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Mice health and welfare

Make sure your mice are protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease

 

Mouse being gently held © iStockphoto


Facts

  • Mice can become unwell and go downhill quickly, but may often only show subtle signs of being in pain or distress, or that they are suffering, until it is very severe.
  • Pain and distress or suffering can usually be indicated by a change in their behaviour.
  • Mice can die if they lose 20 per cent or more of their body weight, in a 30g mouse this is only 6g.
  • Mice will eat many things that taste incredibly bitter to humans.
  • A barren environment, stress, frustration and/or a lack of mental stimulation can lead to mice developing repetitive behaviours often known as stereotypies (these can indicate poor welfare).
  • Mice can often pluck fur or whiskers from cage mates or themselves. This is known as Barbering.
  • If mice are allowed unlimited access to food and are housed in an under-stimulating environment, they can become obese.
  • Mice have specialized teeth for gnawing and their incisors grow continuously.
  • Mice can injure themselves and break limbs if they fall or are dropped from a height. 
  • Mice find being transported, even over short distances, very stressful.
     

Things you should do 

  • Always check your mice regularly. Mice find being caught and handled stressful but it is important to regularly check your mice for health and welfare reasons. A good balance should be reached; see Checking Your Mice Factsheet (PDF 91.7KB)
  • Take your mice for regular checkups with their vet to make sure that they are healthy and happy.
  • Make sure that you are familiar with your mice and how each individual behaves. This will help you notice if any of your mice are behaving differently and can be an early sign that something is wrong.
  • Have an empathetic attitude towards your mice, ultimately your mice rely upon you for their care and wellbeing. If you are unsure about anything to do with your mice, you should always seek the advice of a vet.
  • Take measures to prevent disease in your mice, prevention is much more successful than treatment.
     
  • You should ensure your mice do not have access to poisonous materials (including but not exclusively poisonous food, plants and chemicals). You should always contact your veterinary surgeon immediately if you are concerned that your mice have come into contact with anything that could be harmful.
  • Only use medicines that have been prescribed for your individual mice. Human and other animal medicines can be very dangerous to mice.
  • Watch your mice for the development of stereotypical behaviour, and seek veterinary advice if your mice show this repetitive behaviour.
  • Check for loss of fur in your mice and consult a vet if you are unsure or concerned.
  • If your mice are or become obese, seek the advice of your veterinary surgeon.
  • Provide your mice with suitable gnawing material to prevent their teeth from growing continuously and causing health problems and pain.
  • Ask your vet to check their teeth, to make sure that they are positioned and growing correctly.
  • Make sure that your mice are not able to fall or jump from a height in their home-cage.
  • Do not transport your mice unless it is absolutely necessary.
  • If you are going away, choose someone who is responsible and that you trust to care for your mice and meet all their welfare needs within your own home. It is important that you are confident to leave your pets in their care, and that you provide that person with all the information they need to take care of your pets.

If you are at all unsure about anything to do with your pet mice, you should always seek the advice of a vet.

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