wild deer mouse had babies

Question
We discovered a wild mouse in our house in late February. I succeeded in capturing it (without ever touching it) and got it into a glass aquarium with screen top. Put a cardboard box in there (empty kleenex box) and torn up tissue and paper towel and bird seed (cockatiel seed) and water bottle. Later learned this was a deer mouse. In early March discovered she had given birth to four babies inside the cage. We live in an area with snow and ice in the winter so wanted to keep them until warmer weather and then release into forest preserve. Now early May and still have Mom and four babies in glass aquarium. Still feeding cockatiel seed, some whole-grain old-fashioned uncooked oats, small bits of whole grain cereal and water. Also bought mouse food. Put a wheel in there and they love it. Sometimes three babies will ride at once. Everyone seems healthy. No one seems to be fighting. Have been looking to see if any are male but no noticeable indications. Temperature is warming up now. Today was in 80s but severe thunderstorms this weekend. Worried if babies will know how to find food in the wild after all this time of going to a food dish to get seed? Don't want to send them to their deaths. What to do? Keeping them in the basement. They still spend a lot of time all together inside the kleenex box. Continue to add toilet paper rolls to their aquarium, some with paper on it they can tear up. Wear a mask and rubber gloves when I open cage to feed. Have never touched any of them. They seem to be doing ok but don't know what is best thing to do.

Answer
Dear Pat,

Well, how many pets do you want? ; ))  

It is true that these little babies will have diminished capacity for survival in the wild, having been spoiled since birth. But if you don't want to keep them (impossible if there are males anyway), wait till it won't be under 45 degrees at night, wait for a nice day, and find them a forest, or woodsy or grassy area, and leave them a little pile of food. If it is in a remote enough area for you to leave them in a little box with some bedding and seed, you can pick up the box later when they are done with it.

I wish them the very best of luck!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha