There are two common reactions upon seeing my mice in person: (1) The person is repulsed by them as they are by all rodents whether pet or pest or (2) They want to take them out and play with them.

As far as the people that I know, women tend to fall into the first category and men into the second. Matt and I are going on a trip soon and will be leaving the mice at my parents' house. My mother notified me that she refuses to do anything that will take her near their tanks, while my father and brother are eager to see and play with the mice.

As an overprotective pet owner, I've begun writing out specific instructions on how to care for my mice. Not just how much food to give, but how to pick up the mice themselves: grasp firmly but gently at the base of the tail to get a hold of them and scoop your other hand under them to support their weight. I've noted down what to do in case of death: tell me which mouse and when, but don't tell me how so I can pretend that it died peacefully in a happy mouse sleep. And gone so far as to note down which ones are my favorites, hinting that if they (my father and brother) want to play with the mice (and risk one of them escaping) it should be one of the other mice.

Stinky (the group of fish) who seem to be the least loved of all will be given a vacation feeder and hopes for the best.