Jumpy Orphan Mouse Escaped!

Question
My little orphaned deer mouse is doing very well, except that she keeps escaping!  She's 27 days old, now and very healthy, but she's escaped 3 times.  She doesn't escape from her cage, it's very secure.  However, her means of escape are when I open the door to give her fresh food or water, or I just mean to handle her.  She has hopped onto my hand, ran up my arm and dropped to the floor and disappeared as quick as lightening.  Today, she leapt out the door (while I was giving her fresh food), bounced off my shoulder, hit the floor and disappeared, again!  I don't know what to do, hopefully I'll get her back, again.  The first time, the cat discovered her before I did and I grabbed her just in time.  Now I'm scared to open the cage door, and I've already been terrified of trying to handle her.  I've put her cage on the floor with the door open, and sunflower seeds nearby.  She has come out and gotten the seeds, but I've sat and watched the cage for 2 hours, and she won't come out when I'm there.  I'm scared the cat will find her before I do, this time.

Answer
Dear Kseniya,

How old was your mouse when you found her? Their eyes open at 14 days, so you can tell that way. I'm really interested, because usually hand-fed pups are very docile-- but only if they are found before their eyes are open.

Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to want to be a pet. When you find her, you may want to find a very nice place outdoors such as a forest or big meadow, to let her out. Leave her some food; if it is feasible, leave her her cage or a cardboard box with her litter in it, which you can pick up later.

But first you have to find her. It's really good that she comes to her cage to eat. At least you know what room she is in. She is more likely to come out at night.  You should start by leaving her out something like a bit of peanut butter-- not a big glob; you don't want her to choke-- or maybe butter-- that she has to stay and eat instead of grabbing and running. Once you are sure she has taken some of the peanut butter and knows it's there, then you are going to have to lay in wait, at night. Put an empty paper towel roll right next to the treat, so when you surprise her she will run into that. Then pick it up with your hands over the ends.

Or you might need to use a live trap.  They don't hurt the mouse at all. But make sure you don't lose her out of the trap the first time, because she may not give you a second chance.

If she was pretty big when you got her, so there is still hope that she will get tamer, and you want to handle her, do it in the bathroom, in the bathtub, with a towel stuffed in the crack under the door; and make sure there are no other places she could escape to or through.

Let me know what happens. I'd really like to know how old she was when you found her. Best of luck.

squeaks,

Natasha
<:3  )--~