Fancy Mice: The Popular 'Pocket Pets' - Part 2

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How to feed and What to feed?
Mice may may fit to any environment and food. All the homemade food can be given to your mice. Commercially prepared mice foods are available in pet shops like a rodent mix or hamster diet. Pellets are available for mice and are completely balanced. Provide them with grain and seeds which can be readily eaten. The basic diet can be supplemented with small quantities of fresh fruits and vegetables. Sunflower seeds are favourite to mice. Avoid feeding junk foods such as candy and potato chips, and never feed chocolate as it is toxic to mice and other small pets. Mice also have constantly growing teeth, and so should be provided with something to chew on to keep them in good chewing condition. Make sure that mice have a constant supply of water. Commercial water bottles are probably the best choice.

Housing For Your Mice
Various mice cages are there to choose from. Wooden cages, glass cages, cages made of metal etc... are the commonly used cages. Keep the cage away from direct sunlight as it may annoy your pets. It is preferable to keep the cage on top of a table like object and where people mice get the view of people. Make sure they have a good soft bedding of wood shavings or prepared litter. Pet wheels or other playing accessories can be provided in the cage. Cage should be spacious as mice like to move around and there should be hiding places in the cage. Wood shavings should be used in cages that are open with good ventilation, rather than enclosed containers. Provide nest building materials like hay or cotton as mice are nest builders and will make nests from their bedding to sleep in and have babies in. Clean cages thoroughly with hot water at least once a week and change the bedding at least twice weekly.

Breeding
Mice are a fast breeding animal and if you don't control breeding and reproduction you will have too much of them in a short span. When you need to breed mice provide them nesting materials in the cage. You should have one male in the cage - no more! If there is more than one male mouse in a cage, then they tend to fight. There can be as many females as you like. Females can have up to 15 litters a year, and can become pregnant within 24 hours after giving birth. It will take two weeks for babies to look like parents as they are born deaf, naked, and blind.

Mice are also subject to number of allergies and diseases. Timely medication and proper care will make your pets attractive and healthy.