Fancy mice

[user127819]

Does anyone here have experience with fancy mice? We're thinking of getting some. Please tell me the good, the bad and the ugly!

Don’t do it.
Everyone tells you it’s only the boys that smell but it’s lies.
I had girl mice and the smell was out of this world horrific.
Literally fully clean out the whole cage and toys and everything and within 4 hours you can smell it again.
The wee is the most pungent smelling thing ever and they cover everything in it, bedding, toys, bowls..
You can never properly get the smell out as everything made for them is either plastic or wood.
They also poo whenever you handle them, though DD seems to find that endearing and wants more of the smelly devils.
No chance!
Honestly if you have sense of smell whatsoever, don’t do it.
Gerbils I hear I supposed to be non smelly, maybe try them instead?

Thanks. I've found mixed information on their smell. Perhaps some people genuinely can't smell it.

I've had gerbils for many years (they are very low odour), but thinking of trying something new. I've had hamsters too.

Thanks. I've found mixed information on their smell. Perhaps some people genuinely can't smell it
Perhaps, it really is eye wateringly strong though!
I wasn’t expecting it because everything I had read said only boys smell.

They are cute, gentle little creatures though, DD loved them, despite all the poo

@Borderstotheleftofme
Was it a urine smell, or something else?

Tribe, the mouse itself itself doesn’t smell though the boys apparently have any sky odour from what I read

**urine, not tribe

They wee constantly, so as you are holding them they are urinating all over you. Fancy rats? They smell tho.

We never found that they peed on us while being handled but they did used to poo a lot whenever handled!

They poo constantly..they don't have the mechanism like a lot of animals of needing the loo,it just processes constantly and comes out. I think they're so cute and love them and they're friendly,easy to tame, don't bite but yes the smell is something!

The more you clean them out the more they stink. They will scent mark and will do it again if you clean. They can actually make themselves ill trying to 'repair' the damage you've done to their lovely stinky home.

It's best to clean bits of their cage instead of doing it all at once.

I've worked with rats and mice - much prefer rats, easier to tame, easier to handle, and much less stinky, can be litter trained for poos.

Like them so much I had pet ones too, until I became allergic.

They do still smell though, and the cleaning out advice is similar.

The more you clean them out the more they stink. They will scent mark and will do it again if you clean
It's best to clean bits of their cage instead of doing it all at once
I did try this for nearly a month and the smell was intolerable.
I honestly don’t know how people keep these animals, truly.
They are supremely cute granted but the stench 🤢

Ok I think there's a consensus forming here. Mice stink.

I considered rats but a member of the household has an aversion to them (more to the idea of rats than the reality to be honest).

My mum used to shudder at the thought of rats, until she met mine. Definitely recommend exposure therapy