mouse

Question
QUESTION: Hi Sandra,
I saw some of your questions people asked regarded mice.  I live in a co-op in NYC and they were doing construction for two years.  I have a humane trap and let them go in Central Park right away.  However I caught the last 16 during the winter.  When is a good time to let them go.  I have them in a large tank with two wheels water and food.
Thank you Dianne

ANSWER: Hi

Have any babies been born? Do you handle them?  How many months would you say it has been that they have been captive.

Heres the problem....they have food and water right there for them so I fear the have lost their survival skills now that they are more domesticated and drink and eat at will without having to forage for food and water.  They may have a very small chance of survival out in the wild now.

I bet they are cuties!!!!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I never handle them.  I don't want them to trust me.  No babies.  They are so sweet. They were just little buttons, but are now pretty big and so energetic on the wheel.  Sometimes Remy and Emil watch them.  I have had them about 4 months.Every time I clean the tank they hide in a big tube.  They never try to bite me and they are timid even when I stand near the tank.  But sooo sweet and good

Answer

Wild babies  
I wish I could feel good about telling you to release them when it gets a bit warmer out, but I do fear their chance of survival is very limited now.  
Usually a wild life rehabber has a way of teaching them how to get their natural survival skills back on animals that are wild but had to be captive due to injury or illness etc... but for mice that have been captive this long, they still may not trust humans but they have their food, shelter and water right there without having to do it on their own.   

A while back someone rescued a rat that was trapped in her walls. The rat had babies and she kept them all and adopted them out. She could not release them back to the wild since it was winter also and she found homes for the babies that were pretty well seasoned rat owners so they did not just end up giving wild baby rats to someone that never had rats before since they can be a bit more tricky to socialize.  Look at the little darlings eating peanuts!!!!!!