Pet Mice Vs Rats

Mice and rats as pets are both awesome. They are fantastic for different reasons and will provide you joy in different ways. Rats and mice might look quite identical, but they don’t make the same type of pet. Mice are rather like hamsters, they are happy to do their own thing most of the day, and rats are more hands-on.

Making a decision on which pet would suit depends on your lifestyle and what you are looking for in a pet.

Here are some details about rats and mice that would help you decide.

They Live In Groups

Rats and mice are both social animals that should live in pairs or small groups. For apparent reasons, there must be placed in a single-gender group as both species breed at an extraordinary rate. Male mice can, however, be very aggressive to their kind, especially when in a small cage. A small group of females however can live in small groups. Rats of both genders can get on very well with siblings they grew up with but would not take kindly to a new arrival, especially in the case of males.

Human Interaction

Rats and mice certainly get on well with humans. Rats can quickly learn all sorts of tricks as they are highly intelligent animals. Male rats can sit on your knee while you watch television while female rats rarely stay still for more than a few minutes while out of their cages.

Mice on the other hand could also be handled like rats but you might not find them as responsive or affectionate. Rats might be the better choice for an affectionate pet. Mice company can be enjoyed by people who like watching their pets rather than playing with them. To make play more fun Rat-toys and Mouse-toys can come in handy.

Mice don't necessarily need to be let out of their cages every day. Rats, however, should be let out for at least an hour to explore and interact.

Attention

Taking care of rats and mice is much the same. They are both omnivorous pets and should be given an all-in-one rat or mouse food as the basic diet supplemented with some fresh produce. Remove soiled bedding and leftover food daily and clean their cages out at least once a week. You can toilet train your rats and make daily cleaning easier. You could try toilet training your mice, although it is not as likely to work.

You can shop for your Mouse food treats and Rat food treats here.

Training and Play

Training your rat to do tricks and carry out simple activities could be quite achievable, unlike mice who relatively prefer sticking to their group.

Provision should be made for your rats to engage in exercise and activities that would make them burn fat. Oh yes! Rats tend to grow fat than mice.

Click here to get some Rat-toys and Mouse-toys.

Home

Rats and Mice need a large cage with several levels and at least one little nest box per rodent. A rat cage is relatively suited to rats, and it could be the best choice for mice, as long as the cage bars are set to close enough that a mouse cannot squeeze through to escape. If you have a group of male rats or mice, ensure you provide plenty of space to help prevent fights. As we said earlier Males tend to fight.

Do not try to keep rats and mice in the same cage. It is hazardous.

Handling

One of the reasons mice are not suitable pets for young children is that mice are very small and fragile. Rats also need careful handling even though they are bigger and often friendlier making them good pets for the family.