weaning orphan mouse

Question
QUESTION: Hello!
As a precursor, I've read your other replies and I am pleased to be assured of your knowledge of these little guys. I apologise ahead of time, but we are hugely attached to this duder, so I have written quite a bit.

First off, this little guy was found in our basement squeeking. We have a cat and I guess it found the nest and the mother tried to scurry off with her young - but must have been transporting them around because the cat got to his brother/sister. With the cat about and the poor guy helpless, me and my girlfriend took it in and began furiosly googling what to do. I rushed to the pet store and acquired KMR and paintbrushes and we began feeding him.

At that time he did not have his eyes open and we kept bouncing around with the age. We're still unsure, but now he must be 10+ (10-14) as his eyes have opened. He is hungry every mealtime (we fed him EVERY 2-2.5 hours when he came to us, nonstop, losing considerable sleep and kept stimulating his bowel movements). We have had him for about 5.5 days by this point and he seems active and sleepy and content.

As of yesterday his eyes are open - we have thereby transferred him to a ten gallon fish tank padded with old linen and tissues. He is kpet warm by an ever changed (every 2.5 hrs) metal water bottle heating system covered in a thermal sock I had.

Yesterday we found that poop had stuck to his bottom in huge quantities and had solidifed there. We attempted to remove it with the usual Q-tip but could not, in the hopes that we had softened it enough with the warm guaze, we removed with with a tissue...but we think we may have pulled out hair or worse...as he now squeeks every time he has a bowel movement :(
There doesn't appear to be any blood, but his poop is on the yellower side...is this normal...since we still have him on KMR? Is the squeeking a sign of extreme soreness or something worse?

Secondly, would it be too early to begin weening him off? We were thinking covering solid foods with KMR to begin the process.

Thirdly, is a wheel introduction too early?

I hope this is not too strenous to read :) I am enthusiastic to see him through to adulthood, and with our weather dropping, cats volumous in the neighbourhood, and our growing attachment - it would be unlikely that he will be released. With all the chattering I doubt he minds - he also prefers to walk onto my hand versus the soft glove I use to let him sleep after feeding.

Best regards,
Ilya (from Canada!)

ANSWER: Dear Ilya,

I truly apologize for the late response. I wrote a very long response yesterday on my ipad and I guess it got erased because my Internet connection may have been on and off.

For his rear, coconut oil is probably the best thing to soothe it. It is safe and is also antibacterial and anti-fungal. If you can't get it, another oil would be soothing and edible, but not protect against infection.

Another time, give him a bit of a soak in warm water. There is an example of how to bathe a baby mouse in one of the videos at the addy in my profile; I think it is the first one.

I hope that is why he is squeaking.

He opened his eyes at about 14 days, so he is quite young. He is not ready to be weaned. Yellow poop while still on KMR is fine. To start to wean him you can use formula mixed with cream of wheat or baby cereal. Also put small pieces of a crisp bread such as Wasa bred in formula in his cage (change several times a day). You can also put solids in and he can decide when to nibble-- various crackers, pretzels, unsalted nuts (not peanuts), fresh fruit, avocado... And you can put in a bottle cap of formula and one of water in as well. But don't stop nursing him until you see him drinking in the cage.

Wait till he is 3 weeks old for the wheel, just in case he is a little clumsy.

He will make a wonderful pet! Enjoy him :)

squeaks,

Natasha



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you for the answer!
His squeeks have become less commonplace but we may still get him this oil for the future. We may apply it anyways to be sure its healed.
He seems to be doing well, we had him run around the floor on a comfort blanket (second day) and he played around with a used toilet roll. He still gets stuck in the finger slots of his soft gloves, but nothing we haven't been able to remedy. I think we'll just cut the ends.
On the poop color: I appreciate the assurance that color is good.
We have begun feeding him his kmr with oats sprinkled in. He seems to love the wet globs and is holding the pieces he can't instantly eat in his paws.
>. Is he likely to choke from this mixture? Is this a safe mixture to provide?
>. We have provided him with a very shallow water and food dish. He doesn't seems interested - but he IS held and fed over the course of twenty to half hour sessions where he refuses to let go of my gloved hand/leave my palm and simply snuggles (on and off, the rest of the time he tries to groom my arm hair and traverse around my shirt perimeter).  I am overjoyed - he even comes to my hand to be picked out of the cage.
Any day now we are expecting him to start the flea phase (correct me if I'm wrong).
>.How are these young mice to be fed once they can jump to the roof of a tank?

I think this covers the present situation. I hope this isn't too overwhelming again - but I have only had rats in the past....and there is a big jump from one to the other it seems.

Best regards,
Ilya

Answer
Hi Ilya,

Do cut off the ends of the gloves. You don't want him to ever feel scared, even for a few seconds.

Although it is possible to choke on anything, many people use oatmeal to wean orphans, and I have never heard of a problem. But I can see why you are concerned. If you are worried, either give them to him when they are still a recognizable oat with soft edges, or when they are basically soup, but not in between when they are super sticky. If he can hold them in his hands, then they are closer to the first option.

Just keep nursing him, maybe every 4 hours, until you see him drinking on his own. He will figure it out.

He may not have a flea stage.. I always find it funny that I can get a new question now after 4-5 years and then I get it several times within that week- and so, within two days, I had two people write to me about their orphan who had suddenly gone nuts. I think if it were common, I would have had such questions long before. But it is best to warn people once I know it occasionally happens. In both cases it only lasted 2 days, but with mouse raised fancy pups it can last 1-2 weeks.

Taking him out of the tank may either take a toilet paper roll, which you coax him into, or you can just use your arms to block him from jumping as you pick him up. Once you start to feed him he will probably be pliable. That is a very comforting activity for him.

I am so glad he is doing well. He will be such a loving and loyal pet.

squeaks n giggles,    <--- I like it when the situation is positive enough that I feel I can add the giggles part!

Natasha