I found 5 orphaned baby mice

Question
I found 5 orphaned baby mice living above my stove. Unfortunatly, their mother is no longer with us :( I don't feel right leaving them out in the wild because it's so cold out right now. I'm not sure if a pet store will help me, or perhaps a shelter of some kind, or if I should just keep the little guys until they're big enough to fend for themselves. From what I read, they seem to be between 3-6 weeks old..their ears are perky and their eyes are open. I put some bread and grapes in the box with them and made a makeshift nest out of paper and paper towels [ shredded of course] I just need to know the best course of action here...any advice would be wonderful..thank you :)

Answer
Hi Jennifer,

Ultimately it's up to you how to handle them, but like you mentioned it would be worth your time to ask around at local pet shops, shelters, vets, or even wildlife rehabilitators depending on the species of mouse, for help in getting these little guys taken care of until they are big enough to fend for themselves.  Even if they don't have any help to offer, they can almost certainly point you in the right direction.  Mice are usually capable of taking care of themselves around 3-5 weeks old, so they probably don't need much more time.  If you need them rehomed immediately, see if you can find someone from the listed places to either foster them for a little while, or help you find someone who can.  Since they seem to be used to living in your home, they probably wouldn't do too great in the cold, so I agree that releasing them outside before it warms up a bit might not be the best choice.  Keep an eye on their box in case they chew their way out - young mice can be pretty mischievous!

In the meantime, stale bread is definitely a great food option, as well as some soaked in water for moisture.  Cheerios, mouse mix, crackers, dry cat food, and really anything listed here (http://www.fancymicebreeders.com/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5) are great choices for nutrition until they get big enough to find their own.  Make sure if you add anything moist that the bedding doesn't wick it up and make them cold, but other than that, it sounds like you're doing a great job with them.

Best of luck, and thank you for taking care of these little guys!
-Tam