Mum, I've done research and want a pet mouse. Mice only cost $35-50 total for supplies. They need a cage, food, water, toys, and bedding. I will make a safe cage from a plastic tub. Mice need attention, so I will play with and care for it properly by cleaning its cage weekly, feeding a healthy diet, and giving it exercise. If we travel, I will find a pet sitter or boarding. Please consider letting me get a mouse, as I have learned they make good pets.

1. Pet Mice
By Allyson Stewart

2. Introduction
• Mum, I have been doing my research about
domestic mice for a really long time now. I
wanted to ask you, could I please have one?
Ever since that day we went to the pet shop in
Ballarat and saw the mice there, I’ve wanted
one. Before you make up your mind, please
read this presentation I made for you all about
caring for mice and why their such good pets.

3. Cost
• The average cost of a mouse is about $5
• I can make a great cage for about $10
• We can buy mouse mix food for about $10
• A water bottle is about $10
• Shredded paper is great for bedding
• We can use things like toilet rolls and balls for toys. We can
also use things like cardboard boxes. We could also make a
running wheel or buy one for about $5-$10
• As for vet bills, it would depend on the treatment that the
mouse needs, but I will take very good care of my mouse so
it may not even need to go to the vet!
• As you can see, the cost is quite small, only about $35-$50!

4. The Mouse
• I would buy a female of about 5 weeks of age. This is the
best age to buy a mouse. I would pick out of the healthiest
mice in the shop. I would make sure the eyes are clear, I
would hold them to see what condition their coat is in and I
would choose one of the most active mice because mice
are naturally active and if they are not, something is wrong.
• When I take the mouse home, I would put it into its new
cage and let it settle for 2-3 days. Then I would gain its trust
by going over to it and patting and playing with it. Then
after a few days of that, I would cup my hands and take it
out of the cage for the first time. I might use a treat like
peanut butter to lure it.
• I would also celebrate her birthday and give her Christmas
presents.

5. The Cage
• I would make the cage for my mouse. I would replace the litter every Saturday and wash the walls and floor of the
tank every fortnight. I would leave a small bit of the old bedding in the tank so the mouse knew where it was
when it went back in. I would keep the cage on my chest of drawers so the cats couldn’t reach it.
• Steps to make the cage:
1. Go to your local discount department store, like K-mart or Target.
2. Find a transparent plastic tub, the type with the clip-on lids. You can pick up a 25 litre one for under AUD$10.
3. Cut the flat bit of the lid out, leaving a 1/2 inch edge around the sides. You can do this by drilling four large holes in
each corner and inserting a hacksaw to cut it out. Smooth any sharp edges with a file.
4. Cut a piece of wire mesh to fit inside the lid so it overlaps the 1/2 inch edges. You can buy wire mesh for only a few
dollars from a hardware store.
5. Drill two small holes in each corner of the lid and use cable ties or twisted wire to hold the wire mesh in place.
6. Attach a water bottle. Drill a hole for the nozzle to poke through and use stick-on velcro to attach the bottle to the
outside of the tank, or hang it inside from the wire lid.
7. Velcro on a flat backed plastic parrot feeder inside the cage so that the food bowl isn't tossed around in transit.
After I finish making the cage I would put all the toys, bedding, food and water into it so it is ready for the mouse.
When finished, the cage would look something like this:

6. Feeding
• I would feed my mouse a healthy diet. The
main food my mouse would eat is a bought
mix from a pet store. I would also give it other
things like fruit, vegetables, bread and
crackers. Sometimes I would also give it some
peanut butter or sunflower seeds as a treat. I
would also watch for dietary problems such as
diarrhoea and discontinue giving her the food
that is causing it.

7. Play
• I would play with my mouse everyday and
sometimes make a mouse run by fencing off a
part of my room and covering the floor of the
area with newspaper, put some of the toys on
there and let the mouse run around. My door
would be closed and I would stay with it the
whole time. If I had to go out of the room for
any reason I would put my mouse back into
the cage until I came back.

8. Temporary Accommodation
• If we had to go somewhere overnight I would
completely fill the food and water. But if it
were for a series of days, I would either ask a
friend to look after it or send it to a kennel.
Like Eureka Boarding Kennels and Cattery at
1079 Eureka St Ballarat.

9. Conclusion
• So Mum, now that you are at this page, I’m
guessing that you have read all of the
information that I have researched. It took me
a really long time to find this information to
put into this presentation. So please, at least
consider it.