no mice!

We happened to be at a rabbit show a few weeks ago. My daughters and I were enjoying meeting other rabbit fans and seeing all the different rabbits everyone brought. At these affairs people bring in stock of rabbits, cavies (guinea pigs), chickens and all kinds of animals to sell to other people at the show. One person had a whole bunch of mice.

My girls begged me to each have a mouse. I said no. My youngest dropped it and went back to tending to her rabbits. My oldest kept bringing it up. When we were alone and settled for a bit, she asked me seriously if she could have a mouse.

“Could I please have a mouse, mom?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“You do not have the funds for a mouse.”

“They are only $2 each.”

I looked at her for a moment. My 17 year old daughter is thinking that the whole cost of getting a mouse would be the initial $2 fee. I was absolutely flabbergasted, but I stayed calm because I was not at all surprised that she did not actually put any thought into this.

“It is not $2 to have a pet mouse. You have to buy a habitat, food, accessories, toys, treats and take care of vet costs.”

She slow blinks at me.

“Also, I am still having to get after you about taking care of the girls (our 3 guinea pigs). And you cannot seem to manage to take care of your room and keep it neat. It has been a month since I have since your bedroom floor. You could lose a mouse in there.”

She abruptly closes her eye and refuses to look in my direction until later when her sister returns to our area talking about something she saw at the show.

I understand small children and their whole “not thinking about responsibilities and consequences” way of life. That is my 17 year old, soon to be 18 year old. People wonder why I am so concerned with her entering adulthood.

This is by far not the first time we have had these types of conversations. She knew what I would say because I say the same things every time. Yet she is always surprised that I say them. I will always bring up the responsibilities of being a pet owner. You cannot just walk into a place and leave with a pet unless you have actually thought these things through! We are set up for rabbits and guinea pigs. We have nothing that would work for a mouse. We did not have anything on us to even transport the poor thing home!

I really worry about her. I wonder how many things she does not even take into consideration when thinking about the future. I know most of the time she does not consider most things, but I really worry just how bad of a place she may find herself in some day.