So VET RABBITS, CAVIES, AND MICE. 



such. You can construct, or have made for a small 

 sum, any pattern of stock cage or single specimen cage 

 you may desire. If you are handy at amateur carpen- 

 tering you can make your own cages to order. Mr. 

 Hamlin continues on the point of housing: ; ' It does 

 not matter much where you keep your mice so long as 

 rt is dry and free from draughts. Mice can, provided 

 they have warm cages and nice bedding, stand any 

 amount of cold. Mice kept in draughty places, soon 

 start a wheezing or singing sort of noise, which is 

 miserable to listen to. I might add that when cleaning 

 out the cages it is advisable to sprinkle a little disinfec- 

 tant in the corners. I use Sanitas, which is really good 

 for this purpose. For the runs I think it best to use 

 pine sawdust, which you can buy at sawmills for about 

 is. per sack. This quantity would last the ordinary 

 mouse fancier about 12 months. For bedding, use hay. 

 It is so much better than flocks or cotton wool. The 

 latter, in fact, is very dangerous to use because it clings 

 to their feet, and the mice, being clean little things, are 

 constantly licking and cleaning their feet. In this 

 process, if cotton wool is used, they are constantly 

 licking the wool into their stomachs ; this very soon kills 

 them. It is well, especially in hot weather, to clean 

 them out thoroughly twice a week, being very careful 

 to scrape out the corners of the cages. It is also well 

 just to scrape off the husks from the oats, etc., every 

 day. In any case, never let the mice go more than a 

 week without cleaning them out." 



FEEDING. 



This is a most important part of the mouse fancier's 

 curriculum. To ensure a mouse, or any other animal, 

 being kept in good condition, you must feed it properly 

 on the best quality of food. All mouse fanciers, like 

 rabbit and cavy fanciers, do not swear by one particular 

 system of feeding, but all agree in recommending the 

 best quality. In the case of mice, which are given milk 

 and soft foods, it is wise to use vessels for the purpose, 

 to prevent mess, and secure sweet and wholesome con- 

 ditions. For dry foods some recommend oats, canary 

 seed and millet, hemp seed and linseed. There again 

 all seem agreed that oats are the chief diet. But mice 



