Why Buy Mice?
    What's better about mice?  Why not a gerbil, or a hamster, or a rat?  Well, each rodent is different; each may be more or less appropriate for you.  Mice are the smallest; they need the least amount of space.  Males can smell; females are less odorous, but neither sex is as scentless as, say, gerbils.  They're cheap to buy; some pet stores sell them for under a dollar.  In personality, they're calmer than gerbils, but not so layed-back as rats or hamsters.  They're very active and acrobatic, and a lot of fun to watch going about their business.  They aren't friendly exactly, but with handling they will learn that it's a lot of fun to come out of their cages and explore.  They make good childrens' pets, just so long as the kids realize that a mouse will very easily run away if they aren't held carefully.  Mice that are not used to handling are very quick and are not held easily, by anyone, much less a small child.  In the end, perhaps one of their main attractions is that they're just so darn cute; you may have a hard time resisting them!

Lone Mouse or Many Mice?
    Mice are social little creatures, and should not be kept alone.  Two or more mice is far more appropriate; two or three will get along beautifully and be much happier than if they were housed without friends!

Little Boys or Little Girls?
    Male mice are more likely to fight, however just so long as they aren't overcrowded, most male mice get along perfectly fine.  Be careful about introducing newcomers, however!
    That's not really the main drawback of males, however; perhaps more mentionable, is that they tend to have a definate odor.  It is rather strong and not pleasant; however, just so long as the cage is kept properly clean, the odor will not usually reach beyond the cage itself.
    Girl mice get along more easily, although they too are not immune to the occasional argument; they are also much less odorous (but that should not excuse you from cleaning the cage often!).
    In the end, it really does not make a great deal of difference; in my opinion, just choose two mice that you like, of either sex!

Houses for Mouses:
    Obviously, cages for mice need not be as large as for some of the other rodents.  A 10 gallon tank sized cage is quite appropriate for a couple of mice, in fact.  Wire cages are also very nice, and mice are quite acrobatic and very much enjoy climbing; however, mice are expert escape artists, so you must be sure your cage will keep them caged!
    Bar spacing on wire cages; or tops for tanks, for that matter; must be no more than 1/2".  Any more than that and mice are likely to escape; in fact, if you're planning on having baby mice, I would recommend a tank or a cage with very small bar spacings; I've had young mice squeeze right through a bar spacings of 1/2" x 3" like it was nothing!
    The cage should have a layer of aspen shavings or CareFRESH; like all rodents, they should not be kept on cedar or pine, most especially the cedar.  Give them a thick layer of bedding; mice enjoy burrowing into it, oftentimes sleeping under it!
    But, so that they do not have to sleep under the bedding, they should also be provided with small cardboard boxes, store-bought rodent houses, or other small containers that they can dwell in and build their nests in.  Any other toys are also appreciated, and will be climbed on and hung from, no doubt.

Mouse Meals:
    Basic Rodent Diet is very appropriate for mice.  Keep in mind their small size; some mice have a hard time tackling large foods.  Some of my mice can't even eat the lab block that I buy; some companies sell smaller lab block - I know Kaytee sells "Hamster and Gerbil Food" which is basically small pellets and would be appropriate for mice.

Mouse Families:
    It is not always a good idea to have mouse babies, although it is a lot of fun!  Perhaps the first consideration is how to end up with babies, without ending up with way too many babies!  If you own a female, don't just go out and buy a male without considering a few things; the male cannot stay with the female indefinately.  As soon as she has her babies, she will be ready to mate again and will become pregnant again.  That is LOTS of babies, and besides that, it's very hard on her body to be pregnant while already nursing one litter.  So, the male will have to be seperated from her before she has her babies.  Do you have the extra cagespace for this, or do you have a way of keeping a male just long enough to "do the deed"?  Some of those same considerations are applicable if you already have a male, but no female.
    The other consideration is, what to do with the babies?  It's doubtful you'll be able to keep them all.  Some can be "pawned off" on friends, family members, and school teachers.  The remaining option is to give them to the pet store; you will probably be able to find one that will take them, but this isn't necessarily a good thing, because at pet stores, the majority of mice are sold as feeders; food for animals like snakes and large lizards!  So unless you wouldn't mind that, it's best to line up other homes!
    Mice have a gestation period of about 3 weeks, sometimes plus or minus a few days (usually plus).  They can have anywhere from one to eighteen babies; the average number is about 6-12.  Female mice have 8 teats, so it makes sense that the average litter size is around 8.
    You don't have to do anything special for the pregnant mom or her babies, except to make sure that her diet is right; adding high-protien foods is about the only change you should make.  Bread soaked in milk is popular, but pretty much anything high in protien is great.
    When baby mice are born, they may not be much longer than the tip of your pinky finger... Including their tails!  They're born hairless, pink, and with their eyes and ears closed.  You may not want to handle them right away; mom mouse may be protective.  However, within a few hours to a few days, depending on mom and how easy-going she is, you can begin to handle them. Try rubbing your hand in the bedding before doing so; that will leave less of a foriegn scent on the babies.  However, contrary to popular belief it's extremely rare for a mom mouse to eat her babies, regardless of how much of your scent is left on them.
    The babies grow very quickly; within a week they have a thin coat of fur, and by two weeks old they're fully furred and are opening their eyes.  They begin to eat solid food about that same time; by three weeks they're more or less eating on their own, however they should be left with their mother for at least another week, preferably two.  The females can stay with mom indefinately, however the males should be removed no later than 6 weeks, to prevent unwanted pregnancies!