Raising a wild mouse

Question
Hello! As I was making cookies about a week ago, a small house mouse found my foot and decided to rest on it. I gathered it up (once in my hand it was very calm, never tried to bite), and immediately put it in an old handmade cat-carrier with some water and grapes. He/she instantly went for the grapes and ate. I took this to mean he/she would be able to be kept, as I enjoy trying to adopt/rescue any critter I come across that seems in need. It has been nearly two weeks, and he/she seems to be thriving. As I have no funds with which to buy this creature bedding and such, I've improvised with the dry grass and wild wheat, as well as some cotton balls, a small price of egg carton and toilet paper tubes. I feed it fresh fruits, veggies and mouse pellets from the drugstore. It will eat out of, and sleep in my hands, although at times can be very jumpy. I think this is just indicative of nice in general, however.

My questions are these::
1. Although it seems fine being handled, he constantly tries to escape his cage, and sometimes will shoot away from me very quickly, without warning, obviously 'running away'. Being young when I found him, is it likely for him to become 'domesticated', or will it always be wanting to escape?
2. Are the bedding and 'toys' I am providing safe? He seems to enjoy moving it around.
 And lastly: Should I just release him/her into the back yard (I live in a very rural area)? Would he be better  off, having been born wild and all? I don't want to be selfish and it just be a miserable little mouse.
Thank you for your consideration!

Answer
Dear Kaity,

It's so funny, how sometimes a wild mouse decides to go against its instincts and be tame. And adorable. I can't believe it was on your foot!

When people ask if they should keep a mouse, I always say the two variables are if it likes to be handled and if it spends its time trying to escape. But you have one and not the other.

A couple of comments. One, it needs a wheel. Every mouse needs a wheel. Especially a wild mouse. Two, it needs a big cage. Big as in floor space. I would never put a wild mouse in less than a 30 gallon tank. Or bigger.

I don't know how big your cat carrier is, so maybe the mouse already has a lot of floor space. But I am guessing you have not given it a wheel. It would be a nice easy solution if a wheel solved the situation. A big wheel such as a hamster wheel is far better than a small mouse wheel.

Wheels are not that expensive; you may also be able to find old critter equipment on Craigslist or in your local newspaper. After all, everyone had a hamster as a kid, and the equipment went somewhere : ))

Give it as much space as you absolutely can, to see if you can make it happy. I had a pet mouse who once escaped into the apartment. Once she had seen that the world is huge, she was absolutely not happy in her cage, although it was a large, three level mouse cage. She spent all of her time chewing on the bars to get out. It wasn't until I put her in one of those large multi-bird cages like a pet store has, converted into a four level mouse cage, that she stopped. That completely solved the problem, thank gosh. Try converting a dog crate!

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If the wheel and large cage does not work, it seems a cage isn't the right thing. Do you have predator pets? If not, maybe the mouse just wants to live in your house with you. If you leave its cage open with the food in it, it will probably return to eat. It may use the cage as a home, and sleep there. You can handle it when it comes to you.  

I hope this works.

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If you have predator pets, that won't work, of course. Then I don't know of a solution that will solve everything.

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I would hate to have you let it loose outdoors, but maybe that is the only solution.

I hope one of the above ideas works.


Squeaks n giggles,


Natasha