Keep wild baby orphan?

Question
QUESTION: Hi my names Emily, I recently found a mouse in my backyard. It's  eyes were still closed and after I did some research I found her to be a little less than a week or so. I have been feeding her and caring for her for the last 6 days, and she does this really odd thing when I feed her and it's been getting worse/longer. I feed her with a small paint brush by dipping it in, as I feed her she does this thing randomly where she opens her mouth in a small o and moves her paws like shes brushing something off her nose. It's difficult to describe but she moves her mouth like shes saying "wow" over and over. Now she does that more often and throws her head back and it lasts longer. I get so scared for her. Do you know what it is?

ANSWER: Dear Emily,

The paws moving is practicing to wash its whiskers, when it gets them. That's one of the most important things a mouse does to survive besides eating, drinking, and eliminating. The whiskers are sensitive to the air and help them to perceive the world around them.

I don't know why the mouse is opening her mouth. I assume this is after she has refused to eat any more (she should be fed exactly as much as she wants) so it doesn't mean it wants more. However, there must be a reason why you found the abandoned mouse. It could be the mom got hurt or the baby got lost, but it could also be that there was something wrong with the baby, and the mom knew and didn't want to waste her milk on it. Mother mice do abandon defective babies. So there might be a genetic defect. She might be having some sort if a very mild seizure.

It is very good that the baby has survived so far, and we can hope the behavior is not caused by something which will kill it. Continue as you have and hope for the best. it's very hard to replace a mouse mommy so do not feel you have done something wrong if it doesn't survive. Let me know what happens.

I wish the little tyke as much luck and love as possible.

squeaks,

Natasha
<:3  )--~

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

QUESTION: Hello again,
First off thank you once more but I have one more question. I don't know how to take the next step. Since he has opened his eyes I can guess he (found out it was a boy) is about 2 weeks. So I should be slowly through the next few weeks weaning him off the formula and giving him solid foods, I understand this should be a long gradual process. But I have heard various stand points on whether to release him or keep him. They say it will be an uphill battle and he will have to be in a separate area away from humans. Although I have grown attached I want once best for him but I also want to know he'll be safe out there. I am willing to give him whatever he needs if he is able to stay and plus lots of TLC. What's best for the little guy?
Emily :)

Answer
Dear Emily,

What's best for him, in my book, is what makes him happy. People have different opinions and I hear people say "no wild animal should be a pet" but I think that's silly.  An animal should have the life that makes it happy, and if that life is with you, you have a lovely pet.

Hand-raised baby wild mice can make wonderful pets. They are super loving and they live longer than mice you can buy. Most likely this fellow will want to stay with you. How are you supposed to handle him as little as possible if he is nursing from your hand? Mice need love too, and he needs it from you.

When he grows older, the only reason I would let him go is if he spent all of his time trying to get out of the cage, or hated to be held. I think that's unlikely, but keep me posted. I really do want to know what happens to my faraway charges.

Don't worry about starting to wean him until about 2 1/2 - 3 weeks. I recommend continuing to nurse him until he refuses or turns 4 weeks. Just make sure there are other things available for him to learn to eat. Start with yogurt, because he can get his moisture from that, and oatmeal or cream of wheat. You can feed these things by hand. Add crackers, fresh veggies, sunflower seeds and soon enough just a store mouse and rat mix. Let him do what he wants to do; there is no reason to try to teach him anything.

I also want you to keep me updated on the yawning thing. Maybe you could even put a video of it on youtube and give me the link.

squeaks,

Natasha
<:3  )--~