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American Fancy Mouse Association
Care guide

Caring for fancy mice

The basics of keeping mice healthy over their one-and-a-half to three years. For any specific mouse, a vet who treats small animals is the best source.

01Housing

  • Choose a secure enclosure. A glass tank or a well-ventilated plastic bin works well. Wire cages need bars no more than 1/4 inch (about 6 mm) apart, because mice squeeze through small gaps.
  • Favor floor space. Mice climb, dig and run, so floor area, deep bedding and climbing levels matter more than height alone.
  • Add a wheel with a solid running surface. Avoid wheels with rungs or mesh, which can catch feet and tails.
  • Give them places to hide. Nest boxes, tubes and chewable hides help mice feel secure.
  • Pick a calm spot. Keep the enclosure at normal room temperature, away from drafts, direct sun and heaters.

02Bedding

  • Use paper-based bedding or aspen shavings. Avoid pine and cedar, whose aromatic oils can irritate the airways.
  • Provide nesting material. Plain, unscented paper or tissue works well. Skip fluffy cotton-style nesting, which can wrap around limbs.
  • Clean on a schedule. Spot-clean every few days and change the bedding fully when it starts to smell. Males have a stronger scent than females.

03Food & water

  • Feed lab blocks as the staple. Rodent blocks made for mice or rats give balanced nutrition in every bite. With seed mixes, mice tend to pick out the fatty favorites.
  • Offer fresh food as a small extra. Small portions of vegetables make good treats. Introduce new foods one at a time.
  • Keep fresh water available at all times. Check bottles daily for clogs and leaks.

04Company

  • Females (does) usually live happily in pairs or groups. Mice are social animals and do better with company.
  • Adult males (bucks) usually need to live alone. Males often fight, so a single buck needs extra enrichment and regular handling.
  • Keep the sexes apart unless you plan a litter. A doe can become pregnant again within hours of giving birth.

05Handling

  • Scoop, don’t grab. Let the mouse walk onto your open hand, or scoop it up in cupped hands or a small cup.
  • Support the body. If you need to lift a mouse by the tail, hold the base of the tail, never the tip, and support the body right away.
  • Stay low. Handle mice over a table or your lap so a jump or fall is short.
  • Keep sessions short and regular. Brief, frequent handling helps young mice settle.

06Health

  • Find a vet before you need one. Look for a vet who treats small exotic pets.
  • Quarantine new mice. Keep new arrivals in a separate room for at least two weeks before they meet your other mice.
  • Watch their breathing. Sneezing or clicking, rattling breaths can signal a respiratory infection.
  • Check the skin and coat. Scratching, scabs or thinning fur can mean mites.
  • Feel for lumps. Mice are prone to tumors, so any new lump is worth a vet visit.
Mice hide illness.A mouse that is hunched, puffed up, losing weight or less active than usual should see a vet soon.

07Breeding

  • Gestation is 19 to 21 days. Give the doe a quiet enclosure with plenty of nesting material before the litter arrives.
  • Pups are born hairless with their eyes closed. Their eyes open at around two weeks.
  • Pups wean at three to four weeks. Separate young males from females by about four weeks old.
  • Plan homes before you breed. Litters can be large, and mice mature quickly.
Club mentoring: if AFMA will pair new breeders with experienced members, say how to sign up.