How to Bathe a Pet Mouse

Mice are quite efficient at keeping themselves clean, and bathe themselves with their own spit. Bathing poses several significant health risks for mice and should only be considered in extraordinary circumstances.

Emergency Baths

If your mouse has gotten excessively mucky or been exposed to some non-toxic, noxious substance then consider the following procedure:

1) Gather your supplies:

- Small, enclosed container with no sharp corners such as a clear plastic food storage container

- Gentle, fragrance free dish soap

- Shallow dish

- Towel

- Q-tips

- Cotton balls

- Blowdryer

2) Create a shallow bath in your dish. The water should be no deeper than 1" at the deepest part.

3) Add a single drop of dish soap to the water and mix thoroughly.

4) Place your cotton balls in the bottom of the storage container. These will help prevent your mouse from getting cold and will also help to dry them off.

5) Gently grasp your mouse and lift them up in one hand, supporting them with the other.

6) Dunk your mouse backwards into the water. Be extremely gentle and take care not to splash water in your mouse's eyes, ears, or nose.

7) Using your hands or a q-tips (be careful about going very deep into the ear canals or the ear drum can be easily ruptured) clean the areas that your mouse is unable to reach. Be especially gentle around the eyes.

8) Place your mouse back into the storage container and place them on the blow dryer on low. Be sure that your mouse is completely dry, paying special attention to the ears.