Hides and houses
Shelves and ledges
Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
Spooky mischief
Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
What is the best cage for pet mice?
A cage that is big enough, escape-proof and airy. That means three checks before anything else: floor size, bar gap and base. Colour, tubes and the accessories in the box matter much less, because you will replace most of them.
- Check the floor. At least 80 × 50 cm (31 × 20 in) for three or four mice, as Woodgreen recommends, and 100 × 50 cm (39 × 20 in) for up to six. Long and wide beats tall.
- Measure the bar gap. The PDSA and PetMD say no more than 6 mm (¼ in). Woodgreen allows 7 to 9 mm but calls 7 mm the safest. Use a ruler; listings often say "narrow bars" without a number.
- Look at the base. Solid, never wire mesh, which the MSD Veterinary Manual and RSPCA Australia say hurts feet and legs. A tray at least 15 cm (6 in) deep holds enough bedding to burrow; that depth is our suggestion, since the RSPCA asks for bedding deep enough to dig into.
- Check the doors. Big doors make cleaning easier, and the bar gap around them must be as narrow as the rest. Small gaps at hinges and corners are where mice get out.
- Check the height. About 35 to 50 cm (14 to 20 in) is plenty. The RSPCA warns mice can break limbs falling from height, so a very tall cage needs shelves close together.
Our mouse cage size guide has sizes for every group, plus a simple rule for working out the floor you need.
Is a tank or cage better for mice?
A barred cage. This is the one point where good sources disagree, so here is both sides.
| Barred cage | Glass tank with mesh lid | |
|---|---|---|
| Airflow | Good on every side | Only from the top; PetMD notes solid walls trap ammonia |
| Heat | Stays close to room temperature | Can warm up, and the PDSA says plastic and glass trap humidity |
| Climbing | Mice climb the bars; ropes and shelves clip on | Nothing to climb unless you add it |
| Deep bedding | Needs a deep base | Holds as much as you like, no mess |
| Who backs it | PDSA, RSPCA Australia | AFRMA (an American mouse and rat club), with a screen top |
We follow the PDSA. A barred cage gives better air, more climbing and a steadier temperature, all of which the UK charities put first. A tank can work if it is large, has a full mesh lid (the MSD manual suggests mesh with holes of 1 cm or less), and sits in a cool, airy room, with bedding changed often. Read our pet mouse temperature guide before putting a tank anywhere sunny.
What to skip when buying a mouse cage
Skip anything that fails the size, bar or floor test, however nice it looks. These are the common traps.
- Starter kits with tubes and pods but little floor space: the PDSA says most pet shop cages are not nearly big enough
- Rabbit and guinea pig cages: the two we checked had bars 2.45 cm and 2.9 cm (about 1 in) apart, so a mouse walks straight out
- Adult rat cages: one we checked had 23 mm (almost 1 in) gaps, far too wide for mice
- Wooden cages and hutches: the MSD manual calls wood unacceptable because urine soaks in
- Wire or grid floors and wire shelves
- Very tall cages with long open drops
- Shallow trays that spill bedding every time a mouse digs
Young mice can squeeze through gaps that look far too small. Woodgreen calls 7 mm the safest and the PDSA says 6 mm. If your mice are still young and small, go for 6 mm (¼ in), even if adults would be fine at 7 mm.
Are Pets at Home mouse cages any good?
A few are, if you choose the bigger ones. Pets at Home sells two cages we would look at for mice: the Savic Plaza 100, at 100 × 50 × 50 cm (39 × 20 × 20 in), and its own Habitat 4 Deep Base, at 78.5 × 57.5 × 45 cm (31 × 23 × 18 in). Both meet or come close to Woodgreen's size for three or four mice. Neither listing gives the bar gap in millimetres, so take a ruler to the shop or ask before you order.
Their smaller "Habitat" and "Plastic Home" cages are sold for dwarf hamsters and mice too. Check any of them against 80 × 50 cm (31 × 20 in) of floor. Our view is that most small starter cages work only as a travel or hospital cage.
Best pet mouse cages: our picks
We don't make pieces for mice yet, so these are from other shops we'd look at. We checked each listing live in November 2026. Always measure the bars when it arrives.
Skyline Barney Small Pet Cage
Our top pick. 100 × 56 × 46 cm (39 × 22 × 18 in), 7 mm bar spacing and a 17 cm (6.5 in) deep base tray, so it passes every test on this page and holds deep bedding. It is listed for hamsters and mice. Room for a group of up to six. Check the bars on a young mouse; 7 mm suits adults best.
Savic Plaza 100
A long, low barred cage at 100 × 50 × 50 cm (39 × 20 × 20 in), sold for mice and hamsters with narrow bars, though the listing gives no figure. The floor area matches Woodgreen's size for up to six. Pets at Home lists it for two mice; we'd say it fits a larger group comfortably. Measure the bars before the mice go in.
Pets at Home Habitat 4 Deep Base
78.5 × 57.5 × 45 cm (31 × 23 × 18 in), with a deep base made for burrowing and narrow bars. The floor is just short of 80 cm long but wider than 50 cm, so the area is a little more than Woodgreen's size for three or four. A good choice if you want a deep tray from a UK high-street shop.
Skyline Speedy Gonzales 80
A smaller option at 76 × 44 × 48 cm (30 × 17 × 19 in), with 7 mm bars and a 15 cm (6 in) base. It is under Woodgreen's size, so we would use it for two or three mice at most, or as a spare cage for cleaning days and vet visits.
Thrive Open Glass Terrarium, 40 gallon
For US owners who prefer a tank, in the AFRMA style. 36 × 18 × 18 in (91 × 46 × 46 cm), so the floor beats Woodgreen's size for six. The listing does not say what the lid is made of: you need a full mesh top for airflow. Keep it out of the sun and change bedding often, as tanks hold ammonia.
Big US barred cages often have bars of ⅜ in (9.5 mm) or ½ in (13 mm), which is wider than UK charities allow for mice. Check the listed wire spacing before buying any American cage marked "small animal".
Mouse cage setup: what to put in the cage
A good cage is only half the job. The RSPCA says mice like to stay near upright surfaces and find bare open space stressful, so fill it. Here is the kit list; our mouse cage setup guide shows how to lay it out.
- Paper bedding at least 2 cm (1 in) deep, more for burrowing; see best bedding for pet mice
- At least two hides with more than one exit; see best mouse hides and houses
- A solid upright wheel of about 20 cm (8 in); see the right wheel for pet mice
- Plain paper, tissue or hay for nests, never cotton wool
- Cardboard tubes, ropes, ladders and apple or willow branches
- A dig box and food scattered for foraging
- A water bottle, checked morning and evening
Buy the cage before the mice. Set it up, leave it a day and look at how much open floor is left with everything inside. If you can barely see the bedding, the cage is too small for the group you planned.
For food, handling and health as well as housing, see our pet mouse care guide.
Mouse cage questions
What kind of cage should mice be kept in?
A barred cage with a deep plastic base, bars no more than 6 to 7 mm (1/4 in) apart and a solid floor. The PDSA and the RSPCA in Australia both prefer barred cages for airflow. For three or four mice, Woodgreen gives 80 x 50 x 35 cm (31 x 20 x 14 in) as the size to aim for.
Is a tank or cage better for mice?
A barred cage, in our view. The PDSA advises against glass and plastic cages, and RSPCA Australia says to avoid aquariums, because solid sides trap ammonia and heat. Some American mouse clubs keep mice in screen-topped tanks. If you choose a tank, it needs a full mesh lid and a cool, airy room.
What are some good things to put in a mouse cage?
Deep paper bedding, at least two hides with more than one exit, a solid wheel of about 20 cm (8 in), nest material such as plain paper or hay, cardboard tubes, ropes, low shelves, apple or willow branches, a dig box and a water bottle. Scatter the food so they forage for it.
Are Pets at Home mouse cages big enough?
Some are. Their Savic Plaza 100 is 100 x 50 x 50 cm and the Habitat 4 Deep Base is 78.5 x 57.5 x 45 cm, both close to or above Woodgreen's size for three or four mice. Smaller cages in their mouse range are below it. Measure any cage against 80 x 50 cm of floor before you buy.
Can mice live in a hamster cage?
Yes, if the bars are narrow enough and the floor is big enough. Many hamster cages are sold for mice too, but check the bar gap with a ruler: the PDSA says no more than 6 mm (1/4 in). Wide-barred hamster and rat cages let mice, especially young ones, walk straight out.
Do mice need a big cage?
Yes, bigger than most people expect. The RSPCA says wild mice travel many hundreds of metres a day, and pet mice still need to run, climb, dig and forage. A cage also has to hold a wheel, hides and a dig box. PDSA says most pet shop cages are not nearly big enough.
Should I buy a breeding cage for mice?
No. We'd never breed pet mice at home. The MSD Veterinary Manual says a female can be pregnant again within 24 hours of giving birth and have up to 15 litters a year, with 10 to 12 babies each time. Keep same-sex groups, or a neutered male with females, and there is nothing to plan for.
Sources
- Woodgreen: Caring for mice as pets
- PDSA: The ideal home for your mice
- RSPCA: Creating a good home for mice
- RSPCA: Understanding mouse behaviour
- RSPCA Australia: Essential tips on housing mice
- MSD Veterinary Manual: Providing a home for mice
- MSD Veterinary Manual: Breeding and reproduction of mice
- AFRMA: Pet mouse and rat care sheet
- PetMD: Pet mouse care sheet
