2 



FANCY MICE. 



Nearly everyone has seen the wheel cages in which the mice will 

 work for hours during the day; and in addition to those with 

 ordinary wheels, others are made so that the little animal draws up 

 his own food, so that he has an aim to his work. Large cages, with 

 ladders, ropes (or rather thick twine), and other contrivances are 

 sometimes used, and the mice are shown off to great advantage in 

 them. 



As a rule, fancy mice are gentle and somewhat timid, but with 

 encouragement their tinvidity soon wears off, and they will then allow 

 themselves to be handled, or placed in the pockets, hat, glove, &c., 

 without attempting to escape. They will also run all over the 

 person of their regular attendant, but it is very rarely they will have 

 dealings with a stranger. Unlike many domestic pets, they are 

 easily kept, take up little room, and do not require expensive food ; 

 and as they are very prolific, the whole cost can be easily defrayed 

 by selling the surplus stock. In our opinion, there are no small 

 animals possessed of more beauty and grace than mice, and if to this 

 be added their agility and graceful movements, few pets will be 

 found more interesting either to young or old, but neither fear nor 

 harshness must be evinced towards them. 



GENERAL MANAGEMENT. 



Under this head comes the ordinary routinal work connected with 

 the keeping of mice, whether they are kept for pleasure or profit, 

 but if for the latter, the closer our notes are applied the better. 



The first and most important item to be borne in mind is 

 cleanliness, as anyone who has paid any attention to this subject 

 will testify. In a wild state, mice, and, in fact, all rodents, are very 

 clean, both in their skin and in their dwellings, and it is therefore 

 necessary that in a tame state this cleanliness should be afforded by 

 artificial means, as the animals cannot keep themselves and their 

 houses as clean as they do when at liberty. Besides, in holes in the 

 earth the soil acts as a deodoriser of all offensive smells, whereas 

 in an absorbent wooden box, filled, or rather strewed, with another 

 absorbent, sawdust, neither of which possesses any deodorising pro- 

 perties, the whole soon becomes impregnated with impurities, and, 

 as a natural consequence, disease and death will soon supervene, 

 unless means are taken to ensure cleanliness. These means must be 

 thorough also, or but little improvement in the state of the animals 

 will be effected. 



Injury to the mice will also result if the food vessels are allowed 

 to become dirty and encrusted with stale food and faecal matter, 

 which is often the case in badly kept collections— sore feet, sore 



