Can Pet Mice Live Outside

If you are thinking about adopting pet mice, or want to move yours out of your home for any reason you may be thinking about moving them outside. So, can pet mice live outside? Yes they can, but it’s not just as simple as putting their cage outside somewhere without doing some checks.

You need to make sure your mice will be safe and healthy. This should always be your main concern. If there are any risks at all the health of the mice you need to find a different solution. There are plenty of people who keep mice outside however, so it is an option.

Can I Keep My Pet Mice Outside?

There are three main considerations when choosing somewhere outside to keep your mice.

Will the Mice Have Enough Light?

Mice have body clocks that are synchronized with the hours of light and darkness. Mice to like light and will use this as an indication that it’s daytime, and will often sleep mostly. They are nocturnal creatures and will be more active at night when it’s dark.

In the wild they hunt for food at night as it’s safer and they can avoid predators easier. This isn’t going to be a concern as you will be feeding them. But it’s something worth being aware of and making sure they always have food available overnight. So think about topping up their bowls in the evening rather than the morning for example.

Will the Mice Be Warm Enough?

It’s very important that mice are warm enough. If you put their cage outside during the winter months you out them at risk of illness and even fatality. Put lots of warm bedding materials in their cages for them to gather and make nests with.

Also think about the placement of the cage. There should be no drafts or breezes blowing through. Mice do require plenty of ventilation and fresh air, but place their cage in a still and clam place.

Will the Mice Be Safe from Threats?

The problem with keeping animals and pets outside overnight is that you can’t keep an eye on them. Predators of all types come out at night, such as birds, foxes, rodents, and all kinds of other animals depending where you live.

Having a predator circling the cage will be very stressful for the mice. So make sure they are somewhere safe.

Reasons Why People Move Their Mice Outside

The reasons why people typically keep mouse outside rather that in their homes include:

Mice Smell Too Much

I have covered how to keep mice cages clean and smelling fresh. But for some people even a faint odor from the cage is too much for them and not what they expected. Keeping mice outside doesn’t mean you can neglect cleaning out their cage though. You should still do this weekly.

Mice Make Too Much Noise

Mice are nocturnal creatures. This means they are awake at night and running on their wheel or digging and biting things in their cage. If you live in a small apartment the noise may disturb your sleep. I have known people to move the mice outside for this reason.

Can pet mice live outside and still  be fun and interactive pets? Absolutely. If you follow the advice outlined in this article you should not experience any problems.