Care Sheet SCIENCE MATERIALS CENTER

Region XIII Education Service Center

5701 Springdale Road, Austin, TX 78723

(512) 919-5351

MICE

The laboratory mouse has been bred for various strains used in research and is common throughout the world. The lifespan of a mouse is about 1-2 years, with mice reaching maturity at about 2 months of age. Up to a dozen babies are born after approximately 20 days of gestation. Young are weaned by the 3rd or 4th week.

CAGE: The cage should be kept at a temperature of 68º-75ºF, and out of direct sunlight. The cage is filled with an inch of litter or bedding. The litter can be cedar, pine, sawdust, or peat moss. Cedar or pine will provide the best absorption and odor control. You will need to change the litter once a week. The SMC does not provide extra litter.

GNAWING and NESTING: You may provide newspaper or cardboard tubes from toilet paper or paper towels for the mice to shred into nesting material. Gnawing the paper tubes also helps to keep their teeth strong and healthy.

FEEDING: Food should be available to the mice at all times. Check the food tray every other day, and add food as needed.

WATER: Fresh water should be available to the mice at all times. Check the water bottle every day to be sure it is not leaking. Rinse and refill the water bottle every other day. If you do find that the bottle is leaking, try cleaning the rubber stopper so that it fits snugly into the mouth of the bottle.

BABIES: Do not change the litter in the cage for the first two weeks after babies are born. Disturbing the mother may cause her to eat the young. Also do not return the mice to the SMC during the first two weeks. If you need to extend your return date, contact the SMC (phone and email at the top of page). Sometimes babies can be adopted out; contact the SMC if you are interested in this option.

HANDLING: With gentle handling, mice can become quite tame. The safest way to pick up the mouse is by the base of the tail. The other hand can be used to support the mouse’s body weight. Mice are most likely to bite if grabbed roughly and squeezed or when fingers are poked through the lid of their cage where they normally find food. It is best to avoid these situations.

·  Anyone who handles the animals or their caging must wash their hands with soap and water.

·  Students should only work with the animals when supervised by an adult.