Live Mouse 18-22g - Specialist Reptile Feed

Live Mouse 18-22g is one live, weight-graded domestic mouse supplied for specialist reptile-feeding contexts. The wholesale record identifies the item as one live mouse in the medium 18-22 gram band. It is not a frozen mouse, a pack of several mice or a pet-care starter kit. Weight is the only size information confirmed by the supplier; age, sex, colour and exact body dimensions are not guaranteed.

Live vertebrate prey requires a much higher welfare threshold than ordinary reptile food. Frozen-thawed or appropriately pre-killed prey is the preferred routine option for most captive reptiles. Do not place a live mouse with a predator as a normal feeding method. UK animal-welfare rules protect vertebrates from unnecessary suffering, and current statutory pet-business guidance treats live vertebrate feeding as exceptional, requiring individual justification, senior oversight and veterinary advice in licensed settings.

Live Mouse 18-22g facts

Detail	Confirmed information	Important limit
Product	One live domestic mouse	Not frozen and not a multi-pack
Weight grade	18-22g	Individual shape and length can vary within the band
Supplier category	Reptile feed / vivarium animal food	This does not remove the mouse's welfare protections
Species	Domestic mouse, normally Mus musculus	The wholesale row says only “Mouse”; strain is not documented
Age	Not supplied	Weight must not be converted into a claimed age
Sex	Not supplied	Do not group unfamiliar mice without confirming sex and compatibility
Country of birth	Not supplied in the product row	Ask before ordering if origin information is required
Image	Illustrative image of white feeder mice	It is not the exact mouse and does not show the listing quantity

What exactly is being sold?

The supplier stock record reads “Mouse / (1 pc) - live” with a medium 18-22g size. This listing therefore covers one living mouse selected into that weight band. It must not be described as frozen, pre-killed, a bag of mice, an exact-age mouse or a guaranteed sex. The 18-22g range is a dispatch grade, not a promise that every animal has the same length, girth or maturity.

The scientific name Mus musculus is appropriate for the domestic house mouse commonly used in captivity, but the supplier has not documented a strain, colour line or genetic status. Nothing on this page establishes specific-pathogen-free, laboratory, pet-quality, breeding-quality or veterinary-screened status.

The product is listed under specialist reptile feed because that is its supplier category. The mouse is nevertheless a live mammal. Calling an animal “feed” does not turn it into an inert food item while it is alive.

Live versus frozen-thawed prey

Question	Live mouse	Frozen-thawed mouse
Welfare of prey	Risk of fear, injury and prolonged suffering	Animal has been killed before presentation
Risk to reptile	A live rodent can bite or scratch	No defensive bite risk
Keeper responsibility	Full live-mammal care and lawful handling apply	Requires safe frozen storage and correct thawing
Routine use	Not recommended	Preferred for most reptiles that accept it
If refused	Do not jump straight to live prey	Review temperature, husbandry, prey size and presentation with an exotics vet

Many feeding refusals are linked to husbandry, stress, seasonal behaviour, inappropriate prey size or illness. Check enclosure temperatures, hides, handling, shedding status and recent weight trend. Repeatedly offering larger or more stimulating prey can hide the cause rather than solve it.

If a reptile will not take suitable frozen-thawed or pre-killed prey, obtain advice from a reptile-experienced vet. Exceptional live-feeding decisions need an individual welfare justification; a generic product page cannot provide one.

UK welfare context

The UK Government animal-welfare guidance explains that the Animal Welfare Act 2006 protects vertebrates and requires a suitable environment, suitable diet, normal behaviour opportunities, appropriate social housing and protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease. It also prohibits causing unnecessary suffering.

Current statutory guidance for animal-selling businesses in England says animals should only be fed live vertebrate prey in exceptional circumstances. In a licensed business, the justification must include veterinary advice and weigh the welfare of predator and prey. The RSPCA's current policy also opposes feeding live vertebrate prey because both prey and predator can be harmed.

This section is a welfare warning, not personal legal advice. Laws and licensing can depend on the seller, buyer, intended use, location and transport arrangement. The safe default is not to use direct live feeding and to seek professional advice before an exceptional case.

Checks to complete before ordering

Do not order a live mouse speculatively, to “keep for a few feeds”, or because a reptile might need it later. A live mouse cannot be stored like frozen prey. Once received, it needs continuous care for as long as it remains alive.

Transport and receipt

Tropical Fish Co's published specialist courier information is written for live fish. A courier authorised and equipped for fish is not automatically confirmed for small mammals. This product therefore requires a pre-order transport check. Do not rely on the normal dry-goods checkout estimate or the live-fish guarantee as proof that a mouse can be dispatched to your postcode.

At receipt, an adult must be present. Move the closed carrier to a quiet, temperature-stable area away from predators, children and other pets. Inspect the animal without prolonged exposure or chasing. If it is injured, cold, overheated, unresponsive, breathing abnormally or unable to move normally, contact Tropical Fish Co immediately and seek veterinary advice.

Do not release a domestic mouse outdoors. Do not leave a carrier in a vehicle, direct sun, a cold porch or beside a heater. Transport packaging is temporary and must not become long-term housing.

Temporary housing is still full housing

A mouse needs an escape-proof, well-ventilated enclosure with solid flooring and enough room to stand upright, turn, run, dig, hide and rest. The current statutory retail guidance for domestic small rodents gives these functions explicitly. A small ventilated delivery tub cannot provide them for ongoing care.

Provide a dry sleeping area, at least one enclosed hide and generous dust-free substrate. Suitable mouse substrates in the statutory guidance include non-aspen woodchips, cellulose-based chips or shredded paper. Suitable nesting materials include hay, shredded paper, paper strips and tissues. Do not use fluffy cotton-wool bedding that can separate into fine strands.

Keep the enclosure away from draughts, damp, direct sun, kitchens, smoke, aerosols and high-frequency noise. The government guidance gives a broad 12-26C retail range for small rodents, but a stable comfortable room temperature and species-appropriate care plan are better than treating the endpoints as targets.

Food and water while the mouse is alive

Fresh clean drinking water must remain available. A secure bottle or suitable system should be positioned so leaks do not soak the sleeping area. Check flow after filling and at least daily. Dehydration can develop quickly in a warm carrier or unfamiliar enclosure.

Provide a complete food formulated for domestic mice, available consistently, and monitor whether it is eaten. A few seeds or a piece of fruit are not a balanced holding diet. Remove spoiled fresh food and keep dry feed clean. Seek veterinary advice promptly if the mouse does not eat, looks unwell or deteriorates.

Give safe gnawing and exploration opportunities, such as cardboard tubes or suitable untreated branches. Avoid rubber enrichment that could be swallowed and avoid anything with sharp edges, adhesive residue, ink contamination or small trapping gaps.

Sex, grouping and social needs

The supplier row does not state sex. This matters because unfamiliar adult males may fight, while mixed-sex housing can result in breeding. Do not place this mouse into an existing group simply because the animals look similar. Confirm sex, health and compatibility through a competent source first.

Domestic mice are social, but safe grouping depends on sex, familiarity, age, space and individual behaviour. Where a social mouse must be housed alone, it needs additional enrichment and observation. This listing cannot promise that a single unknown mouse will integrate with animals already kept.

Do not house it with rats, hamsters, gerbils or another species. Keep the mouse physically and visually protected from the intended predator while it remains alive.

Humane handling

Prepare the destination enclosure before opening the carrier. Work in a closed room with blocked escape routes. Encourage the mouse into a small tunnel, cup or hide for transfer rather than chasing it around the container.

Do not pick a mouse up by the ears, scruff or unsupported tail. The statutory guidance warns that unsupported tail lifting can break the tail or strip its skin. Support the body and keep handling brief, calm and close to a secure surface.

Wash hands before and after contact. Clean equipment appropriately, but avoid exposing the mouse to disinfectant fumes or wet chemical residue. Keep food utensils separate from human kitchen equipment.

Health and welfare checks

Check	Expected	Seek prompt advice if
Breathing	Quiet and regular	Open-mouth breathing, marked effort, clicking or discharge
Movement	Alert, coordinated and weight-bearing	Collapse, circling, dragging a limb or repeated falling
Coat and skin	Clean, without obvious wounds	Bleeding, swelling, extensive hair loss or parasites
Eyes and nose	Open and clear	Crusting, persistent closure or coloured discharge
Eating and drinking	Uses both after settling	No intake, rapid decline or signs of dehydration
Body condition	Neither emaciated nor markedly distended	Prominent bones, severe swelling or sudden weight change

A feeder label is not a reason to ignore illness or injury. A sick animal should not be offered to a reptile. Isolate from other mice when disease is suspected and contact an appropriate vet.

