smelly pet mice

[Sumatra503]

If you get another rodent pet, you should totally get some gerbils. They are much friendlier and are also semi diurnal instead of nocternal. They also don't smell as bad.

I'm sure the odor part will get figured out, though and your son will be able to keep his pets.

 

[drafthorse39]

If the mice are being cleaned as often as she says, I can only assume it's not the bedding, unless the water is either leaking from a bottle or being tipped over. Once that bedding is wet, it's over. Aspen is the worst when it comes to this. Wire cages are fine, most come with a lip that helps with the bedding falling out. Much more attractive than a tank with a bunch of urine spots on the glass from little feet also. Mice do like to push bedding up as far as possible, so that could be a problem if you don't chose wisely (get one with a lip if you decide to switch from glass to wire). Redhen, Rats do stink, and yes the males smell worse. I have a 6' cage so I don't have many problems with smell though.

 

[Sumatra503]

The other thing to consider with a wire cage is the fact that mice chew a lot. I've found that my mice and rats always destroyed the frilly plastic bottoms in the wire cages.

 

[drafthorse39]

Quote:
I guess it depends on how bored the rodent is. I've had at least 40 mice go through wire cages (I can't use them often since I have so many colonies) and none ever chewed. I always kept a wheel in there for entertainment, and they rarely got off of it. The only rodent I've ever had a problem as far as chewing goes, are hamsters. Hamsters are cute, but evil lol.

 

[The Yakima Kid]

Rats don't smell as bad as mice; and they are much smarter than mice, gerbils, or hamsters.

Guinea pigs make great pets, too. They will whistle when you come in the house or enter the room once they know you - which is why they've been called "whistle pigs."

 

[Sumatra503]

I had a wheel in my cage, but I guess I just ran into a bad bunch.

I agree, hamsters are evil. I will never own one again!! To all of you who want to get your kid a hamster, you should reconsider and get them a better rodent pet.

 

[cheri222]

Yes, 2 male mice. Guess they get to stay, but I will try the vanilla and the bedding ideas. We had a really neat hamster in a wire cage and he escaped many times due to ?? someone not always latching the cage tightly. That is the reason for the tank with the heavy metal wire top. I just checked and I think the air cleaner is helping. I agree about the rat's rear ends--just ugly. We looked at the Dumbo rats but the mice seemed so much cuter. My son was sick and asked me to sleep in his room one night and I thought I was gonna die between the stink and the noise. 3am found me spraying axe body spray all over the room! Thanks for all the ideas. Also the bedding is dry, no leaky water.

 

[Sumatra503]

It's probably just the pine bedding. Shaving don't absorb odor very well. You could try hanging the odor eating things on the side of the tank. I've used them before and they work. Cna't remember what they're called though.

You could also try hanging a glass container of baking soda on the side of the cage to halp absorb the odor.

 

[drafthorse39]

Yes hamsters are wretched little creatures. They draw you in with their cuteness, but no.. no no no.

I think you got some great advice here. I hope it works out. It really does differ if you don't actually live with them. I can't smell mine but people hate coming in because of it. I clean religiously but.. mice are mice. I might switch to african soft furs since they have almost no odor (with regular cleaning). Just don't like their attitudes :\\

Edited to add: Maybe you could trade your two bucks in for two does? I can guarantee that smell will be cut in half, if not more. Male mouse pee smells like Dorito breath to me, bleh.

 

[chickerdoodle]

Mice smell--yuck. I had a few for a research project (totally humane as I was studying positive reinforcement). I chose only female mice so I could avoid the male's horrid odor. My two females chose (all on their own) a small plastic room I added by connecting it to a tube to eliminate. Since they chose that little room (a private bath?) I added recycled paper litter in the corner they preferred to use and totally cleaned out the room every day--walls and all. At only 8" long and 6" high and wide it was simple to just snap it off the tube to clean. Their main home was a fairly good sized cage and they had an exercise wheel too.

I had 2 beautiful Himalayan female rats for a similar project and they were very clean! I had a huge cage (3 floors and a hammock) for them. I let them out of their cage every day for training and play and when I come into my office they ran to their litterbox (a corner one used for ferrets) and eliminated! Only then would they run to the door to come out and "play" with me. They were sweet, friendly and very smart. I would highly recommend two or three female rats as a pet. A solitary rat is not as happy as they are pack rodents. Each rat will still be friendly and love your attention. Once my research was over I had them spayed to help prevent tumors which female rats often get and gave to one of my staff who really adored them.