Mice are the acrobats of the mammal world, full of energy and eager to learn and investigate. They can become very friendly and easy to handle and enjoy coming out of their cage.
When your mouse arrives in their new home, avoid handling them for a day or two to allow them to settle in. When preparing to handle your mouse, ensure they are alert and aware of your movements.
Mice can find a hand suddenly hovering above them when they are resting very threatening. Ideally, handle your mice during their active periods. This will reduce the stress of waking them up as they can have sporadic sleep patterns.
The best way to pick up your mouse is to cup your hands under them, gently lift them towards your body and let them sit on your hands. Never pick your mouse up by the middle or the end of the tail as this can injure or even remove it!
If you do pick them up by their tail, this should be done at the very base as close to their bottom as possible. As soon as you’ve lifted them, place them on your hand. Don’t let them dangle by their tail.
Mice can make sudden movements, which could lead to injuries if they fall while you’re standing up. For the first few weeks, sit on the floor and allow your mice to walk over each hand or sit in your lap.
Always have a suitable pet carrier available in case you need to rush your mice to the vet – or to use while you clean out the cage.
To keep your mice relaxed and happy, place some of the bedding in the base of the carrier along with a little house or tunnel. Lastly, scatter a small amount of food inside the carrier for your mice to enjoy.
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