Caring for Baby Mouse

Question
Hi Natasha,
Brownie is doing very well with the feediings now. When I pick him up he knows right away it's food. I notice today he is much more active. Usually he sleeps alot now he is exploring about in his surroundings. I have some more questions. If I wish to get a companion for him, can I? If it's a male? Or what kind of mouse can I get? What kind of mouse would be compatable with him? Or is it better for him to be a lone mouse? Also we were wondering when he gets a bit older if we could get a plastic cage? The one with the tubes? I know I read somewhere that plastic isn't good for their feet. I wouldn't want to injure him in any way.

Also I tried to introduce crackers to him, I haven't boughten pellets yet. I have guided him to a cap full of water (water bottle cap - small) but he doesn't really seem to want it. Do I keep reinforcing it?

How long will it take for me to wean him off the milk?

He walks fine now, he hardly flops. He is getting bigger just in the 3 days I have had him. Also when can I take the hot water bottle out? (just not sure of that).

I think that's all right now that I have in mind. If I have more questions I'll email you back.

Thanks so much for your support. Our family is so grateful for all your directions on our to take care of this little guy. We did exactly what you have told us and things have been very smooth.  

Answer
Dear Kate,

It sounds like you are being a wonderful mouse mommy!  

Do you know that Brownie is a boy?  It's hard to tell at that age.  Even though he is a nice pet, you probably wouldn't be up for raising lots of litters of half wild mice (or would you?), so you really wouldn't want to put a boy and a girl together.  Two boys from different litters will fight, and probably Brownie's genes are more aggressive than a tame mouse's.  Thus only if Brownie is a girl will you want to get her a friend.  You can wait a little while though to worry about that.  She or he is still very young.  It is true that a mouse would rather not be a lone mouse, but boys often have to be.  But since you have raised him in your hands, he might just be happy with you as his mouse friend; hopefully you can spend 1-2 hours a day with him.  

Brownie really isn't ready for hard food yet, though he could be in 3 days or so; keep the crackers in there.  Keep showing him the water, too, but don't worry about it for another 3-4 days either.  Once he stops wanting to nurse-- and that's up to him, it's when he stops letting you feed him-- then he'd better be able to drink it!  Hopefully you can teach him about the water bottle very soon.  Make sure he can reach it comfortably.

So long as the room is warm, Brownie won't need the hot water bottle once he is weaned.  Make sure he has plenty of nesting material-- strips of soft cloth (I sometimes use those extra socks the dryer creates by eating the mates), short pieces of warm yarn, even kleenex are nice things to make nests out of.  You can give him a mouse house too.  I'd recommend waiting until he is weaned so there isn't a problem with getting him out to feed-- or buy one with a removable lid so you can lift it up to get him.  He should have a wheel within a week too.  They do make small ones.

There is no problem with plastic and mouse feet.  Probably the issue was that most plastic cages have a wire floor, and the mouse doesn't want to walk and sit and sleep on wire all the time.  That could be painful for his feet.  The cages are fine so long as you give them something to walk on, such as piled hay, chips, leaves, cloth, or some other walking surface.   This is true for the upper floors too, if you get a fancy cage; there should be enough floor covering for the mouse to have places to hang out.  The tubes are fun once he is big enough to climb in them.  Make sure he is not separated from his water, food, or bed, until you see that he is good at the tubes and knows where to find things.

Is that all? (giggle)

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha

PS you have an opportunity to rate each question and it helps me if you do so : ))