Channel: CreekValleyCritters

Category: Pets & Animals

Tags: mousemouse keepingbreeding micefriendlyrodentcute miceanimalmicepet mousecutepet micefancy mice

Description: I started breeding mice about two years ago. I waited so long to start breeding my mice due to all the ethical issues surrounding breeding, but I am so glad I took the step. The mice I am getting now are just so much better than the ones I used to get from the pet store. They are not just healthier, they are also so much more interactive and friendly. They are raised in the best of circumstances, are not traumatized by rough handling and transport, are healthier both physically and psychologically. On top of that I am selecting for fluffy good looks as well as great personalities. As a result I am enjoying my mice so much in the moment. Just wish there were more good homes out there for pet mice. I have to keep my breeding program to a bare minimum so I am not overrun by mice and can take good care of everyone. Warning: before you start breeding mice do your research. Join online mouse breeding forums and Facebook groups, learn about all that is involved. Breeding mice is not for everyone, there are some major ethical concerns. You have to be emotionally strong, have a pragmatic streak and a lot of knowledge. Breeding mice should only be done by experienced mouse keepers and then only with a strong sense of responsibility. If you do not know what you are doing, before you know it, you will have WAY too many mice and no longer be able to care for them properly. Then everyone will suffer. Do not assume you will be able to find good homes for them. Good homes are rare for mice. Therefore, when you breed, always assume you will be keeping everyone. You have to remember than quality of life is always way more important than quantity of life. Breeding mice is not for the faint of heart. And then there are the stinky un-neutered males. Do not underestimate the power of male mouse stink lol :) Notes on where to get your pet mice from: The best place to get a mouse from is a good, responsible breeder who really loves mice and takes good care of them. These can be hard to find though. Most of us are stuck with buying mice from pet stores. When you buy a mouse from a pet store, you are most likely getting a mouse who was bred in a factory style mouse breeding facility with little care for a mouse's needs. Overcrowded, dirty, rough handling, plus no selection process for breeding, are the norms here. Then there is the stressful trip to the pet store, often long hours via air or road. By the time you get your mouse it will be psychologically and physically compromised, often unhealthy and very fearful. Some never tame down. On top of that you are giving your money to people who treat mice with little respect and sometimes abusively. But when you buy a mouse from the pet store you are also rescuing it. Most mice sold in pet stores in North America end up as live food for all sorts of other animals. For the mouse you rescue, being rescued means the world. You can also breed your own but this comes with a lot of ethical concerns. Those ethical concerns are also present when you get your mouse from a good breeder, you just let them deal with the difficulties surrounding breeding mice. Either way, keeping mice comes with a multitude of ethical considerations, but this is the way it is for most domesticated animals. This is why extreme animal rights groups want the keeping of all domesticated animals stopped, they feel there is just too much abuse involved. But they forget all the joy and good that keeping animals can give for both animal and human if done right. The world is not black and white, there are many shades of grey. Educating people and implementing laws to enhance animal welfare is the more sensible way to go. Otherwise we will have a very bland, sad and lonely world without the connection we have to our companion animals. One more thing: you can also get mice from rescues, here there are few ethical issues, but mouse rescues are rare, mostly they are just for larger animals. If you can find one, then this would be a good place to get a mouse from, although you would have to be accepting of health and temperament issues. Un-conditional love and acceptance is very important when getting rescue animals.