Baby Field Mouse

Question
Dear Natasha,
    Today I found a baby field mouse. Its eyes are still closed and it has gray fur. We have been feeding him with an eyedropper but he doesn't want to take the soy milk we offer. He sleeps and doesn't move a lot unless you take him out of the blanket we use to keep him warm. The whole family has been holding him in his blanket so he doesn't get too cold. We also make sure that he isn't too hot. We were wondering how old he is and if he might be sick because of his little eating and non-activeness. We also wonder if we could just wrap him/her in a blanket to keep him/her warm throughout the night. We will be getting up to feed him throughout the night. Thank you so much for your help and please respond as soon as possible.
Thank you,
Kaeli

Answer
Dear Kaeli,

The mouse pup is between one and two weeks old.  The best thing to nurse a mouse with is kitten milk replacement (KMR), at least every two hours (his mom fred him every half hour).  If he won't take it it is because he hasn't figured it out or it tastes too strange for him.  I hope when he gets hungry enough, and with the right formula, he will figure it out.  Rub his tummy gently with a Q-tip after feeding to help him to eliminate.  

Use a heating pad or a hot water bottle to keep him warm.  Make sure it isn't too hot; but remember he is used to his mother's body temperature, which is slightly above our own.  

It's not easy to raise a mouse pup if you are not a mouse.  Even if you took a healthy baby away from its mom and began to care for it immediately, it would be difficult.  What you have is a little guy who hasn't seen his mommy in we don't know how long.  On top of this, sometimes a baby mouse is abandoned by its mother because there is something wrong with it.  I tell you this so you realize you are not at all to blame if he doesn't make it.  If you do raise him, you have done well.  If he enjoys being handled and is tame, he can make a very nice pet.

Best of luck,

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha