Orpahned Mouse - Please help?

Question

I saw my cat playing with a baby mouse, so I shooed the cat away. I looked at it and it was really small about 1 inch and still had its eyes closed, however, covered with fur.

I got some kitten milk for it and its virtually lactose free so it should be good, I dipped a ear bud in there and fed it to the mouse and its seemed to suck on the end of it whilst holding it the same time, it dipped it in there a few more times and it stopped eating and turned around as if it was going to sleep.

Its warm, I ahev fed it and its in a box with a soc and tissue paper.

Am I doing ok so far?

What else do I need to do and what are its requirments?

I am going to the vets tommorrow so I bring it with me and take it there and leave it with them?

I have had the mouse for about 4 hours now?

Thanks

Answer 1

Okay, so i want to forewarn you about wild mice carrying disease (?).

that being said.  They're resilent, they eat practically anything people can.  they wont overeat.   You don't need to play with them.   I think the vet visit might be costly for the little guy.   I don't imagine they can do much of anything.

Answer 2

well firstly having dealt with mice a lot (infestation d**n wheelie bins) they can carry infections and diseases so wash your hands regulary. So far you are doing well, feed it fruit nuts and put it in something stronger than a box. If you are wanting to keep it as a pet ask the vet to test for anything that can cause problems.

Answer 3

If it is a baby, you will need to rub its genitals after it eats and drinks, because if you don't, the waste will build up until it will die. Rubbing it will make it go to the bathroom, as they cannot on their own.

They should be feed frequently, and kept warm by some kind of heating pad.

Answer 4

That's fine - it is good that it is attempting to eat, as suggests it hasn't been too traumatised by it all.

Probably the best thing to do now is leave it in the box, preferably in the dark, with a few bits of plain cereal or nuts/fruit (and perhaps jam jar lid with water)

It may still die (i'm sorry, sometimes they are in shock and do) but it sounds like it's doing alright.

You're doing a wonderful thing.  Just make sure to wear thick gardening gloves if putting hands near to it.  It won't know you're a friend and could bite.

Answer 5

Oh my, that is very nice of you :) I cant be happier for this!

Now, let me tell you that you are doing pretty good so far. Since it is not a domesticated pet, it is best to put some natural things in the box you have for it, like grass and some leaves. If you can, temporarily, get woodshaving(for rats and hamsters people have for pets) at a pet store near you and put a huge amount in the box(the baby mouse would need warmth in the box and it could get sick when it gets cold.

this is a really good and important site, i suggest you looking at it right away because the baby mouse may die if you dont take care of it properly:

http://www.mouseranch.com/FYI/orphans.sh...

here of some chunks of information i found:

Since the mice are only days old, they need milk. They can't be fed normal cows milk as they can't tolerate it and will probably get a stomach upset and die, you will need to get a substitute milk from a vet and feed it to them using a dropper or syringe. This is very complicated as the milk can easily go into their lungs and kill them. If the milk isn't made up properly (it will be a powder that you have to add water too) then it may be too thick and this can also kill them. If you could find a wildlife rehabilitation centre with experience of rearing orphaned wildlife then that would be their best chance. The problem is that rearing something so tiny when you have no experience probably won't be successful as there's so many things that can go wrong. If you do end up keeping them, then maybe a vet could demonstrate how to feed them. Feeding with a syringe isn't a good option as its would be hard to get one small enough, it could damage their mouths, air usually gets into their stomach and too much milk goes in too fast and it ends up in the lungs. I don't know if they make droppers small enough to feed them but you could try. They would need feeding at least every hour and stimulated to go to the toilet by rubbing their bottoms. They need to be gently massaged incase they have wind. They are very demanding. Its important to keep them warm but that's hard to do as most heat sources like mats or hot water bottles will burn them if they have no fur. To be honest without their mother's milk they don't really have a high chance of survival. Perhaps a wildlife centre would be able to find them a foster mother. Try to find a wildlife centre that will take them if possible.

here is another good site:

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/orphans.htm

try doing the things suggested because that will save the mouse's life. There is 50 percent chance that it will live, so keep up the good work and i wish both of you the best luck

xoxoxo

Answer 6

Make sure to rub it's belly with a wet cloth. In the wild it's mom would l**k it's bottom and help it's wastes come out, nasty i know. But it is vital for it's survival. It sounds good what you're doing so far though. Just keep the little guy warm and feed it every few hours

Answer 7

put it outside? they carry deseases and chew through wires.

Answer 8

you know that mouse is probably not a pet mouse, and wild mice are different then pet mice....  But i guess it could make a good pet...  i think youre doing fine make sure you give it water too that important.  when you take it to the vet dont be too surprised if it has mites or soemthing

Answer 9

Call the vet- ask for their advice.

