Sexing Harvest Mice
Sexing harvest mice can be done from 4 weeks, and can be tricky due to their size. A glass sexing jar can be used, or if you have a mesh lid careful observation whilst they climb around on it. Experienced rodent handlers can try lifting by the base of the tail to check underneath but this must be done with great care.
Sexing harvest mice is easier from the age of 8 weeks old, and are unlikely to breed before the age of 10 weeks.
Female harvest mice are called does and male harvest mice are called bucks.
- Males: Have a bulge at the base of their tail. This is easier to see on older animals.
- Females : Have obvious nipples. This is more apparent with older animals, and are most prominent if pregnant or nursing.
Main Method
Similar to most rodents the distance between urinary and anal openings is much smaller in females.
Videos of Harvest Mice
Handling Harvest Mice
These tiny rodents are extremely quick and fragile and can become stressed quite easily. Some harvest mice may never become accustomed to you and so handling should be avoided unless absolutely necessary.
Harvest mice as pets are very curious and some breeders may have animals available who are hand-tame. With these, you can let them climb on your hand and up your shoulder, but be careful due to their speed and penchant for sudden hops or jumps.
You can pick pet harvest mice up by cupping both hands together and encouraging the mouse to climb up. In actuality, the hardest part is actually returning them to their cage! They often find your hand more interesting than your home and tipping or rotating your hand just leads them to climb upside down. If your pet harvest mouse cannot be encouraged to return to his cage then you can try to very lightly lift them with your opposite hand by holding their sides and swiftly open your hand once they are safely down.
If you are confident at handling rodents then try picking your harvest mice up by the base of the tail whilst resting the body of the harvest mouse on your other hand. They may try to climb their own tail so you must move quickly, over the habitat or a large tub, and be careful not to drop them. They can have a sharp bite.
Another option for handling harvest mice is to place a box or container in the habitat and simply carefully pick this up once they are inside. You can use a toilet tube roll for this purpose, providing you block both ends as you lift up. Many keepers use a glass jar to help them sex their rodents or to check the overall health of their animals.
Harvest Mice Environment
Harvest mice are good, agile climbers so vertical height is important for any pet harvest mouse setup. A glass terrarium such as a good size (45cm cube minimum) Exo-Terra is a good harvest mouse setup, and these frequently are available second-hand via most ad sites or advertised on exotic forums.
Like any rodent your tank must be placed out of the way of direct sunlight, but it should also be noted that harvest mice are quite sensitive to aerosols, fly sprays, air fresheners and potentially smoking.
Some keepers advocate using a good quality bird sand or small woodchips for the substrate for your harvest mouse setup or pet-safe beddings such as megazorb or aubiose. A layer of hay provides valuable chewing as well as hiding places.
You should provide plenty of branches and safe rope such as sisal for climbing. If you collect your own branches make sure you are using safe woods and preparing it correctly. See Safe Woods for Pets for more information on this.
Harvest mice can construct their own nests providing you supply them with enough materials of grass and corn stalks but it is also a good idea to have ready made nests. You can also hang flowerpots, hayracks or even hollow out a tennis ball. A small solid-based wheel such as a silent spinner can be added, to help burn off some of their manic energy.
Although harvest mice are very messy in their food and water, making frequent changes needed, they do not tend to smell as much as most rodents. Harvest mice as pets generally need cleaning every few months, more than this could cause needless stress to your animals.