Baby field mice

Question
Hi. I found two baby field mice on the farm, outside the tack room. There mother has died. Not sure what their age is. the one is a bit bigger then the other one. Both of them has fur and the one has his eyes open. I'm not sure what to do because neither of them wants to eat anything. I've tried feeding them soy milk out of a syringe but they don't seem to like it, so i tried feeding them ProNutro. They seem to like it more then the soy milk. I've got them Saterday the 20th of this month. Now they don't want to eat anything. They would make a noise everytime i put them down. When i've got them in my hand they are quiet and then they would curl up with each other and fall asleep. All they do is sleep. Both of them are weak and it worries me because i don't know what to do or what to feed them. My parents won't help me so i'm on my own with them which makes it even harder because i'm still in school. I'm out of idea's.

Answer
Hi Angelique,

Taking care of orphaned mice is hard, no matter what.  The best thing to feed them if you can get some is kitten or puppy milk replacement, as well as offering them an adult mouse mix for them to start to explore at their own pace.  This website has a lot of good instruction on how to care for them:  http://www.rmca.org/Articles/orphans.htm

It can help their appetites to stimulate them to go to the bathroom before feedings, as they may have trouble going on their own (mom usually does this for them).  You can use a cotton swab damp with warm water to gently massage their genitals to get them to potty.  It's also important to keep them warm, which you can accomplish with a heating pad set on its lowest "warm" setting underneath their enclosure.  Sometimes mice get fussy or gassy when their formula is suddenly changed - after each feeding you can gently pet them down each side with your forefinger and thumb.  This light massage or petting helps their tummies calm down and can help get them to sleep after a meal.

I want you to remember that even the very best mouse caretakers still have trouble with orphans - it can be a real uphill battle.  Sometimes they are lost on accident, but many times momma kicks them out of the nest on purpose because something is wrong with them that we can't see yet.  Please just keep in mind that every day is a huge win, and one step closer to helping them grow up.

Another thing you might try is contacting local resources for help.  You can try calling or visiting local veterinarians, pet shops, wildlife rehabilitation centers (if they work with mice, that is), mouse breeders (I know it's a bit backwards, but reptile owners are the best way to find local rodent breeders, who deal with orphans frequently due to breeding), animal rescues, and animal shelters.  If they can't help you, ask them if they know anyone who can - they can usually point you in the right direction!

Best of luck, and please let me know if you have any other questions.
-Tam