Do mice like cold rooms? What you need to know

If you keep pet mice, you better make sure the room temperature is within their comfort zone. Mice do not like cold rooms, and as pet owners, we are responsible for our small friends’ wellness. In this post, I will explain what temperatures mice like to live in, as well as how to make sure they are comfortable if your room is a little too cold from time to time.

Do mice like cold rooms?

No, mice do not like cold rooms. If the room is colder than 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.5 Celcius), they will most likely be too cold. Mice are good at surviving different climates, but they will be uncomfortable if a room is too cold. 

Most homes are well within the temperature range that mice find acceptable. Usually, they prefer a room temperature of between 60-80 degrees Fahrenheit (18-27 degrees Celcius).  Keeping mice in a room that is on the colder end of this scale can not only cause illness but also slow their growth.

The room temperature isn’t the only important factor, though. They need to have places to hide within their confinement as well. This will help them stay comfortable when they are too cold or too warm. Consider adding shelter to your mouse cage. Suitable shelters come in a variety of forms, ranging from boxes, tunnels, and stone caves, to hollowed-out branches, or other objects you’d find in nature. Feel free to test out a few configurations and see how your mice react. If they pay little-to-no attention to the new addition to their home, consider swapping it out for something different.

There have actually been studies done on the effect that different cage configurations have on rats and mice. In general, they’ve found that mice behave more naturally in cages adequately furnished with nature-like objects to keep them interested in their surroundings. Mice are rarely happy in dull confinements, and as pet owners, I believe it is our responsibility to keep our little friends satisfied, in any way we can.

If you plan to keep mice, you might want to control the temperature in the room that you will keep them in. You wouldn’t want your new pets coming home to a home that they won’t enjoy. Also, remember to be mindful of changes in temperature due to open windows, colder weather, and so on.

While mice are able to resist temperatures that are far lower than the average house, you really should do your best to always make sure they are comfortable and happy with their living environment. If you don’t, then chances are they will be more susceptible to illness and depression.

How to help mice stay comfortable in a cold room

If your house is on the colder side, there are multiple ways to make sure your pet mouse can stay warm. One thing that you could do is creating enclosed hammocks. Basically, this is a regular hammock with an extra layer of fabric on top, which helps your mouse keep their temperature up throughout the day. 

I’d go for multiple beds with varying amounts of padding, so the mouse can choose where to sleep depending on how cold it is. You could put some extra blankets in their cage, to make sure that all your pets have access to something warm.

Some people also cover their cage with a blanket or towel when they notice their mice are cold. This helps with warming up the air inside the cage, which can be necessary for a cold home.

Keeping multiple rodents in the same cage could also help them keep warm. Ideally, your mice like each other’s company and snuggle up together when they are cold. Not all mice like getting too close to their cage-mates, but even then, additional mice or rats help to warm up the cage.

Lastly, if you don’t already have a little house in their cage, you might want to add one. This could be a cardboard box with holes that they can run through or a house for, say, hamsters. Put some wool, fabric, or blanket fabric inside, to further help them stay warm. In addition to that, some snacks could help them keep their metabolism going, providing some extra warmth. Maybe try some blueberries?

I’ve heard from many rat owners that their rodents love these houses, and the same goes for mice. As I’ve already covered, the way your furnish your pet mouse’s cage is really important. You’ll need to keep it interesting for him or her, and why not switch out a few objects once in a while? We should all do our best to keep our mice happy!

Do mice get sick when they are cold?

Yes, mice can get sick in cold environments. Just like humans, being cold during extended periods of time isn’t good for mice. This is one of the most important reasons to make sure they are warm enough in their home. Illnesses caused by cold surroundings mostly include common colds & influenza.

How cold can a mouse survive?

A mouse can survive very low temperatures for short periods. For extender times, though, they will need a temperature of at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18.5 Celsius), to stay happy and healthy. Mice don’t hibernate during the winter, so they have developed some pretty creative techniques to stay alive when the weather is rough. They are great at finding warm spots to hide, and aren’t bad at building nests, either!

Conclusion

So, by now you know the risks of keeping a pet mouse in a room that is too cold. Make sure to house the lovely animals at a temperature of at least 65 degrees Fahrenheit (18,5 C), but that is really the lowest end of the acceptable range. Mice are resilient and smart animals, and they can figure out how to survive pretty much anywhere, but when you confine them to a cage, it is on you to make sure they are comfortable!

Take care of your pet mouse by providing good shelter! Imagine how boring it would be to live in a completely empty apartment or house. Well, the same goes for rats! They thrive in interesting environments and love a place to hide in if things get cold.

I hope you found this article helpful!