What does 18-22g tell you about prey size?

The weight band gives a more repeatable description than “medium”, but it does not prove suitability for any named snake. Corn snakes, kingsnakes and pythons vary by species, age, body condition, feeding history and individual build.

Ask a reptile-experienced vet or competent keeper to assess the exact animal and diet. Track the reptile's body condition and weight rather than increasing prey size automatically. Regurgitation, prolonged swelling, injury, refusal or rapid body-condition change needs a husbandry review, not a more aggressive feeding method.

For routine feeding, compare the appropriately sized frozen options rather than using this live listing as a size chart.

Frozen alternatives on Tropical Fish Co

Product	Format	Check before choosing
Frozen Mouse Large	Frozen mice in several pack sizes	Confirm individual prey size, not only pack count
Frozen Mouse Nestling 1-2 Days	Very small frozen prey	Only for reptiles whose feeding plan calls for this size
Frozen Mouse Crawlers	Frozen crawler mice, bulk pack	Check individual weight and freezer capacity

Frozen prey must remain frozen in storage and be thawed safely before feeding. Never microwave a whole rodent, offer it partly frozen or refreeze a thawed item. Follow the product-specific handling instructions and veterinary guidance for the reptile.

Gallery image and quantity disclosure

The preserved gallery image is an illustrative scene showing several white mice in a ventilated tub labelled as reptile feeders. The product quantity is one mouse. The image is not a photograph of the exact animal, does not guarantee colour or sex, and the pictured tub is not presented as suitable long-term housing.

Sources and evidence limits

Product identity, quantity, live status, weight and category come from the current Petra Aqua wholesale stock row. Welfare information is based on the UK Government's Animal Welfare Act guidance and the June 2026 statutory guidance for animal-selling businesses, including its domestic-small-rodent and live-vertebrate-feeding sections. The RSPCA policy book provides the welfare position on live vertebrate prey.

The supplier does not provide age, sex, colour, country of birth, veterinary history or a named reptile-suitability list. This page does not invent them. Tropical Fish Co must confirm any required origin, licensing and transport details before accepting a live-mammal order.

Frequently asked questions

Is this mouse alive or frozen?

It is one live mouse in the 18-22g weight band. Choose a frozen-mouse listing if you need frozen-thawed reptile food.

How many mice are included?

One. The gallery image shows several mice as an illustration and is not a quantity photograph.

Is the mouse exactly 20g?

No. The dispatch grade is 18-22g, so an individual can fall anywhere within that range.

Is age or sex guaranteed?

No. The supplier row confirms weight only. Age, sex, colour and exact dimensions are not supplied.

Do you recommend feeding the mouse live?

No. Frozen-thawed or appropriately pre-killed prey is preferred for routine feeding. Live vertebrate feeding raises serious prey and predator welfare risks and should only be considered exceptionally with professional advice.

Can a live mouse injure a snake?

Yes. A mouse can bite or scratch a predator, especially if the reptile does not feed immediately. This is one reason frozen-thawed prey is preferred.

Which snakes can eat an 18-22g mouse?

The supplier does not provide a species list. Suitability depends on the exact reptile, body condition and feeding plan, so obtain species-specific guidance rather than relying on weight alone.

Can I buy several and keep them for future feeds?

Only if you can meet full mouse welfare needs, confirm sex and compatibility, prevent breeding and provide suitable housing continuously. A live mouse cannot be stored like frozen food.

Can the mouse stay in the delivery tub?

No. A transport tub is temporary. Prepare an escape-proof, ventilated enclosure with solid floor, substrate, nesting material, shelter, food and water before receipt.

What should I feed the mouse?

Use a complete domestic-mouse food and provide fresh clean water continuously. A handful of seeds is not a complete long-term diet.

Can I house it with another mouse?

Not without confirming sex, health, familiarity and compatibility. Unfamiliar males may fight and mixed-sex housing can result in breeding.

Can it be delivered with my fish order?

Do not assume so. The published fish courier arrangement is not confirmation of a live-mammal service. Contact Tropical Fish Co before ordering.

Does the live-arrival guarantee cover this mouse?

The published guarantee is written for fish, shrimp, snails and plants. Obtain written confirmation of the terms for a live mouse before placing an order.

What if the mouse looks unwell on arrival?

Keep it secure, quiet and temperature stable, contact Tropical Fish Co immediately with evidence, and seek veterinary advice. Do not offer a sick or injured mouse to a reptile.

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