Keeping a Pet Rodent?

I think Mice are as cute as can be, but I'm slightly concerned about my snakes if I keep a pet rodent. :oops:

Most users I've seen that keep rodents have had no problem with their snakes, but my question is: have they always been around rodents? Both of my snakes are f/t fed. All my pets are kept in my bedroom (Ball, Corn, Cat (named Mouse), and Bearded Dragon), so if I keep a pet mouse or rat, they will be in close proximity. :)

I'm getting a Crestie for Valentine's, but may consider getting a Mouse instead (A rodent has a cheaper starting cost). :) Although I may go with a Crestie. ;)

Thanks!

I'm not quite sure what you're asking with your question but I'll do my best to answer it as many ways as possible. I feed my snakes f/t or live, depending. I also house mice in the same room with them at times, when my feeder-breeder rats aren't producing and my snakes eat fine every time with no issues. Are you worried that your snakes won't eat from being able to "smell" a mouse/rodent all the time and that will desensitize them to being offered food or are you asking something else altogether?

I have some rats that were raised as feeders that I have held back as pets but otherwise I'd personally steer you towards a crestie. Mice stink, BAD! and I've not found much of anything that helps with the smell. If you keep all of your pets/animals in your room, you might get tired of a mouse pretty quick once you've smelled them. If you have the time/energy/money to clean the tank/cage every day, you might be okay. Obviously the choice is yours, that's just my experience with mice. They and rats both can make great pets but mice reek with their urine and it doesn't take long if you have more than one for them to stink up a place. Good luck, whatever you decide and hope that helps.

I too have rodents and snakes in the same room. Neither group of animals are affected by each other.
But like the previous post said, mice STINK!. I'd go with the crestie or a pet rat(s). Rat's don't come even close to smelling as horrible as mice. And mice tend to be a little more nippy in my experiences.

You should have no problems at all. My tanks of asf are in very close proximity to my snakes and have had no problems at all. We had a pet mouse once but that booger bit me more than the asf lol.

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Originally Posted by youbeyouibei

Mice stink, BAD!

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Originally Posted by satomi325

mice STINK!

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Male mice tend to smell, not all mice. I've also found that males kept together and raised together do not smell bad at all. IMO, it's when males become sexually mature and are housed with, or in close proximity to females, that's when they will start to scent their enclosures. Also, if you clean their enclosures often, the smell is never that bad anyway.

Kamille, mice can be great pets. I'd suggest, if you are to go that route, to get a same sex pair from the same litter when(or very shortly after) they are weaned from their mothers. They are, by nature, communal animals, so do better in pairs or trios depending on the size of their home. And handle them often. As far as keeping them is the same room as snakes, no problem.

I have all my snakes and Ts in my bedroom. I also have a pet rat in there. My snakes are all fed F/T and I haven't has any issues. I just have to make sure I wash my hands after holding the rat because my BP female strikes first and asks questions later (seriously- She is a major pig and eats every three days!). I'm not exactly sure what you're asking but it hasn't screwed up my schedule or feeding responses. On the down side Case (as in Charity Case) the rat is noisy at night!:rolleyes:

Check out The Fun Mouse (and the forums).* Just be careful to wash your hands between animals, if the mice smell the snake on your hands they may be more prone to bite. I've heard some mouse keepers say they prefer to keep theirs in a different room from their reptiles since the mice may still be able to smell the snake and have heightened levels of stress.

I've had both rats and mice as pets, and while rats are definitely more outgoing mice still make great pets. With regular handling you'll have more of a chance of being bitten by your snakes. Just do your research beforehand, like with any animal. BTW, most people who keep/breed mice seriously keep them in glass tanks (or a rack system) since those little wire cages you get at the pet store are hardly escape-proof.

Oh, and just for fun and cool pictures: The AFRMA website





*There are a few people on there who are hysterically anti-snake and anti-cat. Just ignore them, and never mention feeding live.

THANK YOU, all of you. :) I appreciate the thorough, honest answers.

After researching more thoroughly, I'm dying to get a Dumbo Rat. Obviously, I would get a same-sex pair. The only issue is space, and because of this, I may still go with mice, but it all really depends on how I feel once I'm at the store. If the mice are aggressive, I'll probably go with some rats, but if nothing else works out I'll go with the Crestie.

The only reason I proposed mice was because I had a 10 gallon tank that is empty, and won't be filled by a reptile any time soon. :) I saw the mice a month or so ago at Petco, and for the first time ever, I wasn't terrified (maybe having reptiles had that effect on me).

Thanks again, y'all, your advice was invaluable. Especially about the mice smelling. You'd think a rat would smell more with all the extra body mass. Huh. :P

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Originally Posted by Cendalla

I have all my snakes and Ts in my bedroom. I also have a pet rat in there. My snakes are all fed F/T and I haven't has any issues. I just have to make sure I wash my hands after holding the rat because my BP female strikes first and asks questions later (seriously- She is a major pig and eats every three days!). I'm not exactly sure what you're asking but it hasn't screwed up my schedule or feeding responses. On the down side Case (as in Charity Case) the rat is noisy at night!:rolleyes:

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This was exactly what I wanted to know! :) I'm good about washing my hands, so this shouldn't be a problem. My boys are hearty feeders, but it usually takes some bumping with the f/t rat/mouse to get them to realize it's food. :rolleyes: I can deal with a noisy rat, my cat is usually put in a kennel (she's a devious one, she is) at night, and she'll meow and paw at the grate sometimes.

Thanks again!

Mine were all on f/t before I got my rats too, it doesn't affect them in the least. I suggest getting a rat over a mouse, they are so much more social and not as fragile lol. My rats are awesome :D

My pet rats are kept right next to my snake rack, they can and do walk across the top of their cage to the snake rack. The feeder rats are brought in on cold night to be kept, again, right in front of the snake rack, literally touching. I don't notice a huge difference in feeding response with the rats there or absent from the house. I do make sure to wash my hands, maybe not as diligently as with the balls, but my king snake and my Hog Island, because it is very likely they would mistake you for food if you even in the best conditions.

My rats are absolutely a joy. I have had males and females as pets and in my experience/opinion, females scent mark a lot less. You may still get a love dribble on you, but it's always on my skin and never on anything fabric they are on while enjoying out time. Rats LOVE to be cuddled, kissed, played with, etc. I would not trade my girls for the world.

Good luck on your decision!

I'd recommend a rat over a mouse for the smell and because they are more friendly. Personally I would go with the crestie, just because I really like cresties.

IMO rats are better pets than mice. Friendly, funny, smell less. I have rodents in the same room as my balls, no problems. Like another user said, just make sure to always wash your hands after handling anything to do with the rat before you do anything with your snake. Also, what about a leopard gecko? They are super cute! :rolleyes:

I will also advocate a pet rat over a pet mouse. Female mice don't smell nearly as bad as males do. But, mice are small and they are fast. They won't ever be the cuddly, squashy, loveable bundle of fuzz a rat is.

Now, you can keep a single rat, as long as it has plenty of toys and time each day with you. My daughter had a male rat named Remmy, and he was just fine by himself. She got him out each morning before school, every afternoon after school, and for some schmoozing before bedtime. I had no idea before she got him that rats could be so lovable. He cuddled and licked and gave kisses. He'd beg for treats and hide if he was naughty. She had him for 3 wonderful years, and still has his son and granddaughter today.

Gale

I have two pet rats, a regular furry rat (huge!! Haha) and a juvenile hairless rat, and a hamster. All are kept in the same room as my reptiles and I have never had a problem. :)

Also, so you know, I personally hate mice. They are cute but stink terribly. Rats are just better in cleanliness and social interaction, in my opinion. They WILL bond with you unlike mice, but others may say different.

I have 3 female mice pretty close to my female BP and have had no issue, as long as you're gentle with them they are fine. :) Never had any of my girls be mean toward me, but one does squeak if I move to fast or grab her unexpectedly due to a..incident with an inexperienced friend...

They are really great pets just don't under estimate them and their ability to quietly get away :P Also my girls don't stink unless I neglect their cage, the boys are the stinky ones.
But if you do get a female you have to get a pair, and I think they do bond.
My first girl lost her friend and I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to accidentally kill another mouse so for a month she had no friend and would escape to come find me in the house and even crawled into bed with me at night (she is an amazing escape artist and you can't keep her in unless she has food and a friend in the cage with her). Even with two other girls she seems attached to me.
I love my girls, but I love rats too so it just depends on space and personal preference.
And neither the mice nor the snake seemed affected by being close together.

Get a rat, not a mouse. Rats are so much more intelligent and interactive. I adore all my rats and they make the most fantastic pets. I personally keep my rats and snakes in different rooms but I've seen plenty of people on her that keep them in the same room with no problems.

You have all already convinced me a rat is the way to go! :P I had no idea mice smelled worse, were more hostile, etc. It's good to know!

If I do decide to get rats (it's more an issue of whether my mom will allow my cat, Mouse, to stay in her bedroom, due to the fact that Mouse would harm the ratties), I'll for sure be getting a pair. I understand some do successfully keep one, but they are social animals, and I think it would be better, overall, to get a pair.

The only question I've been having problems with is male or female? I've decided on male (generally more calmer than females), but they do have a heavier scent due to territory marking (yes, I know, neutering them would fix that), but finding a good rat vet may be difficult. :)

Thanks again to all! :gj:

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Originally Posted by Kamille Kirkendoll

You have all already convinced me a rat is the way to go! :P I had no idea mice smelled worse, were more hostile, etc. It's good to know!

If I do decide to get rats (it's more an issue of whether my mom will allow my cat, Mouse, to stay in her bedroom, due to the fact that Mouse would harm the ratties), I'll for sure be getting a pair. I understand some do successfully keep one, but they are social animals, and I think it would be better, overall, to get a pair.

The only question I've been having problems with is male or female? I've decided on male (generally more calmer than females), but they do have a heavier scent due to territory marking (yes, I know, neutering them would fix that), but finding a good rat vet may be difficult. :)

Thanks again to all! :gj:

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My males have a strong odor compared to my girls. It's not bad, just musky. The girls just smell like their bedding, aspen.. They're really clean animals so as long as you clean their cage weekly or litter train them, they'll have little to no smell. And I think both genders are equally active as yearlings. The males start getting lazy after that. And by lazy I mean, they'll be content with just sitting on your lap. However, girls are always going to be active and explore. I personally enjoy playing with my girls compared to the boys. They're silly little things. I'm sure everybody's rats are different. You're going to have active males and laid back females out there too.

I suggest finding a breeder or rat rescue. They know their rats best and will properly pair you with the most compatible. Rescues may have neutered boys, so you can have a mixed pair if you really want to.

The problem I have with males is that they dribble when they walk around. It's ok if they stay in a confined area that you can keep cleaning but it gets to be a problem if they're walking around your bedroom.

I like the ladies. They explore a ton and are really friendly. My boys sort of just lumber around and seem like they could care less that I'm there or that there's anything else in the room with them. They also had to be separated because they started fighting and I would have liked to neuter them but it's pretty expensive. I would also urge you to go to a breeder or rescue (like someone else said) as pet store rats don't seem to ever calm down. I have rats from a litter that I handled since day 2 and they're the most amazing rats in the world. Any of the rats that came from a pet store are skittish and ornery.

I had 3 hairless pet rats and they were VERY messy and they do stink as well. Nonetheless great pets and very social.

I find the combination of good bedding and a good diet will decrease odor. Before when I only had 3 rats, I used kaytee granule bedding. Its a great bedding. I couldn't smell my rats at all, even when I stuck my head into the enclosure. I switched to aspen when I got more rats cuz granuel bedding was a little pricey for my multiple enclosures. Aspen is ok, but I don't like it as much.

And litter training will heavily decrease any mess or smell.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

My males have a strong odor compared to my girls. It's not bad, just musky. The girls just smell like their bedding, aspen.. They're really clean animals so as long as you clean their cage weekly or litter train them, they'll have little to no smell. And I think both genders are equally active as yearlings. The males start getting lazy after that. And by lazy I mean, they'll be content with just sitting on your lap. However, girls are always going to be active and explore. I personally enjoy playing with my girls compared to the boys. They're silly little things. I'm sure everybody's rats are different. You're going to have active males and laid back females out there too.

I suggest finding a breeder or rat rescue. They know their rats best and will properly pair you with the most compatible. Rescues may have neutered boys, so you can have a mixed pair if you really want to.

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I've tried finding one, but the only person I could find in the area sells feeder rats, so I doubt they're socialized. We drove a total of 6 hours to adopt a Ball, so making another trip so soon (for a pet), would be impossible considering someone would have to take me. The only option I have at this point is the pet store. I'll wait and see if anything turns up, though.

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Originally Posted by satomi325

I find the combination of good bedding and a good diet will decrease odor. Before when I only had 3 rats, I used kaytee granule bedding. Its a great bedding. I couldn't smell my rats at all, even when I stuck my head into the enclosure. I switched to aspen when I got more rats cuz granuel bedding was a little pricey for my multiple enclosures. Aspen is ok, but I don't like it as much.

And litter training will heavily decrease any mess or smell.

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I saw they also made some lavender and cinnamon scented granules...I wonder if that's safe? ;) It's probably pricier, regardless. We'll probably integrate a litter box once they've gotten used to being with us, and we'll probably use Aspen, seeing as how we always have it on hand for our Corn, Apollo.