Keeping or releasing family of deer mice

Question
Hi there,
recently the bf and I caught a family of deer mice that have been terrorizing our cupboards and walls for some time now.  we used one way door traps and I have been keeping them in an old 2 gal aquarium with a box lid.  At the moment they are a cute fur pile with the odd one jumping around. our original plan was to release them but with out a car to drive us far enough away I know they would just follow our scent.

We have considered keeping them (keeping rodents is nothing new to either of us) but I'm concerned about cleaning them.  When I had rats I could just pick them up and bathe them and their home, I don't dare pick up these guys.  Any ideas?

Answer
Hi Candace,

A 2 gallon aquarium is basically torture for any mouse, let alone a wild one. You are right that mice can travel pretty far-- some mice have a territory of up to a mile. Others never leave the house, of course. So imagine, you are a mouse used to having a mile to run around, and suddenly you have what, 8" or so? Even pet mice need a 20 gallon aquarium.

The only wild mice who should be kept as pets are either those who were raised from infancy by a human, or the very few who for some reason decide to be tame and come to someone and enjoy their cage. Your guys are pretty miserable right now. They need to be out.

One other reason not to keep them is that mice have babies every three weeks, and those babies can mate at 4-1/2 weeks; before you know it you have 100 mice.

I understand your conundrum, because I also have no car and I have no natural area nearby, and I have wild house mice. There is pretty much one option: Take the bus. Obviously you can't let the driver or anyone know what is in your bag. Find a nice park where there are trees or a meadow, where a mouse can hide. At least the family will be together.

Best of luck :)

Squeaks n giggles,

Natasha