Having a pet mouse can be one of the most fantastic things you have ever done, especially if you are starting to become an animal owner! It is an even more exciting time if you have never had any little furry animals before in your home.
However, owning a pet mouse might not be all the sunshine and rainbows you think it is. If you are considering getting one, you need to know all the pros and cons of owning one and if it is even worth investing in these tiny rodents.
Mice are highly affordable and social animals that will often entertain you. On top of this, they are pretty quiet and have low maintenance. However, mice are also extremely fragile since they are small and have a short lifespan.
This article will discuss why getting a pet mouse is good and might not be the best idea. We encourage you to continue reading for all the needed information, as this article will help you learn if you genuinely want one or not.
What Are the Pros of Getting a Pet Mouse?
There are so many amazing things a pet mouse can provide for you. One of the best things about owning a mouse is that they are excellent first-time pets. They help you get a feel for what you want regarding owning animals and do not provide a lot of great responsibility. Still, reviewing why mice are great is essential, as shown below.
1. They Are Affordable
Owning a mouse or even multiple mice means that they are highly affordable. For one mouse, you only pay $20 to $30 monthly for their essentials, including food, bedding, toys, and enrichment. On top of this, you might have to consider veterinary care every so often, especially when they get sick, so it might be a wise choice to consider putting some extra money aside just in case you need to take them.
However, the initial setup is the biggest cost, especially if you have never had a mouse, which is between $150 and $300. If you only have a low budget, we recommend finding a good-condition mouse cage on Facebook Marketplace or somewhere similar. Thoroughly wash and dry the cage before your new pet uses it.
2. Provides Lots of Education
Suppose you have children who are highly interested in animals. In that case, having a mouse can provide plenty of educational opportunities for your children and yourself. On top of this, if you handle your pet mouse often and correctly, you can teach your mouse new tricks! These skills may include fetching, walking a tightrope, jumping through hoops, and even having them learn an agility course!
3. Great for a First Time Pet
As mentioned briefly above, mice make excellent first-time pets for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons is that they do not require much of your attention, which we will review further. On top of this, owning a mouse helps you learn a bit of responsibility, primarily if you have never owned a pet before. Mice are very quiet and do not require a lot of space either, which is nice if you have a smaller apartment or something similar.
4. Very Social
Mice are very social animals, so you do not have to worry too much about leaving them alone unless they sleep, eat, or do something particular. Still, mice will happily want to be a part of their owner’s lives if you allow them to do so. In fact, it is important that you gently handle them for a few minutes each day to ensure they are growing accustomed to your presence.
5. Low Maintenance
Unlike dogs, who require a lot of your attention through affection, needing to exercise, getting fed, or wanting to cuddle up with you, mice are relatively easy to take care of, mainly because they are so small and do not require a lot of space.
You also do not have to worry about them constantly begging or getting all over your face when trying to cook, work, or do something significant. On top of this, if you are someone who does not have much time on your hands, a mouse is the perfect companion. Just be sure to give them a few minutes of your time twice during the day to ensure your mouse knows you love and care for them.
6. Relatively Quiet
Mice most definitely make sounds; don’t get us wrong! However, generally speaking, they are considered quiet animals except for the occasional squeak, chirp, cluck, grinding, and other similar noises humans can hear. The biggest downfall is if their wheel squeaks while they use it in the evening. Still, they are much better than random barking or a cat meowing if they are hungry or something of the sort.
7. Entertaining to Watch
Lastly, mice are extremely entertaining critters to watch! They love interacting with their owners or even their companions who live with them. A pet mouse is often inquisitive and playful, making them extremely fun to watch and be around. This is especially true if you create a maze in a playpen for them to be in.
Remember, you can create mazes with specific objects in your home that do not require a glue gun or other specific tools. It is also fun to think of ways to keep your mouse entertained without having them repeatedly deal with the same setting.
What Are the Cons of Getting a Pet Mouse?
Despite all of the amazing things a pet mouse has in store for their owner, it also comes with many cons. For example, it might not be wise to own a mouse if you have small children due to their inability to think about their actions.
1. May Get a Bit Destructive
Mice are well known for their ability to chew on things, especially chords, furniture, electrical wiring in your house, and other household items. Because of this, one might consider them destructive.
It is essential to keep them inside a playpen or their cage or that you hold them at all times. It is also a good choice to ensure you close the door and put a towel right underneath the door to ensure they do not escape if you were to let go of them accidentally.
