Saving wild mouse family

Question
Hello,

My husband and I have been having trouble with mice living in our garage. We are animal lovers, but with a small toddler, and 2 dogs that regularly frquent the area, we felt it best that they be moved out to avoid any disease being passed on.

My husband built a "humane trap" which consists of a large white bucket (about knee high) with bird seed at the bottom. He propped a metal pole over the top of the bucket so that the mice would fall in trying to get to the food, but not being able to get back out. (That doesn't sould so humane now that I haven't written it out!)

To make a long story short, earlier today we noticed that we had caught two mice. We were on our way out, and had planned on releasing them to a nearby field when we returned home. Much to our surprise, we ariived home to find that one of the mice now had babies! I have no clue what to do now. We are committed to helping them since it is our fault they are stuck in the bucket.

First question: I have a 20 gallon aquarium that I used with a lizard that has a mesh top. Will this be okay to keep them in? Since I don't intend on keeping them, should I leave the mesh lid off so Mom can come and go as she pleases?

Second question: There is another mouse with Mama. Should I release that mouse or leave with Mom and babies?

Third question: How should I move Mom and babes from the tall bucket to the aquarium without harming them?

Fourth question: What should I put in their cage? Should I give them a kleenex box for them to burrow in? Blankets?

Fifth question: It is boiling hot here, and I am worried because they do not currently have access to water. Should I put a small dish of water down? They have bird seed in there now to feed on. Should I give them something else?

I can't think of anything else right now. Thank you so much for your time. I desperatley want to help these poor mice out.

Amanda

Answer
Dear Amanda,

Well you've gotten yourself into a bit of a fix!  But just think, it's far better that you caught her  before she dropped the babies than after.

In my opinion, you should let mouse # 2 go; things will be complicated enough without her.  Mice need to be taken about 1 1/2 miles away from where they have been living if you don't want them to return, so the nearby field might not be far enough away.

Although the idea of mom mouse going freely in and out of the cage is a cute one, I think it could cause trouble.  First, the hardest problem you have right now is that nature tells mom mice to abandon or even kill the babies if she thinks they are in danger.  Thus given a way out, she may figure in terms of genetic material, she's better off making more babies somewhere else.  It's just instinct.  Thus it's a good idea not to let her leave the babies.  The second reason is that you would then be establishing a free house for all the mice, who would learn to come live in your garage and eat the seed you put out for the family.  

My recommendation is to prepare the aquarium with wood chips or even just newspaper in the bottom.  A kleenex box for the bedding is a very cute idea, but I'm afraid you might want to be able to access the babies better just in case.  I recommend some cut up pieces of single socks, or of a T-shirt or sweatshirt, in a pile or in a small box like a checkbook box in one corner of the cage.  If you can get an old mouse wheel from someone (or they only cost about $8 new) the mother mouse would appreciate it.  It won't be easy to change a water dish every day with a wild mouse in there, and such a dish might make a death trap for the babies, so the best way to supply the mouse with liquid is to keep lots of wet vegetables such as carrots and celery.  Put several toilet paper rolls in the cage for hiding. Seeds, bread, crackers, grains, and nuts should also be present in quantities.

Once the cage has been set up, get another tall bucket or container that you are going to put the mother mouse in while you move her babies.  If you can't figure out which is the mother of course you will have to keep them both!  Put thin enough gloves on that you can still feel what you are doing, such as cotton gloves.  Mice are very quick and good climbers, so this isn't necessarily going to be easy.  Don't wear sleeves that the mouse could easily attach onto.  To remove an adult mouse from the bucket, put a toilet paper roll into the bucket and nudge the mouse until she runs into it.  Then put both hands on the two sides and you can pick her up.  The other option is to catch her by the base of the tail right near her rear.  You are going to have to move fast.  You may end up putting both adults in the temporary container because you can't tell them apart; it's the one with the swollen nipples that you will want to keep in the end. If you never do figure it out, they'll get along just fine.

The recommended way to handle newborn mouse pups is with a spoon.  They are incredibly fragile.  They will die of exposure very easily, so make this part as quick as possible.  Gently put them all into the nest of your making.

Last, I don't know how awkward the present situation is, but the babies may have a better chance if they stay where they were born for a couple of days, which gives you a little time to set up the cage too.  This whole situation is very volatile as to whether the mother will think she ought to abandon her pups or worse.  But it is important that they not get too hot or too cold.  Once you have the cage set up, you might find it easiest to keep it at a steady temperature someplace other than the garage.  

Be careful transferring the adults-- the last thing you want is to have to write back to me to learn how to hand-raise infant mice!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha