found hurt mouse

Question
As I was feeding my dogs today a mice landed in a food bowl.  I screamed quite loudly then ran away.  Since the incident the mouse hasn't moved at all, but it is still breathing.  We have put him in a cage with newspaper, small apple chunks, and uncooked oats, and peanut butter.  It has been breathing regularly for about an hour and a half.  What should we do to help him?

Answer
Hi Colette,

First off, thank you for being so kind to the mouse you found!  I'm not sure from your description if it's injured or ill, or even just old, so the best thing to do is to take it to a small animal vet in the morning if it lasts until then.  They will be able to pinpoint the issue and address it immediately.  In the meantime, you can try shredding up some tissues and putting it in the cage so it stays warm and can feel more secure.  Dog food is great protein for mice, actually, so if you want to put a small portion in the cage it may feel more inclined to eat it, since it seems to have been doing so recently anyways.  The apple bits are great, because they contain moisture that will also help since severe dehydration can also cause a mouse to slow down and appear ill and ragged.  Baby food, kitten milk replacement, banana, and some form of plain water are all great things to try, too.

You'll pretty much just want to keep it warm, hydrated, and not bother it more than you have to so that it won't stress out too much.  If it's having trouble moving around, as in if it might have broken bones, you will need to put the food very near it.  Please be cautious and sanitary; since you don't know the temperament of the mouse or if it is injured it would be wise to not handle it any more than necessary.  Wash your hands after handling it or things from its cage, and clean everything that goes into and comes out of the cage appropriately, as wild mice can occasionally carry parasites.

Good luck to the little guy (or girl)!
-Tam