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" A mouse does not rely on just one hole." Plautus
ACTIVITY LEVEL: mice
are nocturnal (active at night).
SOCIAL
PATTERNS: Mice enjoy and need the company of
their own kind and should not be kept as a solitary animal.
NORMAL
PHYSIOLOGICAL & BEHAVIORAL CHARACTERISTICS:
Mice are small, with
a body about two inches long and a tail about two inches long. They are easily tamed. Like all rodents, their
teeth are constantly growing so they must have something to gnaw on to keep them worn down. They can breed at the age
of two months and have a gestation period of three weeks. Unless the female is nursing, she can become pregnant the
day after she has her babies.
In a cage, two male
mice will fight. Two females will get along.
Mice enjoy playing with toys but can stand on top of them and
escape from their quarters if their walls are not high enough.
Bar spacing in their
habitat can be no greater than 1/4 of an inch because they can squeeze through. The floor should be solid, not wire
mesh, which injures their feet.
SPAY/NEUTER INFO: not applicable.
MOST COMMON PROBLEMS:
Susceptible to fleas and mites. Male's urine has a strong odor.
VET
CARE: mice must be seen by a vet specializing in exotics.
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