Do pet mice need a heater? Can I use a sock for their bedding?

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I would definitely avoid any product that says it is not animal safe. Mice are fastidious groomers, & will consume anything left on their bodies. You must clean the cage & replace any bedding that is soiled immediately to control odors. If the cage is clean, the mice will not smell too bad. If the cage granules indicate they can be used with mice, then by all means use it. Otherwise, use a rodent friendly substrate to keep your mice happy & healthy. Take care.

yes, mice can make good pets if you handle them enough. They need their cage cleaned once a week. Rats can also make very engaging pets. Here is a link that can help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/toys-and-other-environmental-enrichment-for-rats-and-mice/ i hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

i think they definitely need more protection from cold, winds and other extreme winter conditions, you should build or buy a proper housing for them if you want to keep them outside, depending on the temperatures in your area it might also require external heating.

Hello, thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It sounds like you are already taking great care of them. Just continue to keep them warm but be sure not to over heat them. If your room is cold in general you can place a heating pad underneath one side of the cage or cover the cage with a heavy blanket at night (leave just an inch or so on ones side uncovered so some air can go in. Unfortunately, if they get sick from being too cold they will need to see a vet. That is not something you can treat at home. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I recommend to stick with toys meant for rodents. It's hard to know if toxicity is a potential concern but the small threads could become wrapped around his teeth. Many mice like to chew on cardboard boxes and toilet paper rolls. They also make wooden toys for rodents. The clear exercise balls and a running wheel will also be fun for Frankie. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.

I am sorry to hear about your mouse! If you aren't already using a bedding made of recycled paper, such as Carefresh bedding, that is unscented, I would recommend switching to this type. Other beddings can sometimes cause irritation to the nasal passages. If you have any air fresheners or scented candles in the room where your mouse lives, I would remove these as well. If the mouse continues to sneeze, has a green or yellow discharge from the nose or eyes, seems lethargic, or has decreased appetite, or a puffed up appearance to the fur then a visit to a veterinarian is recommended. You can try putting a humidifier in the same room as your mouse or bringing the mouse's cage into a bathroom while you run a steamy shower for 10 minutes to give a steam treatment to help keep the respiratory passages moist.

The main stay of treatment is to keep the wound clean and dry. Make sure the bedding is cleaned regularly. With rodents, I recommend a dust free bedding called Carefresh. Rodents are very sensitive to dust in the environment. Also make sure that you are feeding a balanced diet approved for rodents and supplementing with healthy fruits and vegetables. Especially the leafy greens. Most healthy animals will be able to heal wounds on their own. Watch it every day for redness, swelling or discharge. If your mouse begins to lick at it too much, you may need to create a small cone to keep her from doing that. This is not generally a problem however. If it gets infected, there are veterinarians who treat rodents and this will generally resolve with antibiotics. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.