Pocket Pets: Mice and Rats Care Guide

1. Chapter 11 Pocket Pet Health and Production Management

2. Mice and Rats • Curious and friendly pocket pets • Usually very tame • The younger the rodent, the easier to tame • Can be trained to do tricks • Used in research and nutritional studies

3. Veterinary Terminology • Murine • mouse or rat • Sire • intact male mouse or rat • Dam • intact female mouse or rat • Pup • young male mouse or rat

4. Biology • Average life span for rats and mice is 1-3 years • Family: Rodentia • Have poor vision but well developed sense of smell • Many species are nocturnal

5. Biology • Common external body terms: • Claws: nails on feet • Snout: nose and mouth area • Tail: long part that extends off the back and is hairless and scaly • Whiskers: located on nose and used as sensory devices

6. Breeds • Come in a variety of colors and types, more so than breeds • Rats: white, brown, black, hooded • hooded: white in body color with black or brown coloring on the head and shoulders • Mice: white, black, tan, spotted

7. Breed Selection • Should be purchased young • Should be handled often for socialization • If properly socialized, will seldom bite

8. Nutrition • Mice and rats have basic nutritional requirements • Will eat almost any type of food • Enjoy human food such as: • seeds • nuts • bread • cereal • grains • raw vegetables

9. Nutrition • Can be fed ad lib – as much as they want, within reason • When fed exclusively, seed diets can lead to obesity and nutritional deficiencies • Fresh water should be provided daily

10. Behavior • Rats and mice are timid and must learn to trust people • Always looking to escape, very curious • Will chew through wood or plastic • Should be housed in well-lit areas • Rats show anger by whipping their tails • Rats are happy and content when clicking their teeth

11. Basic Training Methods • Mice and rats are intelligent and easily trained • Will do almost anything for food • Respond very willingly to noises • The more they are handled and trained consistently, the easier to manage

12. Equipment and Housing Needs • Cages – made of heavy wire or metal • Toys – to keep from boredom • Perches, tunnels, exercise wheels • At least 1 inch bedding: • sawdust • cedar shavings • shredded paper • pellets • cat litter

13. Restraint and Handling • Rats: • Never carry a rat by the tail! • Tails break easy or may have skin peel • Move toward rats slowly and with confidence • Rats will bite if scared

14. Restraint and Handling • Rats: • One hand around the back below the neck • Hold snuggly, but without squeezing • The thumb is used to hold the chin and prevent biting • The index fingers can help hold front limbs • Grasp hind legs with free hand and extend them

15. Restraint and Handling • Mice • Scoop mouse into fist • Grasp tail with one hand • Grasp loose skin, using thumb and pointer finger (scruff) • Can be lifted by the tail • Can be lifted by the tail with tongs

16. Grooming • Mice and rats do not require bathing or any additional grooming • Are fastidious groomers • Will keep coats shiny and clean if healthy • An untidy or dirty coat may be a sign of disease

17. Basic Health Care Maintenance • To keep teeth healthy, should have items in cage to chew on • Coats should be monitored for external parasites such as fleas and mites • May be treated with topical parasite meds labeled for rodents

18. Vaccinations • Rats and mice do not require vaccinations • No vaccines are currently labeled

19. Reproduction and Breeding • Mice reach puberty: 8-10 weeks • Rats reach puberty: around 3 months • Gestation length: 21 days • Average litter: 6-8 babies

20. Reproduction and Breeding • Sexing mice and rats is done through viewing anogenital area • Area located around the far stomach between rear legs and base of tail • Distance is measured from the anus to genital area • Distance in male is much greater than that of female

21. Sexing a Mouse

22. Sexing a Rat

23. Common Diseases • Relatively healthy animals • Rarely get sick or acquire diseases • Signs of respiratory infection: • nasal discharge • sneezing • coughing • loss of appetite • weight loss • Prone to tumors

24. Common Parasites • Commonly develop external parasites: • fleas • fur mites • lice • Signs of external parasites include: • hair loss • itching • scratches on skin from claws

25. Common Parasites • Internal parasites: • tapeworms • protozoans

26. Hamsters • Very active and playful companions • Popular pets • Commonly used in lab research • Native to warm, humid desert climates • Species developed in Asia and Europe • Average life span: 18-24 months

