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keeping untamed feeder mice

21 15:31:35

Question
I saved Snow and Shadow from being ate by my husbands snake! However, I never got to socialize them and they freak out everytime i pick them up. Now she has had a litter of 10 (there are 8 left), and I don't know what to do. I don't have enough room for all of them. I was thinking would it be ok to just keep 2 of the female mice (who I could socialize and tame at birth). Would it be ok to let Shadow and Snow go? Can they survive on their own? or should i give them to the pet store. It is a huge dilemma. Please help! My husband wants me to give them to the snake, I just cant!!! However, Do you think it would be easier to just tame the babies? Sorry i know i just asked you a million questions at once.

Answer
Dear Kimberly,

It's a tough situation.  I wish I could  make it easier.  

Certainly it will be easier to tame the babies than the parents, though it's not impossible to tame an adult mouse.  Pet/feeder mice are really not capable of surviving in the wild and will be terrified if you let them loose-- more so than (just!) to get eaten by a snake.  If your pet store would take them, the likelihood is that they would be sold as feeders or fed to their animals anyway, since they are not friendly.  

My suggestion is to keep the girl with two female babies.  Gently try to tame her over time as you hold the others regularly.  If you wanted to keep the male, he could have his own cage.  Maybe you know someone who would like a mouse-- and either has the patience to tame him or doesn't mind a wildish mouse.  

Don't feed your mouse to the snake if it is going to harm you emotionally.  That matters too.  I hope you can come to a decision that works out.

squeaks,

Natasha