Can I keep hand raised wild mouse?

Question
QUESTION: I was given a 6 day old wild mouse and have been dropped feeding it kitten formula for just over a week.  The mouse is thriving and active.  Yesterday I noticed its Burt was a little crusty so I cleaned it gently and again this morning.  Today he ate a sunflower seed and some cereal and a soy bean.  First solids.  By this evening his Burt and feet and upper tail were crusty and he wont stop grooming.  I cleaned him again but when I go to dropped feed he can barely stop grooming and there are flaky black things in the bedding.  Dried skin or poop?  He still looks healthy but is rolling onto his side to groom his rear and hind feet and is less active.  What should I do?

ANSWER: Dear Steph,

It sounds like he has a bit of diarrhea. Stop with the solid food for the moment and give him some pedialyte, mixing it with the formula from feeding to feeding over about 12 hours.  Instead of these foods, when you let him eat solids again in a day, stick to crisp bread soaked in formula and water.

This person knows more than I do:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NiKikNJYoM&feature=relmfu

Hand raised mice do have dandruff and lose their fur sometimes.

I'm afraid I don't know how to stop him from the excess grooming unless the pedialyte, balancing his system again, makes him not want to. Unless he is injuring himself, it is not really a problem.

best of luck with the little tyke!

squeaks,

Natasha

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

QUESTION: I removed all of the solid foods, except puffed rice, rearranged the cage and added some natural materials and he seems totally fine!  The black flakes were tiny mouse poops!!  I've since added in millet, some greens, a cashew, oaties, oats and a few other random things and he seems happy.  I read that mice can get itchy from allergies or OCD.  Does not want the kitten formula and has figured out how to drink from the water bottle!  He's about 18 days old now and active and unfortunately, pretty friendly and interested in people.   I think he needs a stimulating environment as he becomes very active and curious when I add new elements, like leaves and sticks to his cage.  He will actually "play" if we wiggle a twig or something through the wires of the cage and will let us pet him, as much as we try not to.  Very cute.  So much so that the kids want to know if we can keep him.  I've read different things on keeping wild mice.  I think he's a white footed deer mouse.  Any suggestions on this?

Answer
Dear Steph,

I am very glad that he is OK now. Is he itchy or scratching himself? What a clever boy to drink from the water bottle so early! Tell me, how did you train him?

Of course you have to keep him!!!  What a lovely little critter!! Deer mice make great pets, especially hand-raised ones. They are super loyal and live longer than pet house mice. I hear wonderful stories about them!

Some people have a bizarrely strict philosophy that "no wild animal should ever be kept in captivity." Hogwash. The *only* important thing is for the animal to be happy, not for someone's philosophy to be fulfilled.

This little critter certainly wants to be your pet. In fact he is your pet. He knows that. Don't break anyone's hearts. Love him forever!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha