[VanillaRat]

I got mice before I ever got rats. I didn't know they were so different at first. Back in 1998 I got my first mice. I adored them,they were very amusing to watch and very friendly.

But then I got my first pair of rats and well...I prefer rats to this day. The differences between rats and mice in personality is rats are more friendly,affectionate and cuddly. They LIKE to be with their humans. Mice on the other hand are more skittish and quick,more prone to biting,not cuddly and could really care less about humans. They also seem to run away from you as opposed to coming to you,like rats do.

That being said over the years I have had some very friendly mice who would happily jump into my hand and even beg for time out of their cages. But you cannot cuddle them...even the friendliest of mouse cannot really be cuddled.

I only have one mouse left,Meadow...I had some sort of outbreak in my mouse colony killing everyone except Meadow. And she is a skittish and *****y mouse. She is quick to bite and runs away anytime I go near her cage. Once I have her up though,she stays in my hands and don't bite...but she will sit there and shake.

Mice are good pets if tame and very amusing to watch,but I prefer rats. Rats are more interactive with their owners.

 

[VanillaRat]

I think it just depends on your personality. I have always felt uncomfortable around rats (do not know why). But my sister loves rats, she will just scoop one up and cuddle it.
I feel stressed out with animals that are too "needy". Mice are like the more independant version of rats. Plus, they have a almost fish tank effect with them, as in watching them for hours going about their lives.
Mice do love their owners I think, but they just do not know how to express it. Like they still have their wild instincts of them being prey to pretty much every other animal.
Yes, if you like cuddly pets and love to hug them and give them more of a dog like treatment, then rats are for you. But I do not like to cuddle something for hours or anything like that. So mice work for me.
I think of the rat and mouse difference is close to the differences in dogs and cats.
Maybe it cannot simply be explained why people like what they like. I just know I love mice.

This is another way to explain the difference!
I only have one mouse now and she really doesn't seem to care about me. She seems happy doing her own thing. However I have had very friendly "meeces" in the past who would happily jump into my hand and even beg (like the rats) to come out. But they are more independent then rats. If we compare to dogs and cats,mice would be the cats of the two,while rats are the doggies.

And I agree with you...I could watch a colony of mice (or even a pair) for hours,just like fish. It is relaxing and amusing. Mice do have a lot of great/cute antics.