Humans naturally crave companionship, but putting off getting the pet of your dreams shouldn’t have to happen because you are worried about your finances. If you are interested in keeping pet mice, this article will help you cut back on the expenses of owning these entertaining pets.
The great thing about fancy mice is they’re considerably cheaper than any other small pet; this is if you’re buying from your local pet store. Buying from a local breeder may cost you a bit more, but in most cases, these mice are well taken care of, and mice that are not their best (mice that are sick or were born with any genetic problems) usually aren’t sold to customers. Breeders keep those mice for themselves making sure you really are getting the best pet for your buck. Adopting mice from local animal shelters or mice rescue groups is also an option, as a small donation fee will probably get your more than just the mouse itself. Pet finder is a great site to sort thru if you would prefer adoption.
Housing
Before you get your pet, or as soon after, you’ll want to find appropriate housing. Mice love to explore and can get bored quickly if they don’t have enough room and places to keep toys. Enclosures should be big enough for the number of mice you have (4 or 5 mice is a 10 gallon glass tank is the maximum for a tank of that size). If you can afford a 10 gallon glass tank, that is the best bet. One mouse can do well in a small plastic tank, but keeping them entertained can be hard w/ their small sizes. Those however, are a bit cheaper in most cases than larger glass tanks.
Toys
Many people feel that toys should be the most expensive things possible to keep their pet (any pet) happy. However, this is not the case. An exercise wheel will probably be the most expensive thing you’ll have to invest in. This however is pretty essential as it keeps mice active and helps them burn off calories and prevents them from gaining excess weight. However, you can use, or even make your own toys and not worry about breaking the bank.
The cheapest toy possible is a simple toilet paper roll, or a paper towel roll. Mice will sleep in it, they’ll climb on it, and they’ll even chew it up and use the pieces for bedding, nest making all the while keeping their teeth short. Whenever you have a few extra rolls, toss them in the tank and watch the fun begin.
Old children’s toys can also be used, as long as you are not planning to let a child use them again as mice tend to chew anything put into their enclosure and pee on it. Plastic houses that are multi-level are a great example of something you can use that you won’t have to spend money on. Plastic elbow joints that are used in plumbing also make great toys as mice will often use them as houses to nest in and will run through them and climb all over them. Other toys include tennis balls with a hole cut into them allowing them to run through it, and plastic ladders that are often used for birds. You can also make your own ladder with part of a cardboard box by simply cutting a long strip and cutting slats big enough for their feet. They’ll be able to run and climb, and chew if they wish. So next time you get a delivery, don’t throw that box away! Old aquarium accessories with holes large enough for mice to move thru also work well, but remember to clean these thoroughly before placing them into their enclosure. If you have an apple tree close by, a small branch will work wonders. However, don’t use branches from other fruit trees as those trees can contain substances that are harmful to your mice. Shave the branch down before placing it into their enclosure to remove any bugs that may be lurking.
Commercial mice food products can be rather expensive, especially if you buy pre-packaged bags. This alone can hurt any budget. Buying food you have to bag yourself will save you a bit of money, but you’ll still have to make a trip to the store once or twice a month, more if you have several mice to care for. You can buy in bulk, or make your own mix, which sometimes can be more practical as you can buy seeds locally and vary the mix from time to time. Homemade mixes usually include rolled oats, unsalted sunflower seeds, dog food (higher quality is best) and a wild bird seed. Cheerios, more of a treat type food can also be added to mixes, but the best thing to do is use less as too much of this food, especially when paired with sunflower seeds can lead to pet obesity. A recipe for a homemade mix can be found here.
If you are a college student, or otherwise and have access to fresh fruit like apples and bananas frequently, a few small slices of either fruit can make their staple food go further than before. Other food items that can be fed to your mice on a treat type basis include, cake crumbs, bread (soaked in water, skimmed milk, or gravy), cooked or uncooked pasta, small amounts of peanut butter, garden/frozen peas, meat filled dog bones (with large holes so they can climb thru it), and dry dog food (such as biscuits, regular food, especially puppy mixes). A small amount of staple food and a few treats can keep your mice happy, well fed and give them a well balanced diet. As you can see, you can feed your mice, and yourself, or your mice and your other pets without breaking the bank.
Like food, bedding can sometimes be expensive. The thing to remember here is, cedar and pine bedding, although cheap should be avoided at all costs. The chemicals contained within the bedding itself can lead to respiratory problems and other illnesses. Small shredded bedding, and recycled paper bedding is a better option, but as a whole will cost more than cedar or pine. If you simply can’t afford bedding, shredded paper will work wonders. You can shred your old newspaper and toss several handfuls into enclosure during the weekly bedding change and the mice will play and make their nests just the same. If you want something a bit heavier than newspaper alone, toss in some toilet paper rolls. This works rather well if your mice are rather adamant chewers. However enclosures may need to be changed more often as shredded paper will not do much in the way of odor control. At least you’ll have an extra use for those old newspapers! Shredded paper can be used for other things as well, not just for bedding. If you have several newspapers that you’d like to get rid of by reusing them at home, here are 10 tips for their use.
As you can see, you don’t need to worry about breaking the bank to have a companion. They can be happy and healthy, even on the smallest budget.
