Orphaned mice pups

Question
QUESTION: My mother came across another nest of babies while cleaning (Hopefully the last) and we had to remove the pups, a day or so later I captured their mother in a live capture trap.

While the mum was out and about I have been feeding them every 2 hours and now that she's back I thought I'd try and put the pups back in with their mum (in their original nesting material but different container.)

I have them all in a large fish tank under my blankets for warmth.

The mother keeps going back and forth in and out of the nest, after I left them alone for a while I noticed she seems to have stayed in there for a bit.

I was wandering how to tell if she is feeding them or not and how do you know when a mouse abandons the babies?

ANSWER: Hi Alessa,

If they are still pink and without fur, you can look for white spots on their bellies called milk spots, that look like this (the day one photo has an excellent example on its tummy):  http://or.ucsf.edu/larc/11063-DSY/version/default/part/ImageData/data/pup1.jpg  They need to eat every couple of hours when small, up to every few hours when larger, so if they are all still alive the chances are she is nursing them!

They won't last long if she abandons them - so keep an eye on them if you can and make sure they are all alive and growing, looking for milk spots if they are still hairless.  If you spot any passing away, being kicked out of the nest, or in the worst case scenario being killed, you may need to intervene, but it really sounds like she's doing a good job so far to me.  Moms will always come and go from the nest, and how much just depends on the mom.  Some sit on them protectively, while others who feel safe enough go out to have some mum-time in between nursing.  The little ones will start to call for her when they get hungry.  :)

Make sure she has plenty of food available (cheerios, dry cat food, stale bits of bread (especially soaked in water), small pieces of scrambled eggs made without milk, and of course commercial mouse foods are all great ways to keep her full of good nutrition and nursing well.  By keeping mouse food available at all times you also give the pups a chance to explore it when they are ready.  I'd also recommend getting her a bottle for the time being just so she can stay hydrated - she will figure it out eventually, and soak the bread pieces in water until she does.  When the pups have figured out how to hydrate themselves (around 3-5 weeks old just depending on them), they've been weaned!  Be careful not to lose any out the blanket - as the pups grow more adventurous, and if mom starts looking for food, you might have some escapees!

Best of luck, and thank you for doing such a great job taking care of these little guys!
-Tam

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

QUESTION: After a little while I noticed the mother taking the nesting material away from the babies, she also spent most of the time trying to jump out of the tank and didn't seem to go near the babies while in the nest (I limited the hiding places in the tank so she would have to go back to the nest#.

I was reluctant to leave them in there overnight so I took them back out after around 3 hours. I hope I made the right choice, she seemed to be neglecting them.
They were in their velvet stage with their eyes closed #They felt like silk/velvet to touch# and I couldn't make out any milk bellies.

I think they were around the 10 day old mark.

I've run into a snag though, the babies have their eyes open and they seem all motley and gaunt and I've been feeding every 2 hours and weighing them for the last 3 days and it seems they are losing weight.
One seems to have lost his appetite, his belly is soft so I don't think it's bloat I can get a little bit of formula into him but he isn't eating anywhere near as much as the others.
I think they're dehydrated so I've added more water to their formula #they seem shriveled and their tails look skeletal#
Do you have any suggestions on how to deal with his lack of appetite #for the time being I've just kept trying to feed them at shorter intervals#

I've kept mum in the big fish tank #it has a lid# because she's pregnant again and I don't want to let her go and only have a day to make a nest somewhere #I plan to release them all together#. I've made sure she has fresh water #whilst trying to stay clear of her nest she's built# and lots of hamster/mouse seed mix with wheatbix. #I'm making some stale bread to put in# will dog kibble#dry biscuits) be sufficient for her?

Answer
Hmm, what kind of formula are you feeding them?  Kitten milk replacement has all the nutrients a baby mouse needs, but once their eyes open they may want to start exploring solid foods as well.  Once they get their fuzz in, it becomes pretty much impossible to look for milk spots, but weight is the ideal indicator.  I would leave mouse mix in the cage, as well as the little chunks of bread, in addition to feeding them a lactose-free formula (like kitten milk replacement) to keep them hydrated.  If you're feeding them, and they're accepting it, they should be growing.  If they aren't, it could mean something else is wrong with them - pups are very hard to raise by hand.  It could be temperature, developmental problems, or just plain genetics - it may be worth a trip to a vet familiar with rodents at this point.  Here is my best link on raising orphaned pups, so you can check your methods (but please remember that sometimes even the best care can't save some litters, by mom OR by you, so please don't doubt your decision to raise them by hand! That they are still alive means you are doing an amazing job):  http://www.rmca.org/Articles/orphans.htm

As far as momma mouse, I'm not sure what wheatbix is, but yes, a little bit of dog kibble or biscuits now and then would definitely add a little protein to help her in her pregnancy.  Sounds like she's all set - congratulations on the upcoming litter, and good luck with the current babies!  I hope they pack on some weight, but I really would consider a vet's assistance.  Since they develop so quickly, a problem in a baby mouse can go from bad to worse surprisingly quickly.  Just do your best to keep them fed and hydrated - as long as they are accepting some, their digestive systems are doing their best.

Best of luck!
-Tam