Do Pet Mice Attract Other Animals Into The House?

I was around a friend’s house recently, and they said their son wanted a pet and had chosen a mouse. My friend was unsure whether to get their son a mouse and asked me if a pet mouse would attract other animals into the house. I was skeptical, so I looked into this to let her know.

Mice can be attractive to many different animals, from household pets to snakes and rats. However, it is improbable that a pet mouse would attract other animals into the house, but several other factors can.  

There are several ways to keep other animals away from your pet mice. Mice are brilliant companions and very playful. They are the kind of pets that can save you entertained all day long.  Furthermore, mice are intelligent animals, and if given attention and enough time, they can be pretty tame and even learn some tricks.

Why do rats have long tails?  Find out here

Do Pet Mice Attract Other Mice Into the House?

Many homeowners are at risk of having an infestation of mice whether they own one as a pet or not. Pet mice do not attract other mice into the house. However, there are times when some unwanted mice find their way into your home. In this case, you will face a significant challenge in getting rid of the extra mice.

The reason behind this is the fact that mice are highly social creatures. It is never recommended to keep just one mouse as a pet.  

It will get lonely and may not thrive. Mice are better off when kept in groups of their kind. This way, they can interact with others.

This means that if wild mice happen to infest your house, they will automatically be attracted to your pet mice. They will seek the company of each other simply because it’s in their nature to be social. However, your pet mice have not attracted the wild mice into your home. 

Wild mice are always looking for shelter and places to nest. People with lots of items stored in the garage, piles of leaves in the backyard, or deep mulch in the garden might invite mice to seek shelter in their homes.  

Mice are small and can squeeze themselves in-between small cracks and spaces. Any gaps in the ceiling, plumbing lines, and windows will be their entry points.

Sometimes, the wild mice might have found a haven outside the house. For example, if you have old furniture piled up in a corner, these may serve as potential nesting areas.  

Rabbits jump and twist in the air but do you know why?  Find out in this article I wrote.

Shrubs, long lawns, and flowers can also be conducive enough for them to live there.

Other factors make your home susceptible to mice infestation. Many predators are out there, and the mice are forced to seek safer shelters. If they find some good hiding places in your home, this will encourage them to stay.

Other times, a mouse infestation is triggered by insufficient food. Overflowing garbage bins, bird feeders, fruits falling from trees, and open water sources can cause mice to invade your home. This is because they have found plenty of food and an excellent place to nest. 

A mice infestation usually follows a temperature drop, making the mice invade people’s homes. Wild mice are like squatters and will enter any home uninvited if the environment is acceptable to them. Mice move to warmer places when cold outside, likely human dwellings.

Everything I have mentioned above does not have an actual connection with your pet mice. You don’t have to worry about your pet mice attracting other mice into the home. This is never the case. 

If you are dealing with mice invading your home, it has nothing to do with the pet mice. Take a look at the conditions both inside the house and outdoors. You will discover the real reason why there are unwanted mice in your home.

Make sure to keep your house animal-proof. I have written a guide on how to do this here.

Do Pet Mice Attract Rats into the House?

Pet mice do not attract rats into the house. If you are experiencing a problem with a rat infestation, it has nothing to do with your pet mice. Mice and rats do not coexist in the same areas.

Rats are much larger rodents when compared to mice. For this reason, they are more competitive when it comes to food.  

When there is little food, rats will always win out over mice. Mice cannot possibly compete for the same food as rats.

Rats are pretty aggressive towards mice. The rats attack and fight the mice when the two rodents are put together; rats will kill and eat mice when food is scarce.  

The best way to keep rats out of your house and away from your pet mice is to rat-proof the entire house.

Fill any gaps that you suspect the rats may use as a route to get inside the house. It is better to keep these rodents out of your home. Once they get in, they multiply quickly and can take over your home within a few weeks.

Do Pet Mice Attract Other Animals into the House? 

Pet mice do not attract other animals or rodents into your house. Mice like being in the company of other mice. Therefore, they never interact with any other animal or other rodents. Mice are small and delicate and can get hurt easily. Due to this, they will only interact and play with other mice.

In some instances, your pet mice may indirectly attract predatory animals into your house. Due to mice being tiny, predators view them as easy meals because they can be captured easily. When a predator nearby smells the pet mice in your home, it can be encouraged to come to look for them.

Sometimes you may wonder why the neighbor’s cat is frequenting your home. The reason could be it has either spotted your pet mice or caught their scent. The cat could get into your home, hoping to make a small meal out of them. Some breeds of dogs will also eat small animals such as mice.

A snake is the worst animal you will ever want to get attracted to your home. Snakes are predators and will eat just about anything, including mice.  

Some people keep snakes as pets to help deal with a mice infestation. The only way a wild snake will get access to your home is when there are plenty of places to hide. 

Ensure you maintain high standards of sanitation in your home. Also, keep grass and shrubs around the house short. In North America, the chance of a snake getting into a place to look for mice is rare. Snakes prefer to feed on wild mice, but they could eat a pet mouse.

Want to know which wildlife lives in your shed?  Find out in this article I wrote.

Do Pet Mice Attract other Rodents into the House?

Different types of rodent species do not get along with each other. I mentioned earlier that rats and mice do not coexist in one place. This goes for all different types of rodents. You do not have to be concerned about your pet mice attracting other rodents into your home. Pet mice do not deter other rodents from entering your home. You must keep your house as rodents as accessible as possible.

A notable thing about rodents is that each species has a distinct smell. Mice have a different scent, which is one reason they do not interact with rats or any other type of rodent species. When different rodent species are put together, they will fight, killing one another.

How do I Make Sure other Pets Stay Away From my Pet Mice?

It can be complicated to have pet mice when you already have other pets in the house. This, however, does not mean you cannot have pet mice in your home.

The best advice is to choose a safe location for your mice. It should be a place that the other pets cannot access in the house. For instance, cats will take pet mice as prey and eat them if they are not well protected.

Get your mice a cage that they cannot possibly gnaw through. These creatures have pretty solid teeth and can eat through many different materials. A good cage will not only protect your mice but also prevent these animals from setting themselves free. 

Put the cage on a sturdy, raised surface, such as a shelf, desk, or table. You will be able to keep a close eye on them at all times. Furthermore, this will help the mice disturbed by other pets such as dogs. Cats should not be left in the same room as mice, even in a sturdy cage.

If you want to know how to help wildlife in winter, this article is for you.