
Keeping a field mouse as a pet is generally discouraged, as they are wild animals. However, there are occasions where captive field mice may need homes, such as when someone has kept babies as pets and they later bred. If you are inexperienced with small rodents, it is not advisable to attempt to keep an undomesticated species like the field mouse.
Wild mice can carry various diseases, such as Hantavirus, Salmonellosis, the bubonic plague, and Lyme disease, which can be transmitted to humans through bites, handling, or exposure to faecal matter and waste. They can also be stressed by human interaction and will experience stress when put in a cage. While some wild mice may get used to humans and climb onto their hand, their instinct will tell them to bite at the slightest startle.
If you decide to keep a field mouse as a pet, it is important to capture them at a young age, before their eyes are open. This is when they will bond with you and accept you as family. It is also crucial to separate males from females to prevent rapid breeding.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Keeping wild animals as pets | Discouraged |
Captive field mice needing homes | Occasional |
People inexperienced with small rodents | Should not attempt to keep field mice |
Cage preparation | Thick, deep layer of paper-based bedding, cardboard tubes, nest boxes, water bottle and bowl, food bowl |
Mouse gender identification | Contact a local expert or try to identify the mice yourself |
Mouse diet | A mixture of foods, including muesli-style mouse mixture, fresh fruit and vegetables, hay, fresh grass, cat or dog food |
Mouse care | Changing water, removing soiled bedding and stale food every day, cleaning out the cage once or twice a week, washing hands before and after handling the mice |
Male mice | Need to be separated to avoid fighting |
Wild mice | Can carry diseases and will bite if provoked |
What You'll Learn
Capturing a field mouse at the right time
However, if you are determined to capture a field mouse as a pet, it is important to do so at the right time. Wild mice must be captured at a very specific point in their lives—not too early, and not too late. If you find a baby mouse that is still pink and hairless, it is too young to be taken from its mother. Wait until the mouse has fur, but its eyes are still closed. This is the perfect time to capture a baby mouse because, in just a couple of days when its eyes open, it will see you and bond with you, first through scent and then by sight.
If you capture the mouse before its eyes are open, it will accept its human owners as family and behave like a tame mouse. This is why it is so crucial to get the mouse before this stage of development. It will bond with you and allow you to hold and feed it by hand. If you wait until after its eyes are open, it will be afraid of you and will be skittish and confused when held.
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Preparing a cage for a field mouse
Keeping wild animals, even those as tiny as field mice, is generally discouraged. However, if you are caring for captive field mice, you will need to prepare a large mouse, hamster, or rat cage. Here are some tips for preparing a cage for a field mouse:
- Cage selection: Choose a cage specifically designed for mice. It should be simple, well-ventilated, and accommodate their tiny size. Consider the number of mice you plan to house, allowing for 1 cubic foot of cage space for the first mouse and an additional 0.5 cubic feet for each extra mouse. Ensure the bars are no more than 0.9 centimetres apart to prevent escape. The cage can be made of plastic, metal, or glass, but avoid wood as it absorbs urine.
- Positioning the cage: Place the cage in a safe and secure room, free from loud noises and sudden bursts of sound, as mice have sensitive hearing. Keep the room temperature between 64 °F (18 °C) and 71 °F (22 °C), maintaining a constant, comfortable climate for the mice. Avoid extreme humidity fluctuations.
- Bedding: Spread at least 3 inches of bedding across the bottom of the cage. Use materials like hay, shredded paper, or aspen shavings. Avoid sawdust, cedar shavings, pine shavings, cotton wool, or fluffy bedding, as these can cause respiratory issues or choking hazards.
- Water and food: Provide a water container, preferably a water bottle with a drinking tube, to ensure fresh water. You can also offer a water bowl, but mice may throw bedding into it. Include a food bowl with mouse food or a mixture of foods if you are unsure of the specific species' diet.
- Hiding spaces and toys: Add a small plastic house or hut, or an ink-free cardboard box, to provide a sense of security for the mice. Include toys for entertainment and chewing, such as paper towel tubes, plain wooden craft sticks, or hanging toys.
- Gender separation: Separate male and female mice immediately to prevent rapid breeding.
- Species identification: Contact a local expert or compare images of local rodent species to identify the specific type of field mouse you have, as different species have varying dietary needs.
- Cleaning: Change the water daily and remove soiled bedding and stale food. Clean the entire cage once or twice a week. Wash your hands before and after handling the mice and their enclosure to prevent infections.
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Identifying the species of field mouse
The term "field mouse" is a common name that covers many species of small rodents. The most common is the deer mouse, or Peromyscus Maniculatus. This type of rodent is most commonly found in rural areas, but can also be found in urban areas or suburban communities if there are woods or natural buffer zones nearby.
- An adult field mouse is usually up to 10.5 cm in length, with a tail between 6 and 9 cm.
