Mice Mammals 
Of all the wild mice, the white-footed or the deer 
mouse makes the most interesting pet. It lives in 
the woods, and is very different in appearance from 
the house mouse. Its ears are very large, and it is 
white beneath the head and body. The feet are 
pinkish. This mouse stores food for winter use. 
When I was a child I found in a hollow log two quarts 
of shelled beechnuts stored by this mouse. This 
little creature hasa pretty habit of making its summer 
home in the fork of a branch or in a deserted bird’s 
nest, which it roofs over. The young mice are 
carried hanging to the mother’s breast. 
HOUSE 
While there are many good cages for observing 
wild mice, the one I like the best is an aquarium jar, 
with straight sides, either square or circular; a cover 
of wire netting is necessary. Place in the jar plenty 
of paper in strips, or excelsior, so that the pet may 
hide beneath it. Fasten a coarse piece of twine so 
that it will extend from the middle of the cover nearly 
to the bottom of the jar, so that the mouse can amuse 
itself, and us, by climbing. There should be another 
jar of the same size to which the mouse may be 
changed when its nest needs cleaning, which is as 
often as once or twice a week. It is rather difficult to 
change the mice from one jar to the other, and it. 
should be done thus: ‘Take off the cover and invert. 
the clean jar to take its place, then turn both jars on 
their sides on the table, mouth to mouth. Wait 
until the pet is exploring his new quarters, then 
thrust a square of wire netting in for a cover and bring 
the fresh jar to an upright position. 
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