Question
baby mouse - one of s
My kids found 7 baby wild mice this weekend. The mother was killed by the pool heater they had their nest in. We have been feeding them since Sunday on 1/2 diluted kitten formula. We have been feeding them every 2-3 hours during the day and once at night. We make the formula about 100 degrees Farenheight. Is that warm enough or does it need to be warm? They all feed some, although it doesn't seem like much. They are failry big but don't have their eyes open yet. Can you tell me when they should start trying solid food, about how old they are from the picture and if there is anything else we should do? They are in a plastic (what was for turtles) cage, with no lid presently. They crawl around well, and we have a heating blanket (set on low), underneath the bottom. They seem to regulate how warm they want with each other and burrowing into the bedding chips. Also, I was reading on your site some about diseases, especially since they are wild. Do we have to worry about getting them from them? I haven't seem any fleas or mites or anything on them. Do I need to keep looking, can I kill them off of them if i find any? You seem to think that wild mice should be handled very little and returned to the wild, but there is no way to not handle them and feed them. I know my daughter would like to keep them as pets. Is that possible or a bad idea? Thanks for your help.
AnswerThank you for the pictures, I can see you are doing a wonderful job from his glossy coat.
It looks like their eyes will open in a few days, they are about 10 or 11 days old now. This is when they will reach the 'flea stage'. They will become difficult to handle and will be very jumpy. This is something that happens even with fancy mice.
100F may be a bit too warm but if they are drinking it then it should be fine. Once their eyes have opened they will be able to drink the milk from a bottle or bowl so you won't need to handle them. This is also the time to introduce solid food. This can be commercial mouse or hamster food as well as fresh fruit and vegetables, nuts, seeds, crusty bread, peanut butter, fromage frais, cooked potato, pasta and rice, weetabix etc. Avoid anything sugary, fatty or salty. You should also include a bottle or shallow bowl of water in the cage.
It is very important you find a lid for the cage because they will be able to jump out when their eyes are open. Make sure they still have plenty of ventilation.
It is not a good idea to keep wild mice as pets as they can carry parasites and spread diseases. They wouldn't make very good pets as they will probably bite and be difficult to handle. It would also be cruel to the mice as they belong in the wild. When they reach 4 1/2 weeks you will need to release them into the wild. If you keep them any longer they will start to reproduce and before you know it you will end up with a small army! Find a suitable spot at least 2 miles from your home (any closer and the may return).
Fancy mice make very rewarding pets so if your daughter wishes to keep mice adopt them form a reputable store. I suggest buying females as males smell pretty bad. You can have as many as will fit in your cage. They will be tame and friendly, you can even train them to do tricks.
I know it is difficult as it is too easy to become attached to the little critters but you must handle them as infrequently as possible once they have opened their eyes as tame mice won't survive long in the wild.
Please feel free to ask any more questions.
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