My New Furry Friends

It all started with my desire for a puppy. Did I get a puppy?  Sadly, I did not, but I got a pretty good substitute!

On Feb. 22, 2018, I brought home two adorable baby mice. Yes, I said mice! When most people think of a mouse, they think of the nasty mice that find their way into your home, eat your food and poop in your cabinets. Obviously, these are not the kind of mice I am referring to. Believe it or not, pet mice do exist and from what I have learned so far, they are rather sweet and adorable! Let me explain the series of events leading to this decision.

As I mentioned before, I really wanted a puppy. I wanted to have the connection with a dog I have seen with so many dog owners. I wanted to raise it to know and love me as its best friend. Sadly, no matter how bad I wanted a puppy, I knew I could not get one. Since I live with my mom, it is her house and her rules. Trust me, I have brought up the idea to her. I explained I would pay for everything, but she still denied my request. A puppy was not an option for me.

One day, I was daydreaming about puppies. I love dogs with coats full of beautiful and colorful patches. This lead me to think of other animals which also have patched fur. Somehow, I thought of mice. I then remembered how my mother once told me about a pet mouse my brother had and how much she loved it. The more the idea dwindled in my mind, the more I liked it. I carefully brought up the idea to my mom and hoped I would not get denied again. To be honest, if she had denied me, I probably would have still gone through with it! Luckily, I did not have to defy my mother because she agreed it was not an awful idea.

The moment I got permission, I started planning. I am the kind of person who must follow through with an idea as soon as I think of it. Of course, I began with research. I wanted to make sure pet mice were truly friendly and easy to care for. I was delighted to see they were! Mice themselves and their supplies are very inexpensive. They are also nocturnal which is perfect because they would be awake when I got home from class. In addition, they would not take up much room, and their cage would be easy to clean since they are rather clean animals and do not require large cages. I found the main decision I would have to make is the gender. Mice are social animals, so they highly suggest getting at least two if you get females. On the other hand, males are very territorial, so you can only get one male or they will fight. Also, males smell more than females because they mark their territory. Originally, I only wanted to get one mouse but after learning this, I decided two females would be the best way to go.

I ordered a cage and anticipated its arrival. My friend, Oliva Grove, and I decided we would go to the pet stores in Findlay, Ohio, the day after it arrived. As the day grew nearer, I began to consider other options. I was never a huge fan of hamsters, but I started to wonder if they would be a better option. I also like the idea of a gerbil. Although their name is not attractive, they are cute rodents. I ultimately decided I would pick whichever pet felt right.

When the day finally came, we hopped in our cars and drove to Findlay. Findlay has three pet stores: Pet Valu, Pet Supplies Plus, and Pet Smart. I decided to go to Pet Valu because I saw they had good reviews. When we walked inside, they had many adorable hamsters. They also had some mice. Right away, a black and white female hamster stood out to me. I looked closer at the mice and found them to look unhealthy. I also saw they had the males mixed in with the females which is obviously not a good choice. The young girl who came to help me was quite rude, but she let me inspect the female hamster. It was cute and soft, but it was very skittish and peed on me the moment I picked it up. Altogether, it did not feel right, so we left.

We tried Pet Supplies Plus next, but only to find disappointment. All they had were overpriced hamsters. I only had one more chance to find a new pet.

As Olivia and I walked into Pet Smart, I explained my concern. What if have to go home empty handed? We walked to the back and again, all they had were overpriced hamsters. I could not believe it. The last time I was there, they had everything. My last hope was to ask an employee if they had anything in the back. A guy started walking towards us, so I asked him if he had any mice. He said he would go to the back and check. When he returned, he said he had six. “Are they white feeder mice or are they colored,” I asked. “No, they are colored,” he replied, and my face instantly lit up. He brought out a small container filled with the cutest baby mice. Olivia and I could not help but gawk at their cuteness. “What gender are they,” I asked. “All female,” the worker replied, and I got even more excited. They were exactly what I wanted! A couple of black-and-white ones stood out to me, but two others caught my eye. One was a light orange with a white stripe across its back, and another was white with gray patches and one gray patch on its right eye. The white one with gray patches crawled into my hand, and I made my decision. Peach and Luna were my new fury friends, but there was an issue.

The mice were not to be sold until Feb. 24. That was only two days away. I would not have the time to return to Findlay to get them. Would they be able to make an exception? I asked the worker, and he asked his boss who replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about.” So, we took that as a yes. I bought the mice, went to Walmart to buy supplies and drove home filled with joy. 

Peach and Luna are in their new home. I learned I must wait for them to get used to their new environment before I begin to handle them. Peach seems really stressed about the change, but Pepper is already exploring her cage and running on the wheel. Peach’s condition worries me, but I hope she will feel better over time.

I still want a puppy, and maybe I will get one later in my life but for now, I am perfectly content with my adorable mice. 

I currently do not have many pictures, so check back for more later!