How to Train Your Mouse to Play with You
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How do you train a pet mouse?
Taming house mice is very possible, although it may take a bit of patience. With time and consistency, you can earn your mouse's trust.
House mice can be a bit tricky to handle because they are small and fast, but once tamed they can be picked up, handled, and can make great pets (even for children).
It is easier to tame a relaxed and comfortable mouse in its environment. Starting with young mice will make the domestication process much easier.
Use lots of treats and work slowly. Make sure your mouse is comfortable with each step before moving on to the next.
Build trust
In reality, taming a mouse is the same as gaining its trust. Your mouse must believe that it is safe with you, despite its enormous size.
Throughout the training process, try to avoid doing anything that stresses the mouse.
You will need to do routine things, like cleaning the cage, but keep in mind that moving slowly and smoothly through these necessary tasks will help you gain your mouse's confidence.
As long as your mouse is not domesticated, there is a risk that it will bite. Mice can bite forcefully. If they bite it is because they are afraid.
If your mouse does bite you, do not shake your hand to remove it or you will get angry, as that will only make things worse. If your mouse does bite, walk away and do more to gain his trust.
Important information about raising house mice
It is best not to let house mice run out of their cages unless they are domesticated. The stress of chasing them, grabbing them, and bringing them back to their cages can scare them and make them fear their owners.
If you allow your pet to spend time outside of the cage, make sure the area is very well protected from mice, as mice can pass through very small crevices.
Mice can generally be kept in small groups of females (as you will get baby mice by housing males and females together), but males generally do best on their own, otherwise, they will fight each other.
Females generally bond well with each other and this should not affect the domestication process. In fact, a single mouse is more likely to be stressed and nervous, and therefore may be more difficult to tame than a female that has other female roommates.
Start slow
When your mouse (or mouse) arrives, it will take them some time to adjust to their new environment and begin to trust you.
It can be difficult for young children who want to play with their new pets right away, but it's worth a few days of frustration as patience can lead to wonderful results. Before you start interacting with your mouse:
- Give a new mouse a few days to adjust to its new home (minimize maintenance and interaction).
- Move slowly, speak quietly, and limit interactions to times when the mouse is awake. Waking up sleeping mice is not a good way to gain their trust.
- Start by sitting next to the mouse cage to acclimate to its presence.
Teach your mouse to trust you
After a few days, your mouse should be able to stay calm when it enters the room and sits next to its cage. Now you can start interacting with your new friend, going step by step to make sure they bond with you:
- Offer a treat (for example, sunflower seeds, small pieces of walnuts, or raisins) when your mouse approaches the bars of the cage. Keep doing this until he easily reaches the bars of the cage when he sees you.
- Once your mouse is comfortable taking the treats from your hand through the cage bars, offer them through the open cage door.
- Once your mouse easily takes the treats from your hand, place a treat in its open hand to encourage it to climb onto your hand to retrieve it.
- When intentionally touching your hand, place the treat on your forearm and let your mouse climb up your hand to reach for the treat.
- When your mouse is comfortable climbing onto your hand, try gently scratching the sides and back of its head (mimicking natural grooming behavior).
Take your mouse the wrong way
Now that your mouse crawls over your hand and allows you to scratch it, you can start pulling the mouse out to play. Mouse owners and young children, in particular, are eager to pick up and hold their pet mice.
While holding a mouse is not a problem, there are a few things to remember as you begin taming and handling your pet.
Tips
- Never pick up a mouse by its tail; It could surprise or hurt you.
- If your mouse is still not comfortable to hold and carry, gently guide it into a cup turned on its side. Once it enters the mug, tilt the mug vertically to carry the mouse. Cover the opening of the bowl with your other hand to prevent leakage and injury.
- Carrying a domesticated mouse is simply placed in the palm of your hand. Gently grasp the neck skin (the loose skin at the back of the neck) to prevent the mouse from escaping if necessary.
- Wear protective gloves to lift a wild mouse in the same way as a domesticated mouse.
Verification problems and behavior
Mice are naturally shy animals and small noises or movements can scare them. They are also very small and fast and can easily hide inaccessible places.
To keep your mouse safe out of the cage, you'll want to create a play area that your mouse can't escape from. You can do this, for example, by building a pillow circle, playing with your mouse in a small space like a bathroom, or buying a solid-sided puppy playpen.
Once you know that your mouse is safe, you can begin to "test" its friendly demeanor by gently challenging it with unexpected sounds and new people. For example:
- Regularly turn on music near your mouse to teach it that sound is not a threat
- Have other family members gently interact with the mouse to teach it that various humans are trustworthy.
- Take your mouse (and its pen) to different environments to make it feel "at home" in different spaces.
You may need to teach your mouse to trust young children as they are often louder and faster than adults or teenagers.
Enjoy The Video Tutorial about 10 Tricks To Train Your Rat/Mouse First - Mini Tutorials
Source: Shadow The Rat
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