Because of their tiny size, pet mice can live in several types of containers — the best of which are arguably wire cages and glass-walled aquariums, as they are difficult for these crafty critters to escape from. If you keep mice in an aquarium, you have to be careful that it is the right size and shape.

Rats are significantly bigger than gerbils, reaching up to eight inches long, and with a long tail to match. This means they need larger enclosures in which to thrive. Rats kept in captivity tend to live for around two years, but can sometimes live up to five.

Gerbils and mice shouldn’t live with each other in the same enclosure. Mice and gerbils can both carry diseases to which they’re immune themselves, but could pass on to each other. For this reason, they shouldn’t even be housed in the same room together, let alone the same cage.

All rodents will kill each other if left with no water, that much is true. But mice will kill for dominance, new members or babies are usually the targets, really nasty.

Can mice be kept together? Absolutely! Fancy mice are extremely social animals, but only the females should be kept together. Females can happily live in pairs, trios, or even small groups with enough space and can bond very quickly.

Females will fight for their children’s safety. And sometimes, they just need to take a swing at the jerk who stepped on their tail. Whatever their reasons, if you keep more than one mouse in a cage, understand that they may fight. If they’re males, you can expect it.

Because they are stressed out; mice will eat their babies when they feel threatened. Being so little, they fully rely on the care of their parents. Yes the mother will eat them if you pick them up too early because she won’t want human scent on them. Do not touch them.

Mice commonly eat their babies and I believe that it is primarily stress related. Our colony manager does not breed mothers who eat their young more than twice, because he feels that if they do it twice, there is a problem with the mother, assuming other breeding pairs in the same room are not doing this.

Once they are fully formed and extend from the head, the mouse is at least five days old. You should also notice the mouse’s skin seems thicker to the touch and fuzz is appearing around its neck. When colored fuzz appears, you will know the mouse has reached at least one week old.

Place the baby wild mouse in between and underneath the existing baby mice. Try not to touch the babies any more than you need to, and be very gentle. Return the mother mouse to the cage. Place the mother mouse in her cage, slightly away from the nest.

Talk to the mice in a low and quiet voice as you give them treats so they know you aren’t going to hurt them. Give them treats once or twice per week to calm them down. Wild mice can never be fully tamed like domestic mice. Rodent treats can be purchased from your local pet store.

Wild mice can be kept as pets, same as any tame mouse you buy in a pet store, the only difference is, that wild mice have to be captured at one particular point in their lives, and not earlier or later. Plus, they live longer than the pet store variety of mouse and are generally healthier and stronger.

There are disease concerns with both wild (rats, mice) and pet (rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, guinea pigs) rodents and rabbits. They can carry many diseases including hantavirus, leptospirosis, lymphocytic choriomeningitis (LCMV), Tularemia and Salmonella.

Because rats/mice carry various bacteria and diseases (e.g. hantavirus, leptospirosis, and salmonella) it is unsafe (long-term) to sleep in the same house or room in which they are present. Call an exterminator, and pick up traps from your local hardware store.