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Last Updated 6/10/22
Los Angeles based pet & show breeder
Introducing mice
First Step:
Quarantine. Quarantine. Quarantine!
House your new mouse separately in their own cage or bin away from the resident mice. Ideally in separate rooms in opposite areas of the home.
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Many new small animal parents often skip this vital step when bringing home a new pet.
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A 2-week minimum quarantine allows you to see if your new mouse has caught anything during the ride home.
The stress of travel is already stressful on a mouse and suddenly throwing them into a new group can stress them even more. Too much stress lowers their immune system which can make your mouse sick. This can lead to the death of your animal.
At Calisun Critters if a new adopter breaks quarantine it voids the contract's replacement guarantee.
Second Step:
Deep clean the cage the mice will be sharing together and place the mice together in the cage. Expect Squabbling, squeaking, and chasing. They will establish their new hierarchy, this phase can last up to a week.
FAQ
Why do I need to deep clean the cage?
Mice scent mark their territory. If the cage is soaked in the resident mice's scent then they will see any new mouse as an intruder. To lesson this effect we must clean away their scent in order to create a neutral area for them to meet in.
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My mice are chasing and squeaking each other, should I separate?
Unless you notice blood on the bedding or any actual injuries do not separate your mice. They are establishing a new hierarchy or "pecking order". This is normal mouse behavior.
How do I know when to intervene?
If you notice one mouse is being bullied so badly they aren't being allowed to eat or drink OR you find injuries or blood on the bedding you will need to separate your mice. Depending on who the problem mouse is you can try to reintroduce or will need to house the mice separately permanently.
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If you did the above steps correctly your mice should be living peacefully after about 1-2 weeks of being together.
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