Rescued Field Mouse...

[dreamscape]

Hello all

I'm need here and in need of some advice, saturday night i came back from the chippy and our cat was looking rarther attentive in the garden so i went over to see what he was looking at and he had caught a little mouse and was playing with it so i instantly grabbed it and put it in the house

now... its doing ok its on its 3rd night its eating, drinking and moving around alot its also extremely tame i can handle it without any issues at all nor does it bite...

now after looking over it closely it had no damages apart from one of his rear legs just sticks out now and he limps around abit hes very mobile though even with the poorly leg...

now, what should i do with this mouse? should i keep it in the old fish tank like i am now with lots of food, shelter and water or should i let it free? we live near a women who is nuts about cats so his chances outside seem very very slim in my view???

also, one big question i have is are there any health risks with these types of creatures? i had a pet cockatiel which i hold alot etc will the mouse cause any risks towards the bird? does they carry any diseases which could effect humans? we live right on the edge of a canal and there are rats and mice around...

what to do? keep it? not keep it? i feel like if i let it free im just setting it up to be eaten but then im really worried about any health risks it might bring to me or my bird.

sme images of what i assume is a field mouse?

http://www.sapphiresupport.co.uk/4.jpg

http://www.sapphiresupport.co.uk/3.jpg

[dreamscape]

After looking through the mammal A-Z this looks SO much like him!!

Bank Vole | Wild About Britain

Perhaps he is a vole!? can anyone confirm?

[Dogghound]

Its a bank vole not a field mouse, quite a youngish looking one too. The best thing to do is release it in an area of woodland, scrub, thicket etc. Areas with lots of dense bramble growth are often good. Release it around dusk as this is when they are naturally most active.

Can it walk? its likely that its chances of survival are reduced due to the injury.

Yes wild mammals can carry lots of diseases so its best to wear gloves or wash your hands when dealing with them. Bank voles are notorious carriers of diseases like Orthopoxvirus (Cowpox).

[dreamscape]

Originally Posted by Dogghound

Its a bank vole not a field mouse, quite a youngish looking one too. The best thing to do is release it in an area of woodland, scrub, thicket etc. Areas with lots of dense bramble growth are often good. Release it around dusk as this is when they are naturally most active.

Can it walk? its likely that its chances of survival are reduced due to the injury.

Yes wild mammals can carry lots of diseases so its best to wear gloves or wash your hands when dealing with them. Bank voles are notorious carriers of diseases like Orthopoxvirus (Cowpox).

Hi there

thanks for the heads up i have actually been washing my hands alot when i did hold him i just felt the need to anyway

he can walk but he does limp

i guess i will let him go today/tommorow and let nature take its course, thanks for the info

[operanut1972]

Hi dreamscape,

Sounds like you are in a bit of a dilemma, if you release said mouse it is likely to become cat chow, or some other predator's meal because of it's gammy leg. Now many would say that this is the nature of life and normal, others would say if it can't hunt/forage for food it will die so put it 'to sleep' or euthanise it. I can't say which way you should jump. Perhaps getting someone to give it the once over and see if a local rescue centre would take it would be the best bet. You've got it past the risk of shock at least. You've not said if the mouse had any puncture wounds? In which case it'll probably need anti biotics. You get the gist I'm sure.

Bottom line, get it to someone who can check it out and possibly release it safely.
ATB