Based on research, the claim that a pet mouse is dirty and unhygienic is a myth that has to be debunked. Breeds such as the brown fancy mice are actually far from that.
When choosing a pet mouse, you need to consider how it was bred. Fancy mice are some of the most well-bred mice out there. They also come in lots of colours, from blue mice to tan mice and white mice, the choices are endless.
However, the brown fancy mouse is one type that stands out more than the others with its shiny coat.
So is a brown fancy mouse a good choice as a pet? Let’s find out!
What’s a Brown Fancy Mouse?
A brown fancy mouse is simply a house mouse that’s adapted for domestication. Fancy mice of all colours are bred under special conditions to make them suitable as pets or food for reptiles.
In other words, a brown mouse isn’t a species on its own; it’s just the coat colour.
Fancy mice also vary greatly in size and weight.
What Colours Do Fancy Mice Come In?
Fancy rats are found in a wide variety of colours and coat types.
Sometimes, the entire body of a mouse is covered in the same colour (called self mice), while other mice may have a white zone encircling their bodies, a blue undercoat, or black fur with white markings. A variegated mouse may have a combination of colours covering its body.
Some of the well-known fancy mice colours include:
- White
- Golden Brown
- Dark blue
- Lilac
- Red
- Rich brown
- Champagne
- Cream
- Golden Agouti
- Silver Agouti
- Fawn
- Blue Agouti
- Cinnamon
- Silver
- Black
- Dove
- Chocolate
It’s also not uncommon to find marked mice or ones with a rich golden tan or pinkish tinge.
Is It a Good Idea to Get a Brown Fancy Mouse as a Pet?
A brown fancy mouse can make a wonderful companion that’s not just fun to play with but also requires little effort to maintain.
Brown fancy mice take care of themselves pretty well, requiring very little effort from your side to maintain their condition. No grooming or baths are required; your brown fancy mouse will know how to take care of its hygiene.
However, mice need to gnaw to keep their teeth from over-growing. In some rare instances, your mouse may not be able to grind its teeth together. In that case, you must take it to the vet regularly to trim its teeth.
As for the housing, brown fancy mice require a 12-13 inch cubic shaped cage with linen beddings. A training wheel would make a classic yet fun addition to your little pet’s cage, too.
Are Fancy Mice Friendly?
Fancy mice are much more friendly than wild mice. They make an excellent choice as pets or pocket mice.
You can tame your fancy mouse within a few weeks since fancy rats are very social and enjoy the company of humans. Not to mention, they’re super active, making them fun to play with.
Want to know if a fancy mouse is talking? Look at its tail! Mice use their tails to communicate and also regulate their body temperature.
What Is the Difference Between a Mouse and a Fancy Mouse?
The primary difference between a mouse and a fancy mouse is that fancy mice are selectively bred to make them suitable for exhibitions and domestication. Conversely, normal mice are bred in the wild, giving them a different behavioral and health structure than fancy rats.
How Big Does a Fancy Mouse Get?
Small fancy rats can be as long as 3 inches when measured from the start of the tail to the nose. On the other hand, show mice can get as long as 3.1 inches.
Large fancy mice can weigh up to 130 grams and measure even longer than 3.1 inches.
Which Variety of Pet Mice Is Best?
Here’s a list of the best pet rats varieties:
- Standard pet mice
- Long hair mice
- Long hair satin mice
- Frizzie mice
- Frizzie satin mice
- Hairless mice
- Satin mice
Do Brown Fancy Mice Have Pink Eyes?
A brown fancy mouse may have pink eyes or black eyes depending on how it was bred and the fur colour.
Usually, the mouse’s eye colour matches its coat colour. In other words, if the mouse’s body is black, its eyes will mostly be black.
How Long Does a Brown Fancy Mouse Live?
On average, a fancy mouse can live anywhere from 1.5 years to 2.5 years, depending on how well you take care of it and its health condition.
Fancy mice are prone to health complications, such as ticks, mites, fleas, and other parasites.
To reduce the chances of your pet mouse getting sick, clean the cage regularly and spray it with an anti-mite spray.
Stress is another concern that could lead your nose to over-groom, resulting in fur loss and skin irritation.
As your mouse gets older, it becomes more likely to develop breast cancer if it’s a female.
Similar to other mammals, mice can become obese if they overeat and barely move throughout the day. This can cause serious issues like diabetes and cardiovascular health problems.
Another common complication is diarrhea. Diarrhea can be life-threatening for mice since they may dehydrate quickly and die. To prevent this, make sure that your mouse doesn’t drink contaminated water.
Do You Need to Get Your Brown Fancy Rat From a Breeder?
It’s highly recommended that you get your pet brown fancy rat from a breeder, preferably a certified one that’s accredited by the American Fancy Rat & Mouse Association (AFRMA).
These breeders ensure that your pet rat is healthy and parasite-free. They also feed it special diets for an extended lifetime.
Is It Possible to Keep Same-Sex Fancy Mice?
It’s perfectly fine to keep a pair of same-sex brown fancy rats in the same cage.
Male brown fancy rats are somewhat more territorial than their female counterparts. Still, it should be OK to keep same-sex fancy mice regardless of gender.
Associated Risks of Keeping a Pet Brown Fancy Rat
Keeping pets always comes with some risks. When it comes to fancy rats, the risks include:
Electrical Damage
Pet rats may bite on exposed electrical wires, causing electrical damage to your house’s infrastructure. These can be particularly dangerous if not dealt with correctly.
Furniture Damage
Mice like to bite on things, and furniture cloth is no exception. Unless you plan on keeping your rat in an empty room, your furniture is susceptible to damage as long as there’s a mouse around.
Nevertheless, if you keep your fancy mouse in a cage when it’s unattended, this can be easily prevented.
Contracting Diseases
Your pet mouse may get sick and potentially transmit the disease to you.
Nevertheless, these diseases usually cause mild illnesses in humans that often go away within a few days. The only disease that has a high danger profile is Salmonellosis, but it’s very rare.
Tips to Safely Keep a Brown Fancy Mouse
Here are some general safety tips that can help mice owners keep a brown fancy mouse while also minimizing risks:
- Regularly clean and disinfect your mouse’s habitat and the surrounding area
- Don’t play with your mouse while eating
- Make sure that your pet mouse is away from the kitchen
- Don’t leave your mouse unattended for extended periods
- Wear protective gloves when disposing of your rat’s litter bin
- Avoid touching your face when playing with your mouse
- Feed it a balanced diet that contains clean food made with fresh water
Final Thoughts
So that was our two cents on getting a pet brown fancy mouse. To recap, brown fancy mice make excellent pets. They’re active, fun, self-grooming, and most important of all, safe.
When choosing a pet brown fancy rat, make sure it has a long clean head, longer hair, pink or black eyes, and a gradually tapering body. It should also have large ears that are tulip shaped and carried erect. Mice that exhibit these features look much better than their counterparts, according to the National Mouse Club (NMC).
Nevertheless, you must follow certain precautions when keeping a pet mouse, as is the case with most other types of pets.