Domestic Mice & Rat

Question
Hi there, Please can you help me? My daughter works at a pet shop and recently rescued 2 mice and a rat from becoming snake food. They are kept in cages, something I cannot bear. I belive animals must be free to roam & not caged, so I would like to set them free.  What are their chances of survival in the wild? I cannot keep them at home as I have 2 Great Danes & 3 cats that cannot wait to get their claws into these poor little things.  I want what is best for the mice and rat.  Oh and finding homes for them is proving impossible.  I really don't want them to become snake food or suffer in the wild trying to stay alive.  Thanks Wendy

Answer
Hi Wendy


They absolutely cannot survive in the wild. These rats were bred from domestic rats and domestic mice and have no idea how to forage for food and water or look for shelter both from the elements and predators.  if you release them in the wild, their fate will be no better if they were left in the snake tank to be food.  They will probably succumb to predators within hours of their release into the wild, not being taught that a hawk will swoop down out of nowhere and snatch them up to use them as dinner for themselves or their hungry offspring.

These rats were meant to be a companion for someone, not to live in the wild.  There is nothing cruel about keeping them safe in a cage and letting them out to be with you and interact with you during playtime. They have a chance of living up to 3 or 4 years old (the rat) and up to 2 years old (the mice) as a pet but in the wild, again, they dont stand a chance out there, as wild rats rarely live to be a year old do to predators etc...
There are rat and mice rescue places all over the place.  just try to google or let me know your area in South Africa and I will try to find a place.  

Please dont release them in the wild.  It will be just as cruel doing that as it would be to leave them as snake food.

I have 6 cats at home and a large dog myself and they cant have access to the rats as I keep them behind closed doors and dont allow the cats in that room. They know not to even step on paw over the threshold or they get scolded (the cats)