- Its coat is typically beige, red-brown or dark brown, with a white belly.
- Its eyes and ears are smaller than those of a house mouse.
- Field mice are excellent jumpers and their hind legs are stronger than those of house mice.
- The weight of a field mouse varies between 13 and 27 g.
- Its diet is highly diversified and usually includes seeds, young plants, buds, berries, insects, mushrooms, snails, earthworms and root vegetables.
- Field mice reproduce quickly, with 2 to 4 litters per year, and 4 to 6 babies each time.
- An adult field mouse will live a maximum of one year, as winter is a difficult period for them to get through.
- Field mice are usually active at night and are most active around dusk and dawn.
If you are still unsure about the species of your field mouse, it is recommended to contact a local expert for identification. You can try asking your vet, wildlife centre or university extension program.
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Diet of a field mouse
Field mice are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. Their diet is diverse and varies depending on the availability of food in their habitat. They are opportunistic feeders, meaning they will eat whatever is available to them.
The diet of field mice typically consists of foliage, green plants, seeds, grains, fruits, and berries. These items provide essential nutrients, hydration, and fiber. Green plants, such as grasses, clover, leaves, and other vegetation, offer carbohydrates, vitamins, and minerals, as well as moisture. Seeds and grains, including grass seeds, weed seeds, and the seeds of various wild plants, are an important source of energy and nutrients for field mice.
Fruits and berries, such as blackberries, strawberries, wild raspberries, and apples, are also a valuable food source, especially during the warmer months when they are in season. These foods provide essential vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates, and natural sugars.
In addition to plant matter, field mice also consume animal protein, including insects and invertebrates. They exhibit insectivorous behavior, actively hunting and consuming beetles, caterpillars, grasshoppers, spiders, snails, slugs, earthworms, and various other small arthropods. Field mice may also scavenge on small vertebrates, carcasses, or even engage in cannibalism under extreme circumstances.
The diet of field mice changes with the seasons. During spring and summer, they have access to a variety of fresh plant matter and insects. In autumn, they gather and store seeds and nuts for the winter months. During winter, they rely on their stored food, as well as roots and tubers that remain available underground.
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Caring for a field mouse
Keeping a field mouse as a pet is not recommended, but if you do find yourself in a situation where you need to care for one, there are several important things to consider. Firstly, prepare a suitable enclosure, such as a large mouse, hamster, or rat cage. Line the cage with a thick layer of paper-based bedding and provide cardboard tubes, nest boxes, a water bottle, and a food bowl. It is crucial to separate males from females to prevent rapid breeding.
Identifying the specific species of your field mouse is essential, as different species have distinct dietary needs. Consult a local expert, such as a veterinarian, wildlife centre, or university extension program, to help identify your mouse. You can also try to identify the species yourself by comparing its physical characteristics, such as length, face shape, and tail length, with online images of local rodent species.
In terms of diet, provide a variety of foods, including fresh fruit and vegetables, hay, grass, and a muesli-style mouse mixture. Once you have identified the species, try to provide a diet similar to what they would eat in the wild. Remember to change the water daily and clean the cage once or twice a week, always washing your hands before and after handling the mouse to prevent infections.
It is important to note that wild mice are prone to fighting, especially adult male mice. If this occurs, separate them into individual cages. Additionally, wild mice can carry various diseases, so caution is advised when handling them. They can transmit infections through bites, handling, and waste. Some of the diseases wild mice may carry include Hantavirus, Salmonellosis, the bubonic plague, and Lyme disease.
If you intend to keep a wild mouse as a pet, it is crucial to capture them at the right age. Capturing a baby mouse that is still pink and hairless is too early, as they depend on their mother's nourishment. The ideal time to capture a wild mouse is when it has its fur but before its eyes have opened. At this stage, the mouse will bond with you first through scent and then through sight identification.
To care for a young mouse, provide a comfortable container with food, water, and bedding. Peanut butter, chocolate, cheese, and meat are all suitable food options. Ensure you provide an exercise wheel and wood shavings for bedding, as well as sticks for them to chew on to maintain their continuously growing teeth.
Remember that keeping wild mice as pets is generally not advised due to the potential health risks and the stress it causes the animals. If you are considering a pet mouse, it is best to obtain a domesticated variety from a pet store or breeder.
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Frequently asked questions
Wild mice can carry a lot of diseases and infections, such as hantavirus, salmonellosis, Lyme disease, and the bubonic plague. They can also be very stressful for the mice, shortening their lifespan.
If you do decide to care for a field mouse, make sure to capture it at a young age, but not too early. You'll need to provide a large aquarium with wood shavings for bedding, food, treats, and a water jug with a dropper tube.
Wild mice are usually omnivores, but some eat more specialised diets. It's important to identify the species of field mouse you have, so you can provide a diet similar to what they would eat in the wild.