Rodent Rumors: Answering Common Misconceptions About Mice and Rats

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~ Handling Remy ~

Several rodent species are heralded as cute animals worldwide. Hamsters, guinea pigs, rabbits, chinchillas, and many more are popular pets that everyone might've seen in several households and social media platforms. 

The rodents I find commonly slandered and misrepresented are mice and rats. Usually associated with gutters and trash cans, they're often considered lesser beings or lowlifes and garner little sympathy even from avid animal lovers. 

While this does lead to several amusing encounters and reactions with people when they find I have reared and that I find mice and rats endearing, it's high time we clear the air of misconceptions about these critters. 

Read on for more about how mice and rats aren't the nasty, offensive creatures people make them out to be and can be just as endearing a pet as your neighbour's hamster. 

1. Mice and Rats are dirty, smelly animals.

~ Remy after her first bath* ~

This is quite untrue. Any animal will look, smell, and behave according to its surroundings and environmental conditions. Mice and rats are clean animals that meticulously groom and tidy themselves, similar to a cat's routine. As long as you keep your pet's enclosure clean with regular emptying and bedding changes, they'll stay as clean as they come. 

*Please don't bathe your pet rodents: this image was taken after I first got Remy and she was quite dirty owing to the bad conditions I had gotten her from. Mice and rats don't need to be bathed and it is stressful for them to be subjected to it. 

2. They harbour diseases.

Again, this is subjective. Like other wild animals, mice and rats can be vectors of diseases, especially considering their usual surroundings. However, if kept as pets, they aren't exposed to those diseases and therefore, aren't inherently infectious animals. They're not going to generate those diseases sitting in a little enclosure!


3. Mice and Rats don't bond with humans.

~ Asleep during a cuddle sesh ~

All animals are capable of bonding. Despite lacking the ability to form emotional bonds, even snakes will learn to recognise and trust their feeder. Mice and rats are intelligent, cheeky animals that happily choose a human and enjoy handling and interaction. 

4. Mice and Rats are stupid or cannot be trained.

Any living creature can be trained, mice and rats even more so! Several movies have showcased demonstrations of their feats when trained. From understanding verbal commands to solving mazes and walking a tightrope, they are clever creatures of wit and brains. 

5. They don't need much space or enrichment.

Being active, sociable creatures, mice and rats require spacious enclosures with toys, tunnels, climbing structures and good ventilation to stay occupied and healthy. 

6. Mice and Rats are low maintenance and can be fed anything.

~ Picutre credit: wikiHow Pet ~

Unlike this common belief, table scraps and junk shouldn't be offered in abundance. Like all other animals, these rodents require balanced nutrition and thrive better on a good diet of pellets, vegetables, fruits and seeds. Being opportunistic omnivores, they also enjoy mealworms and eggs from time to time. 

7. They are nocturnal and short lived, so they aren't worth bonding with.

While mice and rats typically live for a maximum of three years and are generally more active at night, they are also highly adaptable to their owners' schedules and will form long-lasting bonds with them.


That's all, folks.

Was this article helpful or lacking in any way? Drop in your responses and critiques in the comments; they’ll be most beneficial in helping this blog grow.

Any questions and ideas about future articles would be appreciated :)

I will be posting more articles covering rehabilitation, enclosures, diet, free flight, and training with species like turtles, snakes, dogs, and more.


If there are any changes you'd like to add or changes you'd like to have made, feel free to contact me at the below-mentioned socials -.


Comments

  1. Anonymous15 March 2025 at 13:38

    Dope & informative content! Keep up the work Namrata!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Anonymous16 March 2025 at 04:17

    Was into an argument with a close friend on this topic. I searched and stumbled on to this article. V well written,, please try and write more detailed explanations. Went through some more articles, u picking up diverse topics. Keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Chinchilla 9 April 2025 at 12:19

      Thank you so much for your feedback and your kind words! Will definitely keep this in mind :)

      Delete

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