Caring For Pet Mice & Rats

While pet mice and rats are some of the easiest small animals to care for they do still require proper care in order to be healthy and happy. Like with most every animal the most important aspects to the overall health of these pets is proper nutrition, a clean place to live and plenty of exercise. These are all fairly easy for those who own rats of mice to accomplish.
For rats and mice nutrition is most often the most overlooked aspect of their health. This improper diet leads to most common problems within these species. Like most animals, rats and mice when provided mixes as food these pets will eat the items they like and leave the rest. When unsuspecting owners refill this mix they are only encouraging their pet to eat only the foods the like and this will result in an improper diet.
Rats and mice tend to like sweat things as well as seeds and nuts that are high in fat. Owners should try and avoid sweats at all costs since these are just not good for the animal. But there are some great rat treats and mice treats available on the market that can be used for those special times in place of sweat treats. The nuts and seeds though can be given to the animals but they need to be done on a limited basis.
For optimal health rat owners as well as those who have mice need to provide them with a balanced diet of nutritionally complete food. This means making sure the animals get plenty of roughage in the form of vegetables and fiber along with all the nutrients they need. This food should also require plenty of chewing in order to make the pets work their teeth in order to wear down those continuously growing teeth.

Mice As Pets

When some people think about mice as pets they question why anyone would want to keep an animal that many consider to be a pest. But domesticated mice actually make excellent pets that are nothing like their bad reputation cousins that infest homes and barns. White pet mice require little and are easy enough to care for making them an ideal first pet for young children.
A mouse cage should provide them with plenty of room inside to move around and include ramps and wheels for them to run on. But of course since they are so small this is still not a large cage that will take up a large space in your home. The cage will also need plenty of bedding to fill the bottom since mice are known for being very clean animals. While cages for mice can be bought in either wire or glass the wire cages will provide the animal with more ventilation as well as the opportunity to climb the sides.
Feeding mice is extremely easy since food is available from quality pet shops that is nutritionally balanced in a easy to feed pellet form. This mice food can also be supplemented by fresh fruits and vegetables as a treat and of course it should all be accompanied by plenty of fresh water. Mice also need plenty of chew toys available for them to keep their front teeth ground down with just as other rodent based pets do.
As pets mice are capable of creating bonds and providing companionship to those who spend some time with them each day. Mice are very playful and social animals and owners should consider owning at least two so that they are not along in their cage. Many are surprised with just how good of a pet a mouse can be once they bring their first one home.

Rats As Pets

For those who are willing to look beyond the undeserved bad reputation of the rat these animals actually make really good pets for animal lovers of all ages. The reputation that the rat has is really one of the most inaccurate of all the small animals. Rats are actually very clean animals that are very trainable and love to play. From cleaning the cage to taking the time to play with them pet lovers from adults down to very small children enjoy taking the time to make friends with these animals.
Rats are relatively easy to house but do appreciate having a rats cage large enough so they can climb the sides for exercise. Since rats love to play so much there should be plenty of room inside for rat toys and other things to keep them busy when they are inside. The bottom should be filled with plenty of bedding to help keep it clean since rats are very tidy animals and want to be kept in a clean environment.
Rats have special dietary needs so owners need to ensure that they are buying quality rat food from a reputable pet store. Only the best shops will ensure that the food for rats is high in fiber but yet low in fat just like these animals need to for optimal health.
Rats make excellent pets and will respond to their owners the best when at least thirty minutes a day is spent with them. Owners can train them to respond to their name when called. Many owners feel that rats are easily the most trainable small pet available and owners are amazed at just how intelligent they truly are. But they are also very social so owners need to give them plenty of time or even keep two so that they can each other for extra socialization.