Advice on Looking after a Baby Orphan Field mouse

anniebelle · #1 (**permalink**) 17-10-2007, 01:05 PM

Hi I am a new member and this is the first time I have joined anything like this. I am looking after a baby orphan field mouse which was found with its nest distroyed and mum not there on Sunday afternoon. We did leave it alone for 3 hours where it was discovered but still no sign of mum coming back. Hence I have adopted it (not expecting it to last the night!) The mouse is very young with eyes still shut and only just over an inch long. At the moment I am feeding it on demand (when it gets fidgity and squeeks) with half semi skimmed milk/half double cream, teaspoon full of glucose syrup and a drop of small mammal vitimin suppliment. I warm it up and syringe feed by putting a drop on its mouth and it licks it off the syringe. I keep it in a fake fur lined box between feeds. I have also been trying to stimulate its bowels by imitating mum licking it by stroking it with limited sucess. It has now lived for three days so I am very pleased and astonded but anyone with any advice and knowledge on this please help me.

naturelover · #2 (**permalink**) 17-10-2007, 02:18 PM

hi anniebelle how kind you are,most people wouldnt even notice it let alone save it,what you are doing sounds right,i must admit i would be a bit worried about its other end,food going in nothing comeing out,you are trying to stimulate its bowls have you tryed a wet tissue as mum would have a wet toung,also try blowing on his bits you do that to babies it might work on animals too.

naturelover · #3 (**permalink**) 17-10-2007, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by naturelover

hi anniebelle how kind you are,most people wouldnt even notice it let alone save it,what you are doing sounds right,i must admit i would be a bit worried about its other end,food going in nothing comeing out,you are trying to stimulate its bowls have you tryed a wet tissue as mum would have a wet toung,also try blowing on his bits you do that to babies it might work on animals too.

by the way welcome to the site have fun.

Crystoculars · #4 (**permalink**) 18-10-2007, 11:05 AM

I used to have mice as pets.

The mixture you're feeding the baby will be too rich, can you get some puppy/kitten milk or the like instead? Remember that has to be diluted down by half for a pinkie.

Naturelover is right about stimulating the bowels, the mother would use her tongue, so try it with a damp cotton bud instead, it may be that the baby is dehydrated from the mixture you're feeding it.

How small is the pinkie and does it have any fur? I can try and estimate how old it is (my dear Louie had a litter I raised)

anniebelle · #5 (**permalink**) 19-10-2007, 06:27 PM

Hi thanks for your help, unfortunatly the mouse died on wednesday night. With hindsite I started off by feedind the mouse milk, a little double cream, vitimin suppliment and a little honey. My friend who had raised a baby Hedgehog told me I should be feeding it glucose syrup instead so I swapped honey for Glucose syrup. That is when he/she? got constapated, even with brushing/stimulation to eliminate he did not perform! However I have learnt from this experience and I valued all your help. Until a small animal needs your help you do not realise what a responsibility and how little i knew about them! But looking on the bright side I would not have found this website unless the mouse was found by me

galanthus · #6 (**permalink**) 19-10-2007, 06:32 PM

Awwww i'm so sorry, that's very sad

At least it probably died in a better way than being cat-mauled at the end. welcome to WAB

Crystoculars · #7 (**permalink**) 23-10-2007, 09:57 AM

Aw. I'm not surprised that the mouse died really, double cream and honey? :/ At least you tried, it's good to know there are people like you out there

penka · #8 (**permalink**) 27-05-2008, 06:29 PM

hi my boyfriend has just brought home a baby field mouse the nest was destroyed and the mother never came back, it has a scratch to the belly but is moving and wriggling it has had a little full fat cows milk but i need a perpet, i have put him into cotton wool in a warm area.

how often do i feed him ?

Jez · #9 (**permalink**) 27-05-2008, 07:08 PM

Hi & welcome Penka can I ask what you are going to be feeding the mouse on?

penka · #10 (**permalink**) 27-05-2008, 07:25 PM

hi i only have full fat milk to hand at the moment, what should i get ?

Jez · #11 (**permalink**) 27-05-2008, 07:32 PM

Well it maybe too young to be eating solids so the milk from a pipette maybe all you need? Try putting in a small jam jar sized bowl of Sunflower Kernels, see if it takes them is the best advice I can give! Hope it pulls through. Good luck and best wishes for the mouse!

