Taking care of pinky mouse

Question
I am a mom who bought 2 two week-old pinkies for my daughters' snakes. One was eaten and the other wasn't. I have been feeding this tiny thing with some kitten formula mixed with milk using a small knot of embroidery thread between my fingers as a teet. I have also gently put the tip of a darning needle in its mouth and let it suck the milk down the eye of the needle. It has now been six days, and it is growing. It has begun to chatter and has grown a little white coat. I guess I would like to know what you fed your pinkies. I don't know if it's getting enough, as it's pretty scrawny. Any advice you can give me would be very helpful.  Thank you.

Answer
Dear Suzanne,


You are doing a good job. If it is almost a week old (although scrawny) it might be ready for real food soon. As a pinky they should have pure kitten milk. Start with that then slowly add a little bit of cream of wheat. When it takes that offer it bread soaked in kitten milk on its own and see if it can do that. Next would be oatmeal. Put a tiny bowl of water in the cage at this point. Next cheese. i am making this gradual because it is so scrawny. But it won't be long. After cheese it should be ready for crackers and fresh vegetables. Then it will be ready for a normal seed mix.

Is it pooping on its own? When they are tiny you are supposed to rub their bellies and genitals to get them to eliminate. But by now it is probably fine. It will be normal if it loses its fur at some point, and it will grow it back. Keep it warm. It will need a cage with a lid in just a couple of days because it will soon be able to climb and jump.

Once it is eating solid food you need to introduce it to the water bottle. Keep the bowl in the cage until you see him drinking from the bottle. Show him how the water comes out once or twice a day till he gets it. It helps to put a tiny bit of yogurt (I find they prefer soy) or butter on the tip of the bottle.

Best of luck!

squeas,

Natasha