Baby Multimammate Mice can they go in with a fancy mouse

[Ruthy]

Honestly if you have good quality, well bred fancy mice, there isnt much of a size difference between the two species.

[x Sarah x]

Multi's are usually very sociable animals, and while it can be difficult to introduce other multi's to them, however raised together from young and you usually never have a problem.

You can search them on youtube and you'll get results of multi's living with mice, rats and even gerbils...

But like i say Multi's can be unpredictable, and while i wouldn't see one as a threat to a fancy rat, anything else could end in disaster should the multi take a turn. This is usually triggered by lack of water or food, but its not uncommon for them to decapitate cage mates for no apparent reason, so its at the owners own risk whether they choose to mix them.

[Twiglet]

Originally Posted by LisaLQ

I've never heard of it, and wouldn't do it personally. Different species are different species, just because they have similar needs does not mean it's going to be a good idea.

I'd hold out for some regular mice, it's not as if they're hard to come by

I've cohabited various species with much success and fancy mice will live with practically everything mentioned in this thread with the exception of zebra mice which are just not as social as the other species. It works beautifully but as with all introductions MUST be watched carefully.
Some one mentioned that spiny mice etc are wild animals... they are not. They can be considered domestic due to the fact that their natural behaviour has altertered and there are colour mutations.
The only issue you're likely to find cohabiting spiny mice with anything is that courtship involves alot of chasing which fancies and other mice don't really know what to make of.
I've also cohabited mongolian and pallid gerbils with spiny mice of several species with no problems.
I'd suggest putting a young female multi in with your male mouse.

Good luck!

Kat

[Amalthea]

Personally, I'd got for two baby female multis

[Twiglet]

^^^ as above... then when the old male mouse passes you dont end up with the same problem again and have to worry about reintroducing a single multi to more friends.

Kat

[spider_duck]

Ive only ever seen multis once, from afar, I thought they were huge In my mind its like putting one of the rats in with the mice

[x Sarah x]

Which people have actually done before (rats and mice)

personally i don't see the point, why risk it when its SO easy to get hold of another mouse?

I'd only mix species if it were totally necessary, which it isn't.

If you recommend mixing species, and she takes your advice and someone dies, how will you feel then? yes 90% of the time there isn't a problem putting mice with multi's, but there is still that other percentage in which one gets killed or critically injured.

Don't make it out to be all cute and friendly, make the risks fully noticed, and then at least if she does decide to do it, she has been made aware, that way no ones advice can be blamed.

[Amalthea]

Because adding a new male mouse is usually impossible, that's why! Male fancies do not tend to take kindly to new males. And if she puts female fancies with him, she'll have loads of babies, and he's too old now for her to neuter him. Therefore, the best solution is a few female multis.

[Muze]

I have successfully kept multi's and fancy mice together when needed for a couple of years now, like other posters have done, in the pairings mentioned. Ive had no problems with it and infact there seems to be fewer squabbles.

It saved males being alone and also saved babies a few times when ive had to surrogate them.

[spider_duck]

Mice and rats!? SERIOUSLY!? My rats would eat my mice if they were in together Scary stuff!