2. Has a Short Lifespan
A pet mouse lives anywhere between 1.5 to 3 years old. This means your little pet will not be with you very long, unlike a cat, dog, bird, or another pet that lives much longer than a mouse.
On the contrary, if you are not an animal person or want to have an animal for a short time to see if you can take care of something bigger in the future, getting a mouse, knowing how short their lifespan is, might be an excellent thing for you!
It is wonderful that even though mice live such short lives, you can go with the knowledge that you could provide a safe and loving home for the time they were on this Earth! Plus, you can always invest in more as time goes on if you wish.
3. Can Cause Potential Allergies
Mice are certainly not hypoallergenic animals, especially because they have fur and specific proteins they carry. Mice carry many common allergies, including dead skin cells, saliva, hair, and urine. These things can trigger triggers in your immune system, including coughing, itching eyes, and sneezing.
Another thing to consider is that even a pet mouse has the potential to carry diseases that can be transmitted to humans through inhaling feces, urine, or saliva in the air, bites, or contact with contaminated bedding or droppings.
This is why ensuring their cage remains clean and does not get too out of hand is extremely important. It is wise to spot-clean your mouse’s cage daily from droppings and remove any uneaten food sitting out.
4. Are Fragile and Small
Suppose you have a cat or a small dog. In that case, you can easily pick these animals up and will typically not have a problem doing so! However, a mouse only weighs 29 to 44 grams, depending on its gender and how much it eats. Because of this, you need to handle them with extreme care!
This is a major downfall because, as we mentioned previously, small children who are not yet responsible for anything can easily hurt them. In addition, if you have any large animals, it is important that they stay away from your pet mice, especially while you are handling them, to ensure their safety.
5. Considered Nocturnal Animals
Some people are night owls, so having a pet mouse may not bother you nearly as much. However, if you need to get up early in the morning and your mouse stays in the same room as you, then you might need to find some way to block off any sound it might make.
As mentioned earlier, your pet mouse will innately be quiet, but they might make a bit of noise when using any of their play equipment. If you are a light sleeper like myself, you may be looking into hearing them scratching or gnawing at something.
Lastly, since mice like staying up at night, this is the best time for you to spend time with them. This is because they are the most active during the evening. However, if you sleep fairly early, having a pet mouse might not be the ideal choice.
6. May Produce Strong Odors
Mice are innately prone to odor due to their urine. Although you can technically potty train a mouse, they will occasionally wind up urinating throughout their cage due to their weak bladders or even attempting to mark their territory. This might make it more challenging to clean their enclosure each day as you might not know where they did or did not pee. It is also wise to fully clean out their cage every week to every two weeks to help limit any odors.
What Should You Consider Before Investing in a Pet Mouse?
You need to consider many things before investing in a pet mouse. For example, what kind of size cage does it need? Mice are small, but they still need a lot of room to ensure they are happy and have plenty of space! Plus, if you are to get multiple mice (which it is wise to say that you should get all of the same gender so no babies are running around everywhere), then make sure your space is plenty big.
In addition, it is important to know your monthly budget. For example, if you are only trying to spend about $20 on food, bedding, toys, etc., then make sure to find budget-friendly items. A good thing to note is that you can always make DIY toys or bedding if you wish to go down that route.
Speaking of toys, it is wise to provide plenty of enrichment for your pet mouse. This is because they might get bored of the same thing. If you always rearrange your furniture, you can think of your pet mouse as being like you. You can sometimes change their environment, which they will happily enjoy doing! On top of this, ensure you give your mouse plenty of chew toys to ensure their teeth do not overgrow.
Lastly, you want to ensure your pet mouse has a well-balanced diet. Mice need to have pellets or rodent blocks. It is also wise to feed your mouse some fresh grains, vegetables, and fruit to ensure they get a good, well-balance and high-quality diet. Ensure to stay on top of their water by providing them a fresh water bowl or water bottle.
Conclusion
To summarize, mice have advantages and disadvantages, but getting one will provide plenty of entertainment for a few years! Lastly, ensure you have the time and space to spend with your pet mouse.
We wish you the best in finding out what animal works best for you, and we hope this article was helpful to you in some way! If you have any more questions about owning a pet mouse, we recommend looking at more articles to ensure you are getting all the information you need.
