drinking water.
What should you not feed decorative mice?
The following products are believed to be dangerous for home decorative mouse::- any cooked food containing salt, sugar or spices;
- chocolate, sweets;
- raw meat;
- onions, garlic;
- cabbage, potatoes, rhubarb, vegetables with increased content acids;
- V large quantities tomatoes and beets;
- peanut, walnuts, raw beans, wheat, corn;
- oranges, lemons, citrus fruits and exotic fruits, raisins, grapes, any sour fruit.
Average prices (RUB)
 |
Price (RUB) |
| Decorative mouse | 200-300 |
IN modern world is becoming increasingly popular keeping decorative mice. This trend is due to the fact that such pets do not require much space or care, and most of them have a rather funny character.
Description and features of decorative mice
Decorative mice They belong to the group of rodents and are therefore quite fertile. They prefer a nocturnal lifestyle. Home decorative mice They attract attention because they calmly go into the arms of the owner and even get joy from playing with him.
Siamese decorative mouse
Hairless mice are becoming increasingly popular - hair is so short that it seems as if it is absent altogether. Below are photo of decorative mice various colors.
The photo shows a naked decorative mouse
It is advisable to keep these pets in a metal cage or in a special glass terrarium (be sure to close it on top with a mesh). Glass and metal are ideal options for such animals, since in the case of a wooden dwelling, they will simply gnaw through it and then squeeze through the crack.
It is advisable to choose a home for the mouse where he will have a lot of free time, this is due to the fact that these animals are quite mobile and cannot sit still. At the bottom of the mouse’s home, it is necessary to line it with shavings or paper (it should under no circumstances be painted).
To prevent your pet from getting bored, it is advisable to purchase and install various toys in his house - a running ring, a potty, branches, ladders. The mouse's house must be located at a decent distance from hot radiators and windows, especially if they are constantly open.
Every day, excrement and various types of debris should be removed from the pet’s cage, the feeder should be washed and clean water. Twice a week, the shavings or paper placed on the bottom of the cage are replaced. Regardless of breeds of decorative mice They don’t immediately get used to new people, so you shouldn’t expect that the mouse will go into your arms immediately after purchasing it.
In order not to emotionally traumatize your pet, you need to equip its home in such a way that it has the opportunity to hide in a corner. When moving to a new place of residence, it spends most of its time in the shelter, leaving it only for meals.
It should be remembered that mice are group animals and without communication they close in on themselves and may even die of boredom. Therefore, if there is only one mouse in your house, you should devote some time to him every day.
Decorative mouse care, which includes concern for her emotional state, will live much longer. While feeding your pet, it is strictly forbidden to make sudden movements or raise your voice. If you follow these rules, then soon the animal will begin to recognize its owner and will gladly go into his arms.
Nutrition
One of the frequently asked questions when purchasing this type of pet is “ what to feed decorative mice" The answer is simple - almost everyone. indiscriminate in food. They love these products:
- corn;
- oats;
- barley;
- corn.
You can treat them occasionally a small amount sunflower seeds Their favorite dishes are curd products, cheese and egg whites (boiled). It should be remembered that these pets, like any other living organisms, require useful substances, so you need to buy dry food for them.
Due to the fact that rodents have a very high metabolism, it is necessary to constantly monitor the fullness of the feeder. To reduce the likelihood of dental problems, you should provide mice with twigs from fruit trees, they will grind their teeth on them. Under no circumstances should plants such as:
- wolfberries;
- bracken fern;
- nightshade;
- dope.
The elements contained in the above plants are dangerous to the health of mice and can lead to immediate death.
Reproduction and lifespan of ornamental mice
One more topical issue Today it is considered " How long do decorative mice live?" When answering this question, you need to start from the type of mice, for example, Japanese decorative mice, have a lifespan of barely two years. But for whites this period reaches five years. Regarding the appearance of little mice, everything is simple here; reproduction occurs throughout the whole year. At the age of 35–40 days, mice are ready to breed.
At the same time, maturation in males is slightly slower than in females. Decorative mice produce litters of up to 15 babies at a time. It is advisable to bring a female together with a male only at the age of 3 months, not earlier than and after the mother feeds the babies, and to bring her again with a male, also not earlier than 3 months.
The female needs to recover. To do this, the male is placed in another cage before birth to avoid re-fertilization immediately after birth. And he cuckoos alone for three months. Labor can begin during the day. And in the evening. And at night. Two weeks after the birth of baby mice, you should not touch them with your hands, you should not scare the mother mouse and it is better not to get into the cage at all. You need to feed intensively.
On the 14th day, it is necessary to accustom them to handling, but very carefully: this is the “flea” period - the mice jump like fleas and can easily slip out of your hands. As a result of the information received, it can be noted that, despite the hostility towards simple mice, ornamental breeds simply won people's hearts. Besides price of decorative mice varies from 50 to 500 rubles, which gives almost everyone the opportunity to take on a new family member.
Scientists were able to identify a lot of different rodents, they live in different parts planets. They are not found only on the coldest continents, but on the rest they live.
Among them, people's favorites are hamsters, since they are often found at home, although they live freely in nature, as well as rats, which are also often pets or live in people's houses without their permission, voles and ordinary mice.
The latter are especially disliked by people, since they often destroy winter supplies and are considered dangerous vectors diseases.
Usually people have difficulty distinguishing between rodents and cannot always tell exactly who is in front of them. But this is not surprising in the case of mice, since among them there are approximately 400 different species.
Outwardly, they are all very similar, and behave almost identically. The animal mouse is famous for its incredible cunning and is difficult to catch. People have been fighting for centuries, primarily with this representative of rodents.
What are the external features of the mouse?
Nowadays, many photos of mice are taken, and they are easy to find on the Internet. Due to this, it is possible to accurately determine what species a mouse that appears on human territory belongs to.
Usually its body does not exceed 10 cm, moreover, about half the size is the tail. This small process is always bare, and it is difficult to detect the presence of hairs on it. At the same time, the body is completely covered with hair of a uniform color.
Mice are brown, sometimes brown, and gray ones are common. Scientists have discovered mice that have stripes running down their backs.
However, there are two unique species that have spines that replace fur. It's about about Elliott the mouse and the so-called spiny species. The fur of these strange creatures is replaced by needles similar to thorns, like those of a cactus.
What are the features of a pin mouse?
The types of mice are very diverse, however, this mouse stands out among them because, in addition to its unique coating, it has almost no neck, and its paws, although short in size, have fingers that help to stay on various surfaces.
How are mice different from other rodents?
If you carry out detailed description mice, it is important to note that they have excellent hearing, allowing them to detect sounds of various tones. To do this, they use ears that are rounded in shape.
On the small pointed muzzle you can notice the presence of antennae called vibrissae. Due to this important body Mice can navigate perfectly, even in the dark. However, they do not have pouches behind their cheeks.
Most species of mice do not like to climb trees, however, they easily move on the basis of grass stems growing in meadows. And also for this they use reeds or small branches of bushes.
Among them, the smallest individual was identified; it was named “baby”, since it has a body size of only 5 cm.
Where do different types of mice live?
Due to the characteristics of the body, this animal was able to take root in any place. In most cases, they use the surface of the earth to live, however, some species have good skills in moving along vertical surfaces.
Where do mice live and how can humans meet them? Usually, people most often encounter two types of these rodents, since only the Cairo or house mouse lives near human buildings.
Some mice like to live near various bodies of water, and they swim tolerably well. They do not like to have couples and usually live alone.
However, a subspecies of the house mouse, called the Kurganchik mouse, likes to start a family of up to 20 individuals living in a common burrow. They create common reserves for wintering and build nests necessary for life.
Most mice like to live on permanent place. They leave their inhabited area only if necessary due to some changes environment. However, they usually do not move far, since they do not have the desire to look for a long time for a new place to live.
What do mice like to eat?
In cold weather, it is difficult to detect at least one mouse, since they are under a layer of snow, which creates protection for them from frost. Usually their reserves are not enough for wintering and mice have to look for food even under the snow.
Trying to answer the question of what mice eat, it is necessary to immediately identify their favorite food in the form of seeds and various plant fruits.
Because of this various types meadow and steppe mice are considered serious pests of grain reserves of various cereal plants grown by people.
However, mice that prefer to live near various sources of water mostly feed on lush greens, various root vegetables and even insects. And wood mice use nuts and discovered seeds from deciduous tree species for food.
Although for the most part they can use everything for food, and even products from the set of ordinary human food. They often live in barns, various storerooms and use grains, spotted cheeses or other products as food. Sometimes they even take a small bite of sausages and dried fish.
Photo of a mouse
The domestic decorative mouse is an extremely funny and cute creature, communication with which brings many pleasant moments. Decorative mice quickly get used to humans and become tame. Keeping mice in an apartment does not present any great difficulties, so they are increasingly becoming planned and desired inhabitants of city apartments.
The pet’s housing must be arranged so that the animal can live in it as comfortably as possible.
Before you bring your pet into the house, you need to buy a cage, equip it with a feeder, a drinking bowl, shelter houses and, preferably, a wheel. You can put twigs and ladders in the cage; the animal is very energetic and will happily climb on them. Since mice will spend their entire lives in a cage, it should be as large as possible; wide, spacious cages are good for mice. 
The cage with the decorative mouse is placed in a dry room, protected from drafts. It is not recommended to place the cage near heating devices and so that it gets direct sun rays. Proper placement of the cage will protect your ward from colds, which, by the way, decorative mice with weakened immune systems are more prone to.
In the wild, mice live in groups and are very sociable. Therefore, when purchasing an animal for your home, immediately take a pair for it. Some keep mice in small groups. But mice are kept only in permanent groups.
Mice are “homey”, territorial animals; in the wild, they do not stray further than 50m from their area and protect their territory from strangers. When adding any new individual, it is necessary to take precautions: completely wash the cage, lay out a new substrate to destroy the smell of the “owners” of the cage and traces of their territorial marks. Thus, all mice find themselves in equal conditions, the cage is considered a new home for everyone. If these measures are not taken, the stranger will not be accepted and will be killed.
Keeping mice in an apartment is not very difficult. Mice require light but constant care.
To keep your apartment from smelling like mice, you need to clean the cage at least twice a week and periodically wash the cage and all items in it with soap. Every day, new food is placed in the feeder and any remaining food and debris are removed.
It is best to equip the cage with an automatic drinker containing water for a long time stays fresh.
A mouse by nature is a very active, nimble animal; keeping it in a cage limits the natural mobility of the animal. There must be a running wheel in the cage so that the mice have the opportunity to move sufficiently.
A house for the mouse must be built in the cage. The house is placed in one of the corners back wall cages so that the animal feels protected. The house should be small, about the size of a mouse, and it can be made from anything, the main thing is that the little one can hide in it if the situation seems suspicious to her. Having a shelter for a mouse is very important; it will save the small, timid animal from stress, and the mouse will be cheerful, energetic, and homely.
A tray is placed at the bottom of the cage where bedding is poured. You can use large sawdust or wood litter for cats as bedding. You cannot use newspapers or magazines for bedding because... Printing ink contains lead and other heavy metals that are hazardous to the health of these small animals. Cages with retractable trays are very convenient, the presence of which greatly facilitates and speeds up cleaning the cage.
Mice are omnivorous rodents, in the wild they do not disdain anything, they gnaw on everything, they can even eat the stub of a candle for a sweet soul.
Mice are fed using a combination of various dry and succulent foods. Among dry plant feeds, cultivated and wild plants, grain, oatmeal, bread, crackers, special feed. In addition, there are various foods on sale for rats, mice and guinea pigs, which mice eat well.
House mice love food for songbirds and dry food for cats and dogs.
Ornamental mice are given pieces of sweet apples, green beans, sprouted grains, and various not very juicy herbs. It is very useful for mice to include various insects, cockroaches, flies, and butterflies in their diet.
Once a month, mice are given vitamin and mineral supplements.
Food for mice must be placed only in the feeder, otherwise the animals will quickly dirty both the cage and the food. You cannot overfeed mice, this will lead to obesity, weakened immunity, and diseases. gastrointestinal tract and other diseases.
A mouse living alone needs to be given much more attention than two or more mice. Otherwise, the animal will become isolated, run wild, will constantly sit in the house and shy away when strangers approach. They often play with a lonely mouse and talk affectionately. When feeding and caring for the animal, you should avoid sudden movements that may frighten it.
Since mice have a well-developed sense of smell, your pet will quickly get used to the smell of the person bringing food. Every time the owner approaches the mouse, it will greet him with a joyful squeak. Decorative mouse Having gotten used to it, it will also willingly respond to its nickname.
The decorative mouse is tamed and trained. First, of course, the animal is tamed to the hand that gives the treat. And then you can teach simple techniques, using, again, a treat. This is how they teach the mouse to run in a circle, do a “stand,” etc. - they develop its inclinations and individual habits.