Here is more info

Taking care of orphan babies when a mouse foster mother is not an option. This is extremely hard to do but if you are up for the challenge, it can be very rewarding. Often times the bond that is formed between a human and a foster mouse is unbreakable. This can be extremely heartwarming to the human as well as the mouse. However, it can be very heartbreaking if the baby doesn't make it. In my opinion, the risk is worth taking :). Before you get started, know that this is very time consuming and sometimes no matter how well you take care of the orphan(s) they still may not make it. If that happens and you did your best, rest assured that you did everything possible… it just wasn't meant to be. Also know that you gave that orphan a wonderful life, even if it was a short one.

When taking care of an orphan mouse you will need some supplies. It is absolutely necessary that these are acquired as fast as possible. The orphan needs nourishment quickly. You will need kitten formula (KMR is recommended). This comes in powder as well as pre-mixed. I prefer powder because it lasts longer. *Unless your formula goes by weight, make sure you dilute it twice the recommended amount.* KMR is designed for kittens (obviously). Pinkies are so much smaller that they can't swallow the KMR unless its diluted more than recommended. You will also need a syringe (no needle) for hand feeding. If the baby is young enough (he/she has eyes still closed) a shoe box with holes in the lid for ventilation will work well. If the baby has its eyes open, a small fish tank, kritter keeper or something else that they can not chew out of is best. Bedding material can consist of clean rags (make sure there are no lose threads that they can get their legs or toes tangled in as his can cut off circulation), paper towels, unscented TP, non-lotion Kleenex, etc. You will also need to keep the baby warm but not to warm! It is just as easy to over heat a baby as it is to not make it warm enough. You can use a heating pad. Turn it on the lowest setting and place it under the tank. It is best to place a towel in between the heating pad and the bottom of the tank. Check it often to make sure it isn't to warm! A mouse nest is around or slightly above 80 degrees F. As the baby gets older (over 2-1/2 weeks) it will be able to maintain its own body temperature easier as long as the room temperature is not to cool. Lastly, you will need Q-tips to stimulate the baby to go potty.

In order to know when/how often to feed the baby, you must first establish its age if it is not known. Try to judge the age using the day by day pictures of mouse babies on my site. Orphan babies are often smaller than babies that have a good mother. Don't let this discourage you when taking care of the baby. The baby might actually be older than what it appears to be. However, take care of it by the age it looks, and not necessarily how old it actually is. For instance, a baby might be 2 weeks old but looks one week old. Take care of it as if it was 1 week old. If your orphan is a new born you will need to feed it every 1-2 hours as a minimum. You must do this around the clock. This will make for many sleepless nights and one of the reasons that taking care of orphan mice is so challenging. If the baby has its eyes open then it is around or over 2 weeks of age. You can decrease feedings some at this point. Every 3-4 hours (weaning gradually) should be sufficient. If the baby at any stage appears to lose weight, try to feed more if the baby is willing. Be sure not to over feed (don't force it). A baby should eat .05cc per gram of their body weight per feeding. This means that a baby of 10 grams should eat .5cc of milk per feeding. Once the baby has its eyes open you can introduce solid mouse food as well as a water bottle. Make sure the bottle is low enough for the baby to reach. It may not drink from the bottle right away. Give it time. I do not recommend water dishes. This can be a huge hazard as the baby can drown in even a small amount of water. Foods you can introduce to a 2 + week old baby are store bought mixes (hamster food is often best), cooked rice (mice generally accept white rice over brown but both are good. White rice often helps them get started as it's more appetizing) mixed with KMR, human baby food (select things that are easy on the digestive track. Stay away from things that might give it the runs, such as spinach, etc), soft kitten food, etc. When the baby is around 3 weeks old it should start to wean itself. Don't worry if it doesn't happen at 3 weeks. Your orphan will come around in his or her own time. It might even be as late as 4+ weeks when it starts to wean. No mouse should be fully weaned before 3-1/2 to 4 weeks of age. Also, orphans usually need to be weaned late. You may feel frustrated or concerned but know that it will happen when the time is right. It's actually quite amazing how it magically happens. Soon enough your baby will be solely on solid foods.

When hand feeding an orphan make sure not to get any formula in its nose!! This is extremely important! If the baby has a nose full of formula it can suffocate easily. Dispense formula in the side of the mouth (as best as you can) using the syringe. Only give it as much as it can eat. Take it slow and don't force it. When first starting to feed an orphan it can prove trying, frustrating, etc. Give it time and keep your patience. After feeding make sure you rub the orphans belly gently with a Q-tip. Try to massage until the baby goes potty. A baby can NOT go potty by itself, you need to assist it. If you do not assist it, it will die from being backed up. Do not rub too hard or irritate the skin. If you have been massaging for a long time and it will not potty, stop for a while and try again later.

Survival rate of hand raised orphan mice depends on age and health. If the mouse shows signs of illness, at any age, the survival rate is low. A new born orphan has a smaller chance at surviving, but don't let that discourage you! I know of many success stories! A baby that has its eyes open has an excellent chance at surviving.

Check the rest of the page too:

http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/orphaned...

Also, they have a forum for mouse questions there. I reccomend you post one.

Good luck! :)