How to release baby house mice

Question
We found a mouse in our wall heater and so we caught it and released it in nature.  About two days later we heard mice in the wall and found 3 baby mice.  All had fur and all had their eyes open.  I went to the pet store and they told me to buy goat milk and feed the mice it.  I did this for about a week and then the mice didn't want it anymore and would squirm away.  I started putting cheese, crackers and fruit in there.  That is where I'm at now.  My question is, when will it be safe to release them and what kind of location should I pick where they'd have the most chance of survival?

Answer
Dear Renee,

Sounds like you did a good job of raising them even after they had been without their  mom for 2 days. They are now over 3 weeks old and might be pretty jumpy soon (it's hard to predict, since you did feed them for a week in your hands). You want to release them over a mile away. It should be in a wooded or meadow area where there are plenty of places to hide.  You can leave them a stash of mouse food or bird food.  If you can leave them a box to hide in for a while that would help. You could make a mouse hole in a shoebox and simply leave them in the box in a hidden spot in the wooded area, picking it up a week later.  Of course this depends on the property.  

My wishes for the best of luck to your little charges.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha