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| Pet Mice (Photo credit: Wikipedia) |
It is believed that mice began living with humans as long as 10,000 years ago. Association with humans and interaction seems to go back to the dawn of history. Archaeologists have also found Egyptian bowls and other artifacts that contain pictures of colored mice. These artifacts have indicated they kept mice as pets because they thought they possessed supernatural powers. They worshiped these animals and believed that they were born from the mud of the Nile and had healing properties. Other societies believed that mice could cure diseases including measles, whooping cough, and smallpox. Even Biblical references recorded included plagues of mice. And mice were also used in various other writings such as Aesop's Fables which are the basis for many modern-day puppet shows.
During the 1700s the mouse fancy really got its start. The earliest domesticated mice were kept in the royal palaces of Japan and China. In Japan, they were increasing in popularity as breeding animals and also pets. It was during this time that people were experimenting with breeding to produce new colors. 'The Breeding Of Curious Varieties Of The Mouse' booklet was written in 1878 by Chobei Zenya. This informational booklet included drawings and descriptions of variations on breeding programs. The booklet instructed breeders on how to create specific colors and varieties.
In the early 1800s popularity began to grow in Europe. In 1877 Walter Maxey, the father of the mouse fancy, acquired his first mice in the UK. Later in 1895, Maxey founded the National Mouse Club in England. This club set the standards for the different varieties and sponsored regular shows. The first show was in 1895 in Lincoln and was won by Miss Ursula Dickenson with a Dutch Oven. This affair with mice breeding eventually leads to the rediscovery of Mendel's theories on genetics by the scientific community.
Mice eventually made their way to the Americas by sailing across the seas and are believed to have been introduced to North America by Spanish sailors. The mouse attraction is relatively young in the United States. The first U.S.mouse clubs were founded in the 1950s. Lately, the American Fancy Rat and Mouse Association was founded in 1983. There are now several clubs in the United States and many more worldwide.
When most people think about pet mice they predictably think about the classic "white mice", but in fact there are well over 40 varieties. Most mothers are terrified at the thought of pet mice getting loose and scurrying around the home. Often these mothers prefer mice puppets and mice stuffed animals rather than the real thing. In fact, many manufacturers such as Folkmanis specialize in creating beautiful yet lifelike puppets and stuffed toys. Parents can use these puppets to teach their children the virtues of the mouse without enduring the clean-up.
The main feature of mice is their gnawing front teeth which continue to grow throughout their lives. These paired teeth are called incisors. Mice have poor vision and their activity patterns rely heavily on smell, taste, touch, and hearing. They are excellent jumpers and are capable of leaping at least 12 inches vertically. Female mice make the best pets because their urine does not smell like that of the male. Mice are nocturnal in nature and very social. They are active in the evening and night but mainly sleep during the day. They can breed as soon as 8 weeks old and can deliver a litter of up to 12 babies in three weeks. Mice can live for over two years while the average life expectancy is about 1.5-2 years.
The most commonly available type of mouse available as a pet is the domestic pet mouse and is the result of hundreds of generations of careful breeding. These mice have been selectively bred to be placid while enhancing the desirable qualities of the mice. They do not carry any diseases but also do not carry much of a chance of surviving in the wild if they were to escape.
This current economic recession has affected many people. People have less time, money and space available for animals. People are often turning to pocket pets such as mice as an ideal low-cost and low-maintenance alternative to having pets in their busy lives. Pet mice, both real and plush provide an outlet and a means to admire the virtues of the mouse.
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