Raising orphan mouse

Question

Picture of dirk  

Another of dirk   Hi we had found a baby mouse on Saturday, we were told he was roughly about a day old.. We've been feeding him kitten replacement milk, we have also given him pedialyte .. We've been feeding his successfully with a paintbrush and he doesn't seem to mind it ..

We had a scare with him yesterday when he became overheated but we were able to get him back to normal, we gave him plenty of liquids and the pedialyte .. Today I noticed that his genital area looked swollen and not how it normally looked .. I'm not sure what's wrong so I figured I'd ask

Ill attach some pictures of him and maybe that might help figure out what's wrong .. If its a matter of infection would an antiseptic spray be okay to use or  should we just leave it alone and keep a close eye on him?

Also how long does it take for their fur to come in? He looks like he has a little covering of peach fuzz

Answer
Hi Meghan,

You are doing a GREAT job!  I do not see a bubble - it may be that you are seeing the genitals developing, or even mild irritation from being helped to potty and/or the usual loose stools resulting from a switch on to formula.  When you help him to go to the bathroom, what do you use to stimulate his genital region?  Warm, moist cotton is a soft, gentle way to elicit urination and bowel movements and get that digestive tract moving.  Be sure to gently dry with another cotton swab or ball after helping him potty, as well, to prevent chapping and irritation.

Switching from mom's milk to formula can cause several days of abnormal stools, which can also be irritating to baby, but should pass very soon if they have not already normalized.

I would not use an antiseptic spray, as I don't know what chemicals are present in them and cannot promise they won't also irritate sensitive skin or even cause a chill.  Additionally, many antibacterial compounds are dangerous to infants.  I don't think you are dealing with a localized infection, though, from the photo, so unless it has grown even more swollen, discolored, or hot to the touch, I wouldn't worry too much.

By about a week he should have a good fuzz going, and a full coat is usually well established around 10-12 days or so.  Once that full amount of hair grows in he will become much better at regulating his own body temperature, and you should have fewer scares.

Again, he looks great!  I hope he and you are still doing well, and will let me know if I can help with anything else!

-Tam