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Foraging and toys
Cage accessories
Kits and bundles
Fairy forest
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Sweetie stash
Game mode
Forest floor
Castles and cathedrals
Why pet mice need tunnels
Mice are prey animals, and the RSPCA says they prefer to stay near cover. In an open cage a mouse feels exposed. Tunnels give it covered routes to move around, places to hide from cage-mates, and something to chew. The RSPCA names cardboard tubes and tunnels among the best ways to keep mice busy, and PDSA says mice enjoy exploring and hiding in tunnels and tubes.
Tunnels also help a group of mice live together peacefully. The RSPCA says shelters should have more than one exit so a mouse can avoid a cage-mate. A two-ended tunnel works the same way: no mouse gets trapped at a dead end. Our mouse behaviour guide explains the chasing and squabbling a good layout prevents.
What size tunnel does a mouse need?
| Inside width | Fit for pet mice |
|---|---|
| Under 3.5 cm (1.4 in) | Too tight: risk of getting wedged, avoid |
| About 4 cm (1.5 in) | Ideal for most mice, like a toilet roll tube |
| 5 to 6 cm (2 to 2.4 in) | Good for big mice and for two passing |
| Over 7 cm (2.75 in) | Fine, but feels less snug; better as a hide |
Length is up to you. Short tubes of 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) are easy to clean and swap; longer tunnels are fun if both ends stay open and you can see or reach inside.
Best materials for mouse tunnels
Mice gnaw constantly, so a tunnel will be chewed. Pick something that is safe to chew, or tough enough that it won't break into sharp pieces.
| Material | Why use it | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Cardboard tubes and boxes | Free, chewable, the RSPCA's top pick | Plain card, no tape or glue blobs; replace when soggy |
| Untreated wood | Long-lasting, good for gnawing | No varnish, paint or aromatic oils; PDSA says untreated |
| Cork bark tubes | Natural, grippy, chewable | Check for splits and loose chunks |
| Woven grass, hay or willow | Edible, light, good in bedding | Bin once badly chewed or soiled |
| Hard plastic tubes | Easy to wash | Air holes, wide enough, no chewed sharp edges |
| Fabric tunnels | Soft and cosy | Tight weave only; loose threads can wrap toes |
Avoid anything fluffy or stringy. PDSA warns that cotton-like materials can be dangerous if swallowed and can tangle round feet and toes. A frayed fabric tunnel is a real risk, so check edges weekly and bin it once threads pull loose.
Free and homemade mouse tunnels
The best mouse tunnels cost nothing. Cardboard is chewable, disposable and easy to swap, so you can change the layout every week.
- Toilet roll and kitchen roll tubes
- Small cardboard boxes with a hole cut in each end
- Egg boxes cut into arches and half-buried in bedding
- Paper bags opened at both ends and filled loosely with hay
- A tube stuffed with hay and a few seeds to dig through
- Two tubes joined through a box to make a junction
Stuff a toilet roll tube with hay and push a few pieces of the daily food into the middle. Your mice get a tunnel, a foraging puzzle and fresh nesting material in one go, and the RSPCA's point about mice chewing and manipulating cardboard is put to full use.
How to set up tunnels in a mouse cage
- Start with deep bedding. The RSPCA asks for at least 2 cm (0.8 in) so mice can dig, and more is better. Paper-based bedding is a good choice.
- Bury some tunnels. Push one or two tubes half into the bedding and pack it firmly around them, so mice can start their own burrows.
- Link the important places. Run covered routes between the nest box, the food and the water, so mice can cross the cage without being out in the open.
- Add height. Lean a wood or cork tube up to a platform as a covered ramp. Keep drops short.
- Keep two exits everywhere. Every tunnel and hide should have two ways out, so no mouse gets cornered.
- Watch the first day. The RSPCA suggests watching when you add new shelters to make sure cage-mates don't start squabbling over them.
- Swap weekly. Replace chewed cardboard and move one or two tunnels at each clean, leaving the nest alone so the cage still smells like home.
Our mouse cage setup guide shows where tunnels fit in a full layout, and the mouse bedding guide covers the best bedding to burrow in.
Are tube systems and plastic tunnels safe?
Hard plastic can be fine, but it has drawbacks. Mice chew it, and chewed plastic leaves sharp edges and swallowed pieces. Clip-together tube systems that run up the side of a cage or outside it are also hard to clean, can get hot and stuffy, and can trap a mouse at a tight bend. If you use them, choose wide tubes with air holes, keep runs short, and check every week. We'd use cardboard, wood and cork as the main tunnels and plastic only as an extra.
Hamster tunnels usually fit mice well, and our hamster tunnel guide covers the larger sizes. Avoid anything with gaps a tail or leg could slip into, the same rule PDSA gives for wheels.
Cleaning mouse tunnels
Mice often use one end of a tunnel as a toilet. Check tunnels every few days and replace cardboard that is wet, smelly or chewed thin. Wash wood, cork and plastic tunnels in hot water at the weekly clean and dry them fully before they go back, so nothing damp sits in the bedding. The MSD Veterinary Manual suggests a full clean with hot, soapy water at least weekly. Our mouse cage cleaning guide has the full routine.
More ways to keep mice busy
Tunnels are one part of a busy cage. Add a solid wheel big enough for a mouse to run with a straight back, ropes and branches to climb, untreated wood to gnaw and plenty of nesting material. See our guides to mouse enrichment, the best toys for mice, the best mouse hides and the complete pet mouse care guide.
Mouse tunnel questions
Are toilet roll tubes safe for mice?
Yes. PDSA lists toilet roll tubes among good hiding places, and the RSPCA says cardboard tubes are especially useful because mice can climb, chew and hide in them. Use plain tubes with no glue blobs, tape or heavy ink, and swap them as soon as they are soggy or chewed thin.
What size tunnel does a pet mouse need?
A tunnel a mouse can turn round in, about 4 cm (1.5 in) across inside for most pet mice. The RSPCA says shelters should let mice turn around easily without getting stuck. A standard toilet roll tube is about the right size. Bigger is fine; narrower risks a mouse getting wedged.
Are plastic tunnels safe for mice?
Hard plastic tubes are fine if they are wide enough, have two open ends and air holes, and the mice don't chew big pieces off. Check them weekly and bin any with chewed, sharp edges. Mice gnaw constantly, so chewable tunnels such as cardboard, cork and woven grass are better everyday choices.
Can mice use hamster tunnels?
Usually, yes. Most hamster tubes are wide enough for mice, and often roomier. Avoid narrow clip-together tube systems that run outside the cage or have tight bends, which are hard to clean and can trap a mouse. A tunnel running through the bedding works better than one running up the walls.
How many tunnels should a mouse cage have?
At least two or three, plus hides, so every mouse can get out of sight and away from the others. The RSPCA says mice are prey animals that like to stay near cover, and shelters need more than one exit so a mouse can avoid a cage-mate. More cover usually means more confident, more active mice.
Do mice like tunnels in their bedding?
Yes. Mice dig and burrow, so a tube half-buried in deep bedding becomes the start of their own tunnel system. The RSPCA asks for bedding at least 2 cm (0.8 in) deep for digging, and more is better. Pack the bedding firmly around the tube so it doesn't collapse.
