Feeding baby mice

Question
Hello,

My brother owns a red-tailed boa, and he purchased two white mice for it to eat.

One mouse is young, has all its fur, and the eyes and ears are open.

The other one is younger, like an infant--its still pinkish on the underbelly, yet has fur over its back (eyes and ears are closed). The snake has refused to eat both, so I've taken them into care.

the people at my local pet store told me that soaking a piece of bread in milk and offering it to the mice is a good food substitute. They also told me that using an eyedropper or syringe to feed them milk with is dangerous with an inexperienced person, because the mouse could take in too much and choke.

The older mouse has been eating the soaked bread pieces, along with small bits of lettuce, whereas the younger one might make what looks like an attempt, but i don't think he/she is actually getting food.

I have two questions:
1) What should I do about the younger infant mouse? I am concerned that the advice from the pet store people isn't the best advice, and I don't think the mouse is getting enough food.
2) Also, the infant mouse has become very 'active'.... He/she kind of "pops" into the air, and squirms a lot, despite having its eyes and ears closed. Does this mean trouble? or is it part of the mouse's growth?

thank you for you time and consideration, I hope I have explained my situation and expressed my questions clearly.


Answer
Dear Sam,

The pet store is wrong (as they so often, sadly, are!).  The mouse needs to be fed with an eyedropper because it is too young to eat on its own. The following post explains how to care for a young, motherless mouse:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2009/4/new-born-foundling-mouse.htm

Mice can become active before their eyes are open.  I wouldn't worry about it.

Best of luck!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha