Pet Mice

Pet mice are descendents of the common house mouse. The word mouse comes from the Sanskrit word 'musha' which means thief. Perhaps that best explains their relationship with man. Mice began living with humans as many as 10,000 years ago. As civilizations began trading, mice hid in merchants' bundles and traveled to the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Europe. As people explored the New World, mice went on these adventures, sailing the seas and traveling to new lands. Mice are believed to have been introduced to North America by the Spanish sailors.

These mouse adventurers were not welcome wherever they went. In the fourteenth century, China and Europe were ravaged by the bubonic plague also known as the Black Death. The plague was caused by the bacteria carried by infected fleas which would travel on the fur of mice and rats. Even though the disease was the result of the fleas, the mouse still carries much of the blame as they transported these little insects.

Saint Gertrude was the patron saint of mouse and rat catchers. She is celebrated for having expelled swarms of mice.

However, some ancient societies worshipped these animals. Ancient Egyptians believed that they were born from the mud of the Nile and had healing properties. Other societies believed that mice could cure diseases including measles, whooping cough, and small pox.

Greek naturalist Pliny credited mice with prophesy, observing that "When the building is about to fall down, all the mice desert it."