Kryptonite - Injured

Question
My brothers rescued a mouse from my cat this morning; they put him in a tub then dragged me outside to see. The mouse was clearly in shock and breathing very fast. His back legs are basically useless and I fear he'll be paralyzed if he makes it through the night. I guess my question is, how should I go about caring for Kryptonite if he lives? I've never owned a mouse. We tried making him comfortable, placing a mixture of edibles and water where he can get to them and cotton balls for a nest.

Answer
Hi Erin,

If he really is paralyzed, his outlook is not very optimistic.  A broken spine will not heal and he may never regain use of his back legs.  In that situation, a visit to a vet may be the only real way to help him.

There is a chance his legs are damaged but not his spine - keep an eye on his feet and his tail - if his tail can move, he does not have permanent spinal damage.  Either way, he is also facing the risk of internal damage and organ injuries from the trauma.  There is nothing you can do to help make him more comfortable than what you already doing, except maybe putting him somewhere warm and safe from the cat if you haven't already.  You've thought about just about everything one can do for a very injured mouse at home - thank you for rescuing him!  You can also try adding an old shirt or rags in the bottom of his enclosure to help him get comfy.

If he does survive, you may consider releasing him into nature again, rather than keeping him, although ultimately the decision is yours.  Wild mice have very strong instincts and are not always happy living in a cage.  If you decide to release him, take him somewhere far away from your house and let him go in a covered, brushy area where he is safe from predators until he can get his bearings.  If you end up keeping him, you will need an escape proof cage (such as a glass aquarium with mesh, locking lid), some kind of bedding (aspen, yesterday's news, and carefresh are all good choices), a mouse mix for food, and a water bottle.  This site is a really great introduction on how to setup a great habitat for a pet mouse:  http://www.hiiret.fi/eng/mice/care.html

Let me know if I can help with anything else, and I hope he is doing okay!
-Tam