Orphan Mice

Question
hello, I have been taking care of this orphan mouse for about a week now and he seems to be severely bloated and uncomfortable, he eats a little but has not made any bowel movements.Is there anything I can do for him??

Answer
Hi Carly,

To get baby mouse digestive systems moving, you have to first stimulate them to go to the bathroom.  In nature, the momma mouse does this by grooming their privates - you can replicate this by gently dabbing at his genitals and bottoms with a warm, moist cotton swab until he relieves himself.  This will in turn stimulate his appetite, and he'll be easier to feed.  Mice are also lactose intolerant - meaning he needs to be fed something like kitten or puppy milk replacement, or even goat's milk or infant formula without lactose, rather than cow's milk.  Since they cannot digest lactose, it can cause them to bloat up.  It may also help to gently stroke baby's sides after feeding times, like a momma grooming him after nursing.

Thank you so much for taking care of this little guy, and caring for orphaned rodents is no easy task!  Hopefully the information here can also give you some tips:  http://www.rmca.org/Articles/orphans.htm  Sometimes, even when everything is done right, the outlook for orphaned mice isn't promising - if you have any kind of emergency, try asking if any of your local vets, animal shelters, or pet shops can give you a hand or knows anyone who might.  Otherwise, feel free to let me know if you have any more questions, and I wish the little guy the best of luck in feeling better!

-Tam