Baby wild mouse had a flea

Question
QUESTION: Hi Natasha, we live in Maine found a baby mouse on our lawn and rescued him. He has all his hair and his eyes are open but he is very tiny. He cried a lot at first but doesn't seem to be very active. He doesn't have any visible wounds. Is there any type of disease that we should be worried about? None of us have touched him without gloves but he didn't struggle when we picked him up and doesn't seem scared.

In the event that he IS okay, what is best to feed him? We have a pet rabbit and gave him some of the rabbit's grain as well as a couple cheerios and a tablespoon of water, but he doesn't seem to to have eaten or drank anything. Any information you can give us is much appreciated!

Oh I suppose I should tell you, he is a gray mouse with a blackish colored tail. I'm assuming just a wild mouse. He's probably an inch and half long, pretty tiny. Thank you!

ANSWER: Dear Shawna,

Aw poor thing, he isn't weaned yet! He needs kitten milk (KMR) from your local pet store, mixed with an electrolyte solution such as pedialyte, from your grocery store. Until you can get that, you can use soy milk.

The best way to get his formula in him is with a tiny (never used) paintbrush. That way he controls what he gets. Because he has been starving, for the first twelve hours you should see if he will eat once an hour. After that, every three hours is OK. This is around the clock. He will be able to be weaned within a week. He still has to have his formula for liquid until he drinks water. I think within a few days he will be able to feed himself with a little dish with crisp bread such as Wasa bread soaked in his formula. You will have to change it at least twice a day so it doesn't spoil.

There is a disease that wild mice can carry, called hantavirus. I don't remember how many cases there have been in Maine, but I believe  very few. if I had to guess I would say under 10 in the last 25 years. But you can look it up on the CDC website. I would do it for you, but I am not on my computer.  The website will probably scare you about handling wild mice, practically telling you to wear a full hazmat suit when you see a mouse, but the fact is they don't want to be sued.  The other place to learn from is to contact your local fish and game department to ask if there has ever been, or recently been, a case near where you live. Again, they will scare you... But if there has been no case, you have less to worry about.

Hantavirus is usually, if not always, transmitted by a person breathing in dried urine and feces in an old barn or other infested area. On the websites there will be a comment like "scientists surmise" it could be transmitted through a bite. What that means is that it has never happened. I have been trying to find out, since there is an exact number of cases and they are carefully documented, exactly how it has been transmitted to each person. I get this question a lot because orphan mice pop up everywhere and sometimes wonderful people like you care, and I know I can't tell you there is no risk. Hantavirus has killed 1/3 of the people who have gotten it. I do know that it is not transmitted from the mother during pregnancy.

Your vet can test the mouse for the virus. If you keep him as a pet (which you will want to if he stays calm) you can do this to reassure yourself. I myself wouldn't worry- it is sad if you don't handle him without gloves, because he needs love- but you need to follow your own instinct.

I hope the little guy does well. He has had a terrible trauma, and has been starving, so he needs strong well wishes. Thank you for caring.

Squeaks,

Natasha






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

QUESTION: He's been doing really well, he seems to be very comfortable with us and we have been handling him. He will eat cheerios that are broken up but I'm not sure if he's drinking. We've been giving him watered down milk but I will try the kitten milk and pedialyte for sure. He is much more active now and really likes his paper towel and toilet paper tubes to hide in. Thanks for the help! We did find a flea on him, just one that we could see. Should I be concerned about that?

Answer
Hi again,

I'm glad he is doing well. I hope he stays tame. Sometimes the tameness just after they open their eyes is the calm before a storm... vision is scary. Those crazy little things weigh nothing and have powerful hind feet. In the "popcorn stage" or "flea stage" they can jump up to two feet high. So if he gets jumpy, it is not anything you did.

It's not too great that you found a flea on him. Although you would probably see if he had another one, it is a sign that he has been someplace (even in his nest) where there were parasites. That is, he may have mites as well, which you can not see.

I would not yet treat him for parasites because he is so very small. In a few weeks, get some kitten Revolution from your vet or from someone who has another animal (OK if it isn't kitten strength, I'm just trying to be careful). You will want to rub a tiny drop into the skin at the back of his neck. It is important that it be rubbed into the skin, because it will do next to nothing for him in his fur. How much? How about as much as you can get on the very tip of a toothpick. You can probably use the toothpick to rub it in.

The Revolution works by entering his bloodstream and killing anything that bites him. One application lasts a month.

There is another option which includes buying a gallon of cow parasite formula and using less than a teaspoon... the Revolution should be cheaper than that (and more effective)!

In the meantime, if you see any parasites on him, give him a little bath. This link brings you to videos made by a woman who rescues and raises feeder pups (which I disagree with). Start from number 1- I think the bath one is very early, if not even in the first one.

http://www.youtube.com/user/CreekValleyCritters/videos?query=raising

Best of luck to the little critter!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha