Found a mouse?

If you are like me you probably have baby mice and no mother. You feel bad and want to be able to help them survive. I visited several sites, took the information that I found helpful and necessary, tested it, and put it into one easy to read blog.

These are the steps I took to successfully raise two newborn mice. Without their mother.

Supplies: Cage, Paper bedding, ear syringe, Hermit crab heating pad, Soy based baby formula, bottle caps, mouse feed and a measuring spoon for feeding.

Feeding

Feeding is the most difficult part of taking care of newborn mice.

What to feed them: Powdered baby formula. Make sure to use a soy based formula, because mice can not properly digest milk. I used 1 part formula to 3 parts water when feeding.

How to feed: Purchase a syringe. Put lukewarm milk into the syringe and push against the mouse mouth. Slowly release one drop at a time, If this does not work try soaking a cloth or cotton ball in the formula. The mouse will usually suck the formula from the cotton ball or cloth.

The mouse will eat every 2-3 hours and once every night for the first week.

In the second week, the mouse will need to be fed every 3 hours, and once at night.

Once the mouse gets to three weeks they can start to drink normally but should still be fed formula. Place the formula in a bottle cap placed in the cage. Make sure to replace the formula 5-6 times a day. Also, provide another dish with water.

Between 3 and 4 weeks the mouse will be able to eat on it's own. Start of by crushing mouse feed and placing it in a dish. You can also include cut up fruit and vegetables.

Once the mouse shows comfort eating dry food, you can stop providing formula. From that point on they will just need mouse feed and water.

Restroom

Baby mice can not go to the bathroom by themselves. The need the help of their mother to go. The reason for this is so the nest will stay clean. In order to help the mouse go to the bathroom, get a cotton ball or pad and dampen it with warm water. (not too hot) and wipe the mouse in the areas that it would use to go to the bathroom. If this does not work it may mean that the mouse is dehydrated, in that case try to feed it or give it water.

Housing

Warmth is the main idea. Use an enclosure such as a shoe box, plastic critter keeper, or a mouse cage. Have enough bedding for the mouse to be able to dig down into and rest in. Place the heating pad under the enclosure and turn it on. Try to make it so the heater only covers half the enclosure, so that if the mouse gets overheated it can move. Allow some hiding places, such as toilet paper rolls. Finally, make sure the mouse can not escape.

Heating

Newborn mice are used to their mothers keeping them warm. In order to provide this same warmth you must use either a heat lamp or heating pad. I prefer a heating pad placed under the enclosure. A heat lamp will have to be adjusted and placed and the right distance from the enclosure so that it will not be too warm. most heating pads can be adjusted for a proper heat (between 72-80ºf) I just used a hermit crab heater because it was smaller, cheaper and the temperature was preset for 72-80º.