found infant field mouse

Question
I just found in the road an infant field mouse; it's eyes are closed; it has grey fur all over it's body except the belly. What should I feed? At the moment it is vigorous, breathing and wiggling.
I am feeding maple syrup mixed with yogurt and milk. I'm rubbing its belly and genitals with a warm q-tip. It has not passed urine or stool yet.

Answer
Dear Judith,

Your little foundling is about 5 days old.

The best formula to use is kitten milk replacement, or KMR (unless you can get possum or wombat milk.  Seriously!).  You can also use soy milk. You can give it to him with an eyedropper, syringe (no needle!), small paintbrush, even a bit of paper towel. Give him as much as he will take, which will be a few drops.  You are right to rub it after feeding.  The pup should be fed every 2 hours for the first week, after that every 3-4 hours until it stops accepting the formula or its eyes have been open for over 10 days.

Keep the mouse pup in a warm place such as next to a heating pad or water bottle.  It is crucial to keep it warm because it doesn't even have fur, let alone the warmth of its siblings and mom which it needs.

Its eyes will open on about day 14, so you will know how old it is. Then it is time to put it in something with a lid, because soon it will be moving around. A couple of days later you can put a number of foods in the cage such as bits of crackers, seeds, a slice of apple, a bit of carrot, broccoli, and soft cheese.  

Best of luck!  Do write back with more questions.  Also if you search under "mice, mouse, natasha, orphan, baby" you will find my other answers about the same topic. And DON'T blame yourself if it doesn't make it.  It has had quite a traumatic experience and it's hard to replace a mother mouse.  But if it survives, a hand-nursed wild mouse will be very sweet, and they live longer than pet store or fancy mice.

squeaks,

Natasha