27. Biology • Common hamster terms: • Cheek pouch: open areas located inside the cheeks used to store food • Ears: small flaps on either side of the head that are hairless • Incisors: long teeth located on upper and lower jaw • Whiskers: long hair located on the face next to nose

28. Breeds • Syrian hamster or Golden hamster • most popular breed of pets • may reach size as large as 5 inches in body length • Chinese hamster • smaller in size • often used for research • Dwarf hamster

29. Breed Selection • Important to observe hamster as alert, active, and healthy • Nonactive hamster may be ill • Selecting a younger hamster will allow it to bond better with new owner • Golden hamsters should be housed alone

30. Nutrition • Eat about ½ ounce of food daily • Eat seeds, grains, and cereals • Enjoy treats • Will often store food and treats into their cheek pouches, then burrow and store items for later use

31. Behavior • Should be housed in temperatures 60-80 degrees • Cold (below 45 degrees) stimulates hibernation • Normally eat several times a day • Food intake does not vary from day-to-day

32. Basic Training • Hamster training similar to that of rats and mice • Trained with consistency, proper handling, and using food as treats • Training young (4-7 weeks) easier than training an older animal • Enjoy exercise on wheels and balls

33. Equipment and Housing Needs • Aquariums or rodent cages • Should not be housed in wooden or plastic cages • Are great climbers and can squeeze through small openings • Cages need routine cleaning so bedding is soft and dust free

34. Restraint and Handling • Hamsters are usually docile • Will bite if startled when sleeping • Scruff loose skin over neck and back • Scruff using the first (?) • Lift and restrain for procedures

35. Restraint and Handling • Scruffing

36. Grooming • Easy pets to maintain; require little grooming • Occasional brushing, checking of teeth, and nails • May be ill if appearance is unkempt or have areas of wetness over the coat

37. Basic Health Care and Maintenance • Can be given regular exams • Should monitor for breathing problems, skin infections, or decreased activity • Teeth and nails should be monitored

38. Vaccinations • Hamsters do not require vaccinations • No vaccines are currently labeled

39. Reproduction and Breeding • Maturity: around 2 months • Estrus cycle: 4 days * *Estrus end marked by postovulatory vaginal discharge -Copious, white, thick, tenacious, distinctive odor • Gestation: 16 days • Litter size: 6-8 • Weaning: 21-28 days

40. Sexing a Hamster

41. Reproduction and Breeding • Neonates: hairless, toothless, eyes and ears closed • Cannibalism • Do not disturb mother for 7-10 days postpartum • Provide fresh greens; treat food just prior to parturition • Young requires access to water, in addition to mother’s milk

42. Common Diseases • “Wet tail” • Caused by a bacterial disease • Spreads rapidly through direct contact or bacterial spores • Causes include: • overcrowded cages • poor nutrition • poor sanitation methods • stress

43. Common Diseases • Signs of wet tail include: • Watery diarrhea • Dehydration • Weight loss • Eye discharge • Nasal discharge • Lethargy • Anorexia • Wet tail appearance • Irritable attitude

44. Common Diseases • “Wet tail” • Can be treated with antibiotics, medications, and fluid therapy • Should be isolated from other hamsters • Most susceptible between 3-8 weeks old

45. Common Diseases • Respiratory Infections • Caused by bacteria • Poor sanitation or excessive dust from bedding • May respond to antibiotics • Cage conditions must be improved

46. Common Diseases • Signs of respiratory disease include: • Nasal and ocular discharge • Sneezing • Labored or difficult breathing • Anorexia • Depression • Weight loss • Dehydration

47. Common Parasites • Mites • usually passed in poor bedding or other animals in household • Signs include hair loss, especially large clumps, and scratching • External parasites: fleas, lice, and ticks • Can be treated with topicals

48. Guinea Pigs • Excellent pets with lots of personality • Known for greeting with whistles • Excellent starter pets for young children • Larger than hamsters, smaller than rabbits • Generally live 5-7 years

49. Veterinary Terminology • Cavy • guinea pig • Boar • intact male guinea pig • Sow • intact female guinea pig • Kit • young guinea pig

50. Biology • Guinea pig is a rodent • Short, heavy body, short legs, no tail • Common external body terms include: • Cheek pouches • Fore feet • 4 claws • Hind feet • 3 claws