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Guess who just wants to have fun? Your mice, that's who! And as your pets'
entertainment director, it's up to you to arrange playtime with safe,
appropriate toys in and out of the cage every day.
Mouse Toys Provide Hours of Entertainment
Providing a variety of toys and diversions for your furry friends is
serious business. Mice who are allowed to play to their little hearts'
content have been shown to be much happier than those who live in barren,
toy-free environments. One of the most appreciated toys you can get your
pet is the classic exercise wheel. Most mice love to run, and a solid metal
or plastic wheel will allow your companions to do just that. By all means
avoid wheels with rungs, as tiny tails and feet can easily get caught in
them.
Mice are major tunnelers and climbers, and they'll be very pleased with
ladders, PVC pipes and plastic add-on tubes, which come in a variety of
styles, from straight to spiral. You can even make your own mousie maze out
of these tubes, with your pets' favorite nibbles waiting at the end!
A toy needn't be expensive to be effective. Some of the best mouse
playthings can be found in your own home. Your pets will love tunneling
through ordinary cardboard tubes from paper towels and finding their way
through interconnected cardboard boxes with entrance holes cut into them.
Egg cartons are great for chewing and climbing, and you'll be surprised to
find how much fun can be had with a simple paper bag, open on its side.
Once you've selected and set up the cage you'll need to make your pets' house
feel like a home. Line the cage with an inch or so of aspen shavings or a
pelleted bedding made from recycled paper. These materials are all clean,
nontoxic and easy to clear away and replace. Stay away from cedar and pine shavings,
as they can cause respiratory ailments. Your mice will also delight in making
a cozy bed for sleeping and napping, so be sure to provide a safe nesting
material such as fresh hay, straw or shredded paper towels. You'll also need to
designate an area in the cage where your mice can get some privacy. You can use
a PVC pipe, empty tissue box or small flower pot for your mouse hideout.
Make sure there's always something in the cage your mice can gnaw on. Like
all rodents, your pets' teeth grow continuously, so they'll need something
to chew--and chew!--to keep their choppers worn down and in tip-top
condition. Twigs or branches that haven't been treated with chemicals are
excellent for this purpose, and you'll also find a variety of safe chew
toys at the pet supply store.
Once you've hand-tamed your mice, you can let them out of the cage for some
playtime every day. Make sure these sessions take place in a secure,
screened-off space. Remove electrical wires from the area, as well as
anything else that your mouse could, but shouldn't, chew on.
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