- Mice have been domesticated for hundreds of years. The National Mouse Club of Britain was formed in 1895.
- Mice are nocturnal animals and are often more active at night than during the day.
- Mice are able to see some colors; however, they do lack the pigment that allows them to see red. They see shades of black and white and may be able to distinguish blues.
- Though generally classified as herbivores and eat a regular diet of grains and fruit, mice will eat almost anything they encounter.
- Many people consider mice to be great pets, thanks to their entertaining antics and - once tame - affectionate behavior.
- Contrary to popular belief, mice are exceptionally clean - often organizing their home into areas specific for food, shelter, and bathroom purposes.
- The average pet mouse lives between 1-1/2 and 2 years. This is considerably longer than the average life span of wild mice, who often live only for a few months, mostly due to constant predation from other animals.
- In addition to the ordinary domestic mouse, other pet varieties include fancy mice (with a variety of coat colors), spiny mice (with shorter, more bristly fur), and zebra mice (with attractive stripes marking their fur).
- Though mice are excellent climbers, in the wild, they prefer to remain on the ground and construct paths through the grasses and foliage to link areas of food, water, and nesting supplies with their dens.
- Some mice may play dead if they are frightened and cannot quickly escape.
