Mice Flashcards
What is a mice life span?
2-3 years
What is an adult mice body weight?
20-40g
What is a mice body temperature?
37.5*C
What is a mice respiratory rate?
100-250 b/min
What is a mice pulse rate?
500-600 b/min
What age is a mouse sexually mature?
6-7 weeks
What is a mice gestation period?
19-21 days
What type of young do mice produce?
Altricial young
What type of diet do mice have?
Omnivores
Do mice perform caecatrophy?
Yes
Are mice social or solitary animals?
Social - live in groups
Describe the attributes of a mice’ tail.
Long, semi-prehensile tail.
What is the main difference in the fore and hind limbs in mice?
The fore limbs have 4 toes and the hind have 5.
Describe the mammary glands of a female mouse.
Female has 7 pairs of teats (14 total) - compared to a male who has none.
Rat and Mice Housing
How should mice be housed in groups and why?
Females may be kept together with a male.
Males cannot be kept together as they will fight.
Rat and Mice Housing
How should rats be housed in groups?
Single sex groups or mixed groups if males neutered at 3-4 months.
Breeding colonies house 1 male to 6 females.
Rat and Mice Housing
What should the accommodation look like?
Large with plenty enrichment.
Escape and chew proof.
Easily cleaned.
Solid bottom to prevent limb trauma.
Wire mesh top to ventilate and prevent ammonia build up - prevents upper respiratory disease.
Rat and Mice Housing
What bedding substrate should be used?
Clean dry bedding deep enough for burrowing.
Pine shavings, shredded paper, paper towel.
Rat and Mice Housing
What enrichment can be used and why is it important?
Solid wheel mazes.
Spinning exercise wheels.
Balls.
Cardboard boxes to shred themselves.
Important to keep them active and stimulated.
Rat and Mice Housing
What is the optimum enclosure temperature?
Optimum - 15-17*C
Under 10*C can cause hypothermia.
Rat and Mice Housing
How often should the bedding be cleaned?
Minimum - twice weekly.
Rat and Mice Nutrition
What should they be fed?
Commercial pelleted diet along with small amounts of tit-bits (e.g., biscuit, apple, tomato, dog biscuits, seeds).
Fresh water daily from a water bottle - monitor closely for blockages or leaks.
Rat and Mice Housing
What foods should be avoided and why?
Fatty snacks such as sunflower seeds and peanuts.
Causes overfeeding due to domesticated pets being less active than wild ones.
