Orphaned Wild Mouse

Question
We found a baby field mouse. He looks about 3 weeks old. Fur, moving around, long tail, see the nails on their paws, closed eyes and ears.

I have researched online so far and they said to get some KMR. So we are going to get that. What else do I need to be aware of? I know about the rubbing the tummy with a warm cotton ball/Q-tip. What else do I need to be aware of? Is there any other information that you can give me? I really want this little guy to survive.

What kind of brush can I use for them to feed off? Maybe that would work better than an eye dropper? How often, how much KMR do I give it? How do I know its going to the bathroom ok? Do I need to have a hotwater bottle for the lil mouse to sustain bodyheat?

If I am forgetting anything please add.

Like I said any information would be awesome.  

Answer
Dear Kate,

Your foundling mouse is less than two weeks old. The kitten formula is exactly the right choice.  Mom mouse feeds them every half hour, but you only need to do so every 2-3 hours.  This means nighttime too.  You will find this easiest with an eye dropper.  Feed him drop by drop until he doesn't want to eat anymore.  His tummy will be white, though his fur may be thick enough at this stage that you can't see that.  It is also important to ever so gently massage his tummy after feedings to get his digestive system working (Mom licks them thoroughly and constantly).  He should eliminate at this time and you can gently wash him off.

He does need to stay warm.  A room heated to 75 degrees is sufficient-- don't leave him in a drafty, air conditioned room.  If it is not as warm as that, give him a hot water bottle, but make sure it is comfortably warm and not hot.  Don't put him directly on the bottle but put it in or under his cage.  

At 14 days he will open his eyes-  then you will know how old he is.  When mice open their eyes they can be very jumpy, because they have never had vision or before, and they are programmed to be terrified of anything from above (you can imagine; predators generally come from above--raptors, felines, canines).  With such strong little legs, they weigh almost nothing and can jump up to two feet high.  This can be called the flea stage, for obvious reasons; I call it the popcorn stage (Have you ever seen popcorn pop in a pan?).    He will get used to your visually and remain quite tame, considering that you have been his mommy for as long as he can remember.  Still, you should have him in a somewhat tall cage (aquarium with good lid), using perhaps kleenex for soft bedding but on a layer of wood chips (not cedar) or other litter.

Introduce  seeds and crackers into the cage after his eyes open, but continue offering him formula until 3 1/2 weeks.  Put a water bottle in the cage at 2 weeks but also leave him a small dish of water (small so he can't fall in!  Like a bottle cap) until you see him using the water bottle (which may be at about 3 1/2 weeks).  You should try to guide him to it before that time.

Good luck and have fun.  If you read some of my older posts (click on 'see past answers' by my name) you will learn more about baby wild mice and about raising and housing mice in general.  The names of the topics are pretty clear.

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha