# Dropped a mouse baby!



## raisin (Sep 22, 2014)

I was holding my first, two week old mouse babies, eyes just opened. they were very squirmy and one squirmed right out of my hand onto the concrete floor. I think it fell on its head, maybe four feet. when I scooped it up, it was moving its head side to side and acting very dizzy. I put it back in the nest quickly. it continued acting dizzy and wobbled around the littermates for a few minutes. after that it seemed more normal, maybe a bit still. the momma didn't seem to pay any special attention to the baby while I was wobbling.

how easily would a baby heal from a fall like that? permanent brain damage? im sorry im sorry im sorry!

I obviously need to know a correct way to handle such squirmy babies. after that I didn't lift them out of the tank, just put my hands in.


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

if they are damaged it shows quite quickly.They go round in circles or are unable to maintain an upright position,twisting and turning or have paralysed legs.If it appears normal tomorrow then it will most likely be ok.


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## WoodWitch (Oct 18, 2009)

Yes, I've dropped more than a few over the years and I've never been unlucky enough to cause any damage. They are light so don't make a great impact. Unless it falls on the softest part of the skull it should be fine. Don't worry.


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## Socks (Oct 13, 2013)

Should be fine. I unfortunately dropped a couple of my 3-day-old babies once from a standing height to a concrete floor! They were fine, so if there aren't any major signs of health issues it should be okay.


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## madmouse (May 19, 2012)

I've had this happen to me too, as I have concrete floors in the mousery. The dropped babies were ok the next day. My tip for handling them tho is just to hang onto their tails like a little leash. I allow them to climb onto my hand (or scoop them), but once they are standing on my hand I keep a grip on their tails in case of accident. But really from the time they open their eyes til the time they grow out of the jumpy flea stage (3-4wks of age), I handle them as little as possible for this very reason. When socializing my little guys, I handle them every day from birth til eye-opening, then begin handling them again after weaning.


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