Getting a Zebra Mouse, are you?
Oh yes, you want one of those stripy little mice. Here are some points worth pondering before you go and get one!
You & Zebras
Where to Get One?
Points to Consider
Every single pet - even as small as mice - have to be properly cared for their whole lives. Pets are totally dependent on humans. They can't walk in a shop and buy beddings for their dirty cage, or go and fill their empty water bottles... No way, their lives are totally in the hands of their owner. The owner should always take care of the needs of her pets!
Think about what will happen if your zebra mouse suddenly falls ill! Vets do cost a lot, as everybody knows. What will you do? Will you take off immediately and head for a vet, pay for all the expensive medications and travel to another town in order to visit a vet that really knows something about your rare pet... Are you up to all this?!!
Do you have time to interact with your small pet? When you spend a lot of time with your zebra mouse, you will get an exceptionally tame friend. However, do you really have the time and endurance for this?
When you are on a holiday and away from home, who will take care of your stripy friend in the mean time? Who will see to it that it has everything it needs and also that it feels fine... Who will keep it company?
Zebra mouse Paavo |
You do often hear stories about a pet had fallen ill and died while the owner was away from home. Shouldn't you get someone who actually knows about your pets and will take them to a vet if they fall ill? Are you able to find someone like this near you, among your friends?!!
If you are able to answer all these questions with determination that you are able to do everything right, your zebra mouse has a bright future ahead of it. However, do consider everything through carefully and think. Are you able to keep everything running smoothly for the next three or four or more years - how ever bad your own situation is.
Note! An animal should never be bought on a whim!
In spite of all the trouble, owning a zebra mouse does give more than it takes. Not financially, but otherwise, as the zebra mouse is one of the lovelies and easiest pet around.
One more note. Even if you were breeding these animals and had a group of over ten zebra mice or other animals, every single individual should be cared for as individuals.
Male or Female?
If you want to breed zebra mice, you will need one of both sexes. As pets, there isn't a great difference if your zebras are males or females, their temperaments don't differ that much.
Remember, that the zebra mouse is clearly an animal that likes to live in twos. That means: no large groups or solitaries. A friend of the same species will give everything a human can't: they will groom each others, keep company and provide a feeling of security, warmth and understanding. If you only have the possibility of keeping one zebra mouse, you can try and co-inhabit it with a spiny mouse (just make sure that the animals accept each others totally).
On to next part - Where to get the zebra & things to look for.
Text by: Lotta Alhfors & Kaisa Kattilakoski.