If you are thinking of getting a rat or mouse and don’t know which one would be best there are several things to consider.
First is who is going to be taking care of the animal. Small children under the age of ten years old should never be left unattended with small animals. Mice and rats are fragile, squeezing too hard or being dropped on the floor may lead to serious injuries or death. Older children who are going to be the primary caregiver for the pet may want an animal that interacts with them. For this reason a rat would be the better choice. Mice are fun to watch in their cage but will rarely be as affectionate as a rat.
How much room do you have for a cage? Mice can live by themselves or with a companion in a small cage. But rats require a large cage with a lot of room to play. When getting a rat you also have to remember they are social animals and it’s better to buy two rats and house them together. They will have a better quality of life if housed with a cage mate. Mice are also social animals, getting two of them will help make sure they are not lonely if you don’t have the time to spend with them everyday.
Rats and mice eat pretty much the same food, but rats eat a little more than a mouse would. You should feed a store bought seed mixture along with fresh fruits and vegetables. Lab blocks are also a good thing to have for both mice and rats. Both rats and mice like to have a variety of foods in their diets. They will eat small portions of table scraps as well.
Mice are not as friendly or social as rats. A rat will play games with you and chase you from one end of the couch to the other. A mouse won’t necessarily play games but will crawl on you and around you, but mostly just try and get on the floor from where he is.
Whether you have a rat or mouse, cleaning the cage every week is a must. A rat cage will get smelly with two rats in it and is easily cleaned. A mouse cage will develop a very strong odor and may have to be spot cleaned every few days if the smell is over powering. Rats will urinate in one spot in their cage for the most part if their cage is kept clean. Mice will urinate everywhere including in the plastic tubes and exercise wheel he plays in. Making sure you clean the plastic tubes every few days will cut down on the odor as well.
Both rats and mice have tails that can get caught in exercise wheels so the best exercise wheels to get them are the ones without the wires. A solid wheel will prevent their tails from getting caught between the wires and injured. A rat will require a larger wheel than a mouse would. Mice are usually between 3-4 inches long not including the tail while rats are between 9-11 inches long not including the tail.
Mice do not require as much attention and play time out of their cages as rats do. A rat will do better if taken out of his cage several times a day for play time with their humans as well as being social. Rats love to just sit with their human, cuddle, kiss and nibble what ever you are eating. Mice like to have time out of their cage but unlike a rat they will mostly run around on the couch and try to jump onto the ground. They will not pay as much attention to you as a rat would. If you work a lot or don’t have time to spend with an animal, a mouse would be a better pet. They won’t be as upset about not getting time with their humans as a rat would.
So which pet is better for you? It depends on how much time you have to spend with your small pet and how much room you have for a cage, food, and toys. Both are great pets and will give you years of joy.