Jez

penka · #12 (**permalink**) 27-05-2008, 07:42 PM

thank you for your help, hope so fingers crossed

Jez · #13 (**permalink**) 28-05-2008, 12:33 AM

Keep intouch & let us know how you and Mousey are getting on!

Coley · #14 (**permalink**) 28-05-2008, 07:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by penka

hi i only have full fat milk to hand at the moment, what should i get ?

You must read some of the previous posts. Kitten milk was suggested. Also contact wild life rescue or something.

Welcome to WAB by the way

penka · #15 (**permalink**) 29-05-2008, 10:19 AM

Hi i have now been able to get him some puppy milk and he is feeding well, he still has his eyes shut, his belly has healed, he is really active running around when he out, pooing and weeing, little stuart is doing great

Coley · #16 (**permalink**) 29-05-2008, 06:01 PM

Sounds great, well done.

Have you thought about the future when he is better? Where are you going to relocate him?

Tigger1983 · #17 (**permalink**) 20-08-2008, 12:30 PM

Hi everyone! Our cat Jasper brought in a tiny field mouse last night, we thought it was dead but on closer inspection was still breathing, so we put it in a box lined with tissue with a little water and a piece of bread (it's slightly older than the ones you are talking about, but is still quite small). After an hour or so he woke up but was having some trouble with his back leg.

This morning Fievel has made himself a little nest in his box and has eaten some of the bread. He is weeing AND pooing (quite a lot I might add lol), and the leg seems a little better. I'm going to keep hold of him for a couple of days just until the leg has healed a bit more, but the problem is, since Jasper brought him in I have no idea where he came from, and can't return him to his home. Does anyone have any suggestions on where to release him and what time of day?

Dogghound · #18 (**permalink**) 20-08-2008, 06:10 PM

Release it in an area of heavy undergrowth, along a hedgerow, field border, woodland border etc. Time for release is not massively important aslong as its in cover. It sounds like an adult and it would be almost impossible to refind its nest, it will soon build another.

Tara424 · #19 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008, 03:54 PM

We've adopted three baby field mice. The mother e ran away when we desturebed the nest. We have put them in a box with paper shavings and straw. They've not yet opened their eyes so we are feeding them on Milk. We will give some kitten/puppy milk to feed them on soon.

Is their any advice you can give on how to look after them propally. Or what age their eyes will open???

Mousie · #20 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008, 07:01 PM

Me too, would have been killed had I not caught them - about 10days old - 3 OK one a bit dodgy, What's best for them, so far have tried bread, oats and cat food! Seem to like bread best. Want to feed them until they are big enough, and it is quiet enough, to release them.

Dogghound · #21 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008, 07:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mousie

about 10days old

They must be older as they arnt weaned until they are 18-22 days old, and wouldnt be able to cope with solids.

Mousie · #22 (**permalink**) 07-09-2008, 07:56 PM

Yes, you are probably right - they are at the eyes open covered with hair stage- but only just! They are just so incredibly tiny! Mice are 'cute' anyway - but these are enchanting!

Dogghound · #23 (**permalink**) 08-09-2008, 08:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mousie

Yes, you are probably right - they are at the eyes open covered with hair stage- but only just! They are just so incredibly tiny! Mice are 'cute' anyway - but these are enchanting!

This is good as its the milk stage that is the hardest to look after them in, they will quickly grow and become independent, try not to handle them. Feed them a mixture of seeds, fruit/veg sweetcorn is good, they will eat practically anything from worms to mushrooms. Dont leave it to long in releasing them as they will want to build up nests and extra fat reserves for the winter, although they dont hibernate they change their habits quite alot.

Mousie · #24 (**permalink**) 22-09-2008, 10:00 PM

Well the baby mice have done brilliantly - they are proper mice now, and I have resisted the temptation to play with them! They are still only half size - but I know I should release them while it is warmer weather - should I do it now - or give them a week or so more to get a bit bigger?
I have chosen a large bramble patch to let them go in, as there are two semi feral cats hunting here - (I am not a cat person, but no one has told the cats that - although my dogs are trying to put the point across!)
Should I release them in daylight, at night, or early morning?

Dogghound · #25 (**permalink**) 22-09-2008, 10:22 PM

Release them now although is it wise with two cats there? perhaps somewere away from the cats would be better. Release time doesnt matter so much when there is plenty of cover.