June is coming to an end and so is our time with the mouse as our Animal of the Month. If you were following us on Twitter @ExoticPetVets, we hope you enjoyed our tweets about these smart little creatures. In case you missed any of our fun and fascinating mouse facts, here is a summary. Did you know?:

• • Mice belong to the Muridea family of rodents, which includes rats and gerbils, in scientific classification.
  • Most pet mice are known as “fancy mice,” domesticated versions of the house mouse (Mus musculus).
  • There’s a long history of mice as pets, with some written and pictorial references dating back to ancient China and Egypt.
  • In Japan in the 1700’s, keeping mice as pets and selectively breeding them to create different varieties became popular.
  • The domesticated and different coloured mice made their way to Europe in the 1800’s.
  • The National Mouse Club in England was formed in 1895.
  • According to the National Mouse Club, there are 40 standard varieties of fancy mice, with up to 200 variations.
  • Not only do fancy mice have a variety of colours and patterns, they also have different eye colours and fur types.
  • Mice are intelligent and social, but somewhat timid as pets.
  • If they are socialized well from a young age, mice can be affectionate and easy to handle pets.
  • Mice are nimble, fast and may not be suitable in families with young kids who lack the motor skills to handle mice safely.
  • Mice make better pets in families with children who are older than 10.
  • Female mice in captivity can live peacefully together as they rarely fight.
  • Male mice are usually housed alone as they are likely to fight.
  • Mice also frequently reproduce so male and female mice are typically not housed together.
  • Mice can be active for short periods during the day, but tend to be nocturnal.
  • Mice are very intelligent and can be entertaining members of the family.
  • Mice can also be taught tricks!
  • Mice can be found everywhere in folklore, popular culture and language.
  • Examples of famous animated mice include Mickey and Minnie Mouse, Mighty Mouse and Jerry of the “Tom and Jerry” cartoons.
  • “Mouse” can also describe a timid, quiet person or a small device that points and selects items on a computer screen.