Wonderful Mice and Unique Rodents for Pet

People purchase Mice as companion pets because these creatures are playful and loving. They can grow used to being handled. Like pet rats, pet mice should not be left unsupervised outside as they have many natural predators like cats, birds, lizards and dogs.

Here are some of the best mice pets in the world.

Fancy Mouse Pet

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The best known Mouse species is the common House Mouse or Mus musculus. It is also a popular pet. Fancy Mice pets originated from House Mouse. They are available in different colors and markings.

Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus)


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Deer Mouse is a cool-looking mouse species endemic to South America. Although mice make good pets, it should be noted that they are carrier of emerging diseases such as hantavirus and lyme disease. They can live up to 8 years.

Knock Out Mice

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Knockout Mice are genetically engineered mice in which researchers have inactivated, or "knocked out," an existing gene by replacing it or disrupting it with an artificial piece of DNA. The loss of gene activity often causes changes in a mouse's phenotype, which includes appearance, behavior and other observable physical and biochemical characteristics.


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A laboratory mouse in which a gene affecting hair growth has been knocked out (left), is shown next to a normal lab mouse.

Knockout Mice are important animal models for studying the role of genes which have been sequenced but whose functions have not been determined. By causing a specific gene to be inactive in the mouse, and observing any differences from normal behavior or physiology, researchers can infer its probable function.

White-footed Mouse (Peromyscus leucopus)

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White-footed Mouse is rodent endemic to North America. This mouse species is also known as the Woodmouse, particularly in Texas. It has a maximum lifespan of 8 years. It can attain a length of 19.7 cm including its tail.

Unique Rodent for Pet

Although these two animals were named rat they are not true rats.

Gambian Pouched Rat (Cricetomys gambianus)

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Gambian Pouched Rats are unusual rat species for having pouch on their cheeks. The Gambian Pouched Rat is a nocturnal animal and is one of the largest muroids in the world, growing up to 3 feet long including their tail which makes up half their length. The Gambian Pouched Rat can weigh as much as 6.8 kg.  This omnivore that feeds on vegetables, insects, crabs, snails and many others is also commonly known as the African Giant Pouched Rat.

Giant Pouched Rat (Crycetomis emini)

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The Giant Pouched Rats of Africa is a large muroid rodent that can attain weight of up to 1.5 kg. This rat is becoming useful in some areas for detecting land mines. Although they have poor sight, these creatures have exceptional acute sense of smell which is very effective in detecting explosives. In addition, they are small enough to not detonate any of the mines.

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