Dying Mother Mouses Babies/ Kids & Mice

Question
My 12 year old talked me into 1 mouse for her and her friend and decided they wanted to raise more to feed her brother's snake.  Of course it hasn't turned out that way.   Now we have 7 and she is trying to learn how to take care of them.  One got pregnant and had about 12 babies.  I think she ate some.  I did some research on how to take care of them and things have been going well the past 2 weeks, like keeping the cage covered and not disturbing them, etc. but tonight the mama seems like she is about dead.  I think there are 6 left and it looks like they will be without a mama.  Is there any way to take care of them if the mama does indeed die?  In 20/20 hindsight, I think they are too young for taking care of mice although she tried hard.

Answer
Hi,

I'm sorry to hear of your mouse troubles.  Mice aren't the best a beginners' pet unless the parents are pretty much ready to take full responsibility.   It also depends on whether mice are a focus for the child or a passing whim.  It's always a good idea if somebody in the house does a little research (mouse care books) before the first pet comes home.  

The very first thing to do with your little pups is call around to local pet stores to see if they have nursing mothers who might take the mice in.  Make sure they know you want the mice when they are weaned!  However, raising them is not impossible.

The best way to keep them warm is with a heating pad on low.  Make sure it does not get hot.  A light can be used as well, with the bulb close to the cage.  Again, be very careful not to fry the mice!  Make sure one part of the cage is warm and one cooler so they can move from an uncomfortable temperature.

You will need to nurse them is with kitten milk replacement (KMR).  You will need to feed them with a little syringe.  Every 2-3 hours is a minimum:  The mom feeds them every half hour!  Perhaps different members of the family can take turns.  Either lay them in your hand or hold them by the 'scruff of their neck'-- that is, the loose skin just behind their heads.  Give them one drop at a time and wait a few seconds till it swallows before giving another.  Give them as much as they will eat.    

At 2 1/2 weeks it's time to start offering them real mouse food.  However, they need to keep being nursed with the formula until they want to stop, or at about 4 weeks, whichever is sooner.  You can cut back to every 6 hours after age 3 weeks.

At 4 1/2 weeks they can become sexually mature.  If you have both boys and girls and you don't separate them, you'll have 1000 mice before you know it.  Check their tummies:  Girls have nipples and boys don't.  As they get older, boys look like they are developing a big butt but it is actually their testicles.  Two or more girls live together easily.  Two boys tend to fight, but it isn't always bad. Here is a link to help you sex young mice:

http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/sexing.cfm

You can keep all your girls together, but you will need contingency plans for when the boys start to fight. That won't be right away.

You'll want to get a mouse care book or two, and look over this site with questions, if you end up keeping some of the mice.  Mice really make wonderful pets.  They take less energy than a puppy or kitten-- but more than a reptile or snake.  Good luck.

squeaks,

Natasha