Small Pets - White Mice

By Susan M. Keenan

One of the groups of the tiniest pets that you can have is the group of white mice. Small in size, easy to care for, and inexpensive to purchase and own are some of the words that describe these tiny creatures as pets.

Living in cages, they rarely present a problem for your every day lifestyle since they are confined to a single area. They don’t get into the trash and make a mess. They don’t climb up on the furniture, shedding everywhere. Plus, they don’t jump all over you, creating snags and tears.

Moreover, feeding time is relatively quick and simple. White mice are easy to feed and their food is easy to find and purchase. Content to nibble upon uncooked cereal grains, a variety of seeds, and fresh produce, white mice are easy to please.

Preparing a healthy and nutritional meal for white mice doesn’t take a lot of time or a long set of directions to read. In fact, once you get the hang of it, preparing their dinner will become a habit that seems to come about on its own.

Simply purchase a supply of the products that you need at the local pet store, supermarket, or discount store. While you are there, purchase several airtight containers to store the food safely for your white mice. Freshness is important if you don’t want your mice to become finicky eaters who turn their noses up at dinnertime.

A list of the typical items that mice need and enjoy is included here:

Rabbit or guinea pig food mix
Raw sunflower seeds
Parakeet or canary seed
Uncooked oats, not the quick cook variety

These items are available in different size packages. Purchase the size that you think that you will need in order to avoid running to the store every few days. If price is a concern for you, visit several different stores to check out the pricing. Additionally, check out different brands of each product since pricing usually varies by manufacturer as well. Once you open a package, be sure to secure it in an airtight container unless it is already in one.

Furthermore, in order to provide additional nutrition for your white mice, add a piece of lettuce to his meal on a weekly basis. Provide fresh water daily even if your white mice still have some in their dishes. Fresh, clean water is an integral part of maintaining healthy mice. White mice are not big water drinkers for the most part, but stagnant water isn’t a good source for their needs.

Take the time to clean their food and water dishes on a regular basis. If you use a cleaning solution or mild soap, be sure to rinse the dishes thoroughly. In fact, most pet stores carry special cleaning solutions for washing pet dishes. If you select one of these, then you know that it is safe to use for your pets.

Since white mice do prefer to stay warm, provide a proper home for them. An aquarium actually keeps them warmer and dryer than a cage. Provide clean, shredded newspapers or dry, clean cedar shavings for the bottom of the aquarium for the bedding needs of your white mice. It is important to change their bedding on a weekly basis to keep it clean. If necessary, change it more frequently.

If you do decide to use a wire cage for your white mice, it is important for you to place it properly. Find a location where the cage is draft free. That usually means avoiding areas near windows and doors. In fact, areas that are located in high traffic areas might not be good ideas either since they can also become drafty.

White mice are very friendly pets that are highly trainable due to their high level of intelligence. Even though white mice are colorblind and only see the world in shades of black and white, this does not restrict their learning abilities.

White mice should be picked up slowly. They should never be picked up by the tail unless you pick them up at the base of the tail where the tail meets the body. Moreover, treat your pet mice with care and never roughly. Typically, well-cared for white mice can live up to four years.

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