raising an orphaned mouse

Question
i recently started caring for a baby mouse
he just opened his eyes about 3 or 4 days ago
he seems to be doing great
hes running around, eating really well and peeing and pooping
i think he is even starting to play, however tonight for the first time he started to chatter
not constantly but while i was feeding him and a little bit after, my concern is that some sites say
chattering is indicative of respiratory problems and that this requires antibiotics asap.
what do you think, i dont want to jump the gun
i would hate to put him on medicine if i dont have to.
by the way i think he is a field mouse.
thank you so much for your time and help
oh also if there is anything you think i should know about raising him well that i may not find on most sites id be so grateful.
thank you again sorry this is so long

Answer
Hi Kristen,

Unfortunately, the best thing I can really tell you is that if you can bring him into a vet, you probably should.  I would not put him on antibiotics without the advice of a professional since he is so young.  Dosing would be hard to determine on his little body and some medications can even hurt juvenile mice.  You also need to know what species he is (not only for addressing the chatter but also for general care), and a vet will be able to tell you that with certainty, too.

Respiratory infections can be very serious, but with so little known about him, it's best that he sees someone who can diagnose him in person and get you the right antibiotic first.  It'll save you time, money, and maybe his life if something really is going wrong.  I know sometimes a vet simply isn't possible, so if you need any help finding one or if you can't at all, write me or one of the other experts here back and we'll do what we can.  :)

Best of luck!
-Tam