40 MAMMALS 



A glass aquarium makes an excellent mouse cage. A wire 

 top can be provided, which will serve as a door and also 

 permit ventilation. It also has the added advantage of pro- 

 viding an unbounded view of the inmates. 



Where mouse breeding is done on a large scale, cages 

 of a somewhat different type are used. These usually are 

 wired at the top, and are placed side by side on tiers of 

 shelves. In the cages used in the New York Zoological 

 Park, where great numbers of mice are produced yearly, the 

 entire top is removable. This simplifies construction and 

 makes care and cleaning an easy matter. These cages are 

 about 15" X 10" X 4", and accommodate from one to a dozen 

 mice each. 



In any event, at the back of the cage should be a small box, 

 three or four inches in each dimension, with a small aper- 

 ture, large enough for the passage of a mouse. This box 

 should be removable to facilitate cleaning. Soft hay or 

 straw, with small bits of paper, make the best bedding ma- 

 terial for this secluded nest. Sawdust makes the best cov- 

 ering for the floor of the cage, as the absorbent qualities of 

 this material facilitate cleaning. If a medicated brand, 

 such as Sanitas Sawdust, is used, any odor of the mice is 

 overcome by the scent of pine. 



The average householder knows too well that almost 

 anything in the way of food is acceptable to the common 

 house mouse. While this might be equally true of his 

 domesticated relatives, it will soon be found that an unre- 

 stricted diet does not agree with the captives. 



Like all caged animals, mice must be fed with a cer- 

 tain amount of discretion. Seed forms the principal food. 

 Canary seed is the staple, but for a large number of pets is 

 rather expensive, and may be supplemented with oats and 

 millet. Sunflower, hemp and linseed are useful for nursing 



