my wild field mice

[biganimallover]

Hi there.
I'm new to Wild about Britain. last week I caught 2 little field mice in my human trap. I always release them back into the wild (yes I always get field mice come in the house as I live next to a huge field) but on this occasion I was about to release them when a man asked me what I had in the trap. I told him and he took a look then told me that they wouldn't survive if I released them as it was to cold.
Feeling guilty and being the animal lover I am, I had to give them a chance. So not knowing what 2 do I took them home, went up town and brought them a rotastak home. I know nothing about mice or how to keep them
So I am asking if there is anyone that knows how to keep wild field mice through the winter?
What to feed them on for their best health (they curently have hamster food)
How to keep them healthy and when and where (maybe nearer to spring?) is the best place to release them? Or can I release them now that I have put them in a cage? what's their chance of survival once they have been living in a nice warm home?
They are so cute, but I know I have to do the right thing for them.
So please can someone give me a little accentual advice.
Thank you
Big animal love

[RKB]

The right thing is to release them immediately. They are wild animals, not domesticated pets, and will be very stressed at being confined in a small area - normally they range over hundreds of square metres. Mice survive outdoors all year round in Russia and Norway, where the weather is much worse than here, so they are more than capable or surviving a few cold nights.

Wood (Field) mice are quite aggressive and smelly, and very highly-strung, so are not good pets at all. As you have two animals in close confines, they will eventually fight and possibly kill each other through stress.

The longer you keep them, the harder it will be for them to survive in the cage or in the wild. As you admit to having no experience of them, it's a bit unethical to take them from the wild for your own interest. There is no moral difference between taking wild mice and putting them in a cage and taking wild robins and doing the same, but I imagine you would never dream of doing the latter. That helps put it into perspective - there is no difference between the field mouse and robin, they are both wild.

[healfdan]

I can understand your concern at releasing these small creatures but as RKB rather forcefully put it they should not be held as pets and they do belong in the wild. They are wild creatures, that like several other wild species when times are hard, exploit any niche which provides a warm and dry environment and where food is available. Mice have been known to cause damage such as chewing through cables and their faeces and urine contaminate stored food.They may look sweet but they are a pest and the fact that you have to set traps shows that you would rather they didn't enter your house. Trapping humanely shows your caring nature but draw the line there and take these little opportunist well away from yours and other peoples property and let them fend for themselves.

[Farplace]

Welcome to WAB, and thanks for caring about these mice. However, you have been given wrong advice. Its not too cold for them. They will survive without any problem in the wild. They will be too stressed in a cage. Let them go.

[faz]

as above let them go RKB is right !!!
good intent as caused more deaths let nature take its course i know it sounds hard but !!!!!!!!! its the righ thing to do