Domestic rats are one of the easiest pets to care for. Alternatively, you can also catch and care for stray mice at home. However, wild rats may carry dangerous diseases such as rabies and bubonic plague. In addition, wild rats are difficult to tame and can become stressed when interacting with humans. However, you can try to take care of wild rats if your area doesn't prohibit people from capturing and caring for wild animals. Don't forget to provide a good cage, catch mice humanely, and take good care of them!
Step
Method 1 of 3: Catching Wild Rats
Step 1. Place a non-lethal mousetrap in a place where mice normally live
Use peanut butter or cheese as bait to catch mice. When you find mice in your home, place the mousetrap near the wall. Make sure the traps are placed in parallel so that mice can get into them easily.
- You can buy mouse traps at your nearest home supply store.
- If you want to place a mousetrap outside your home, place the trap near the wall of your house or where rats usually move.
- Rats that live indoors can usually live for 9-12 months.
Step 2. Place the bucket to trap mice outside the house
Place a bucket with a capacity of approximately 20 liters outside the house, in the garage, or around the barn. Glue a fairly thick wire to the mouth of the bucket with glue. Glue the paper plate and make sure that of it hangs over one side of the wire, and of it rests on the mouth of the bucket. Place a spoonful of peanut butter on the part of the paper plate closest to the wire. Place a wooden plank next to the bucket so the mice can climb it. The rat would climb onto the paper plate to eat the peanut butter and fall into the bucket.
- Leave the bucket for a few days to catch more mice.
- Rats that usually live outdoors are usually called forest rats, and can live up to 4 years.
Tip:
Alternatively, punch a hole in the bottom of the soda can and thread a wire through it. Place a spoonful of peanut butter on one side of the can. When the mouse climbs into the can to eat the peanut butter, the can will spin and the mouse will fall into the bucket.
Step 3. Move the captured mice into the aquarium
Once you've caught a mouse, take the mousetrap to the aquarium. After that, slowly move the mouse into the aquarium. You can put the trap into the tank and open it, or gently slide the mouse out of the bucket into the tank.
Do not handle a wild rat that has just been caught as it could bite you
Step 4. Wear gloves when handling mice
Since wild rats can spread disease to humans, you need to wear thick gloves when handling them. Place your palm under the rat's belly and gently squeeze the back of its head to prevent it from escaping.
- Don't touch the rat too often so you don't get bitten.
- Never lift a rat by its tail as it may break off.
Method 2 of 3: Setting Up the Aquarium
Step 1. Choose a glass or plastic tank with a capacity of 30 liters for every 1 mouse
Choose an aquarium that can be covered with a wire mesh at the top. Place the aquarium in a quiet room away from people and other animals. Make sure the aquarium is not exposed to direct sunlight so that the mice do not overheat.
If the net cover is not firmly attached, place a rock or book on it. Make sure the aquarium ventilation is not compromised
Step 2. Cover the bottom of the aquarium with paper scraps or wood shavings
Cover the bottom of the aquarium with 5-8 cm thick bedding to keep the mice comfortable. You can use scraps of paper or wood shavings as a base so the mice can still dig holes in the tank.
Do not use pine or cedar shavings as the oils are toxic to rats
Step 3. Provide a container for eating and drinking
Place the food and drink containers in an area in the tank that is easily accessible to mice. You can place a small drinking bowl or water bottle that can be attached to the wall of the aquarium.
Step 4. Place a small box and cardboard pipe so the mice can hide inside
Place a small cardboard box in the corner of the aquarium so the mice can rest and hide in it quietly. If you want to keep a few rats, add more cardboard boxes, toilet paper tubes, or PVC pipes.
Bury the toilet paper tube under the bottom of the tank so that only one side is visible. By doing this, the rat can hide in it
Step 5. Add tree branches for the mice to chew on
Because their teeth are constantly growing, mice have to chew something often. Find a strong twig in the rat's natural habitat and place it in the aquarium for the rat to chew on.
- Do not use twigs that contain pesticides as they are toxic to rats.
- Make sure the twigs don't touch the ceiling of the tank so the mice can't climb up and escape.
- You can buy chew toys at your nearest pet store.
Method 3 of 3: Taking Care of Wild Rats
Step 1. Give mice special rodent pellets or fresh fruit and vegetables
Purchase pellets specifically for rodents at your nearest pet store to keep your rat's nutritional intake balanced. If you want to give your rat fresh food, cut fruit and vegetables into small pieces and place them in their feeding bowl. Make sure food is always available in the mouse tank.
- Some fruits and vegetables that are good for mice are peas, carrots, broccoli, apples, and bananas.
- Don't give mice cabbage, corn, onions, chocolate, or junk food.
- You can give forest mice sunflower seeds, nuts, or strawberries.
Step 2. Clean the mouse tank weekly
Remove the mice from the tank and transfer them to a plastic container before starting to clean the tank. Remove the mouse bedding and wipe the aquarium with soapy water. Place bedding, food and water bowls, and twigs back into the tank. After cleaning the tank, you can put the mice back in the tank.
- Remember, mice can jump. Therefore, make sure the plastic container used to confine the mouse has a height of about 15 cm.
- Clean several parts of the aquarium every day. Get rid of bedding that rats pollute on to prevent the aquarium from stinking.
Step 3. Fill the mouse's feeding and drinking bowl when it's finished
Check the mice's eating and drinking bowls to make sure their food and drinking water are not rotting or dirty. When the food and drink bowls run out, wash the bowls and then refill them immediately.
Check the feeding and drinking bowls daily so that the mice don't get stressed when they run out of food or water
Step 4. Give the mouse a treat to tame it
Put on gloves and grab a snack with your fingers. Let the rat come over and take the treat off your finger. Speak in a soft voice when giving your rat a treat so he understands that you are not going to hurt him. Give your rat a treat 1-2 times a week to help tame it.
- Wild rats cannot be fully tamed like domestic rats.
- Rat treats can be purchased at your nearest pet store.
Warning:
Rats will bite your finger because they are very curious. Therefore, even if the mouse is getting comfortable, you still need to wear gloves every time you handle the mouse.
Step 5. Separate the mice when they are aggressive towards each other
Male rats can generally live with other rats if cared for from a small age. However, male rats that live in the wild can become territorial if they live with other rats. If the mice are fighting a lot, separate them into a different tank.
Tips
- Buy a domestic mouse if you want to be a pet.
- When you find an injured baby mouse, you can look for the nearest wildlife rescue agency. Animal rescue workers will take and care for the rat.
Warning
- Wild rats can become stressed when interacting with humans. When stressed, mice will bite more often and die quickly.
- Always wear gloves when handling stray mice.
- Never mix wild mice with domestic mice. Rats will spread disease or become aggressive.
- Before catching wild rats, make sure the area where you live allows residents to keep wild animals.
- Wild rats can spread many diseases, such as salmonella, hantavirus, and bubonic plague. Don't catch wild rats if you've never handled them.
