found baby mice.

Question
Hello, i found 5 baby mice in my garage with no mother i took them inside about 2 days ago. They are furry but their eye's are closed. I've been feeding them kitten formula with an eye dropper they eat well and i am currently keeping them in a box in my bath tub but i was just curious on what to do like what else would help them survive. My friend wants to keep 2 of them, should i wait a while to give them to her? mm, i have no time for them but don't want too give up, and have them die. so i am waking up every 2-3 hours during the night. can they go more then 6 hours without food?? or will they die. Please reply i need some advice its driving me crazy, I'm only 15 and don't really know what too do. Thanks so much (:

Answer
Dear Lauren,

You are right to feed them every two hours.  Their mom nurses them every half hour.  Six hours would be far too long.  The following post details how to care for foundling wild mice:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2008/8/Orphaned-Wild-Mouse.htm

If your friend wants the mice, perhaps she could take over their care.  If you're not sure she will, though, then it's safer to do it yourself.  It is a lot of work to raise a orphan mouse; it's the lot of those of us who love animals to sometimes have to give what is hard to give.  Thank you for caring.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha