# Help! Regarding a Wild Baby Mouse



## TammyLee (Jul 30, 2013)

Hello, the reason why I've come to this forum is because I'm badly in need of advice. We have a cottage near Kingston, Ontario, Canada, although we live in Toronto. We only use live traps to remove mice from the cottage & a few days ago, we caught 2 mice, which we let go on our land, quite far from the house.

Yesterday, when I was doing the laundry in the basement, I thought I heard the little peeping of a mouse and who should emerge from the laundry bags on the floor, but a baby mouse. Not just any mouse, but a mouse with a disability; it didn't seem to have use of its back legs. I put on some 'surgical' rubber gloves & put it in a lettuce container, along with a bottle of warm water & some grass & paper towel. There didn't seem to be any other injuries & with the adept way it moved, it seemed that it was either born with the injury, or that it happened some time ago & has since healed (however that happens). It's very gentle, seet & intrepid & it doesn't seem to be too daunted by it's injury. I had not idea mice were so cute in their habits.

It is eating a little oats soaked in goat milk & it's able to lick goat milk from in the saturated oats in a juice lid. It's peeing & pooping ok, but it has a little diarrhea today, which I guess isn't surprising given that I tried to feed it goat milk a number of times yesterday. I did stimulate with a Q-Tip to go & have massaged it after eating. It has a warm juice bottle & a little bed of cottage balls & a soft cloth, which it seems to like. I'm just guessing it's moving towards 1 1/2 to over 2 weeks old. It's fluffy & furry, can move well & seems like it's got a measure of 'independence', although it still has the obvious big head & little body of a very young mouse.

The problem is that 1) I am worried about any diseases it may be carrying. Having no experience with mice, I have no idea how unsafe a little wild mouse is (probably a deer mouse, white-footed, or house mouse). I have to admit, I am worried & have been trying to be fastidious. No matter how well I try, though, I know I'm still touching things once in awhile with the gloves that I'll touch with them off, 2) My only sister has just been diagnosed with cancer & I am the family caregiver for my mother-in-law, who has Alzheimer's. To make matters worse, my dog has come back with concerning bloodwork. I'm feeling overwhelmed & had tried to 'escape' to the cottage to catch my breath for a few days. I just can't imagine taking on the care of this little mouse, 3) I'm not sure if the only rescue that I know that will take it (Toronto Wildlife Centre) will actually accept it as the cottage is out of their service area. I do live in Toronto & that may help, 4) If they do take it, I don't know if they'll just euthanize it because it's disabled, 5) I appears it could live happily in captivity with someone, but am I endangering them (or their pets) by taking them a wild mouse? IF I can even find someone. So far, I have found no local resources for mouse clubs or associations.

Thank you so very much for any suggestions, advice or feedback for what to do with this dear, little creature!!

Tammy


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## TammyLee (Jul 30, 2013)

Thank you, everyone, for reading and considering my post. After an agonizing day and a half, I finally decided to try to find my neighbour who doesn't have a phone and thankfully, he happened to come while I was there (he isn't always there and that was a Godsend). He has a lot of knowledge and compassion for creatures & I knew he'd give me trustworthy feedback.

After a lengthy discussion, I made the painful decision to put the little mouse in a box in the woods. It was just too risky because of what the mouse might be carrying. Especially if I considered the people around me (my sister & mother-in-law) who's immune systems are compromised, not to mention my ailing dog. I think that in the end, this was the deciding factor.

We both expected that if was took it to the wildlife centre, it may have been likely that they would euthanize it. If I called them, they would have told me they couldn't accept it as my cottage is out of their service area. Some people may think that euthanizing it may have been better, but I just couldn't do it without giving the mouse a fighting chance, if a small one. I also didn't feel good about giving it to someone to raise, if I could even find someone, as I just didn't want to endanger them. I'm not sure how probable it was, but I knew there was a risk.

I prepared a small (1 1/2' by 1', or so) cardboard box with a bed of cotton balls & shredded paper towel, a very shallow lid of water, some bird seed and some oats with goat milk. I made a little door in the corner & we set it out in the woods by a tree. The good news is that this is where we dropped off the two mice a few days ago.

I pray it won't be frightened by whatever happens and who knows, no matter how unlikely, maybe God has another plan for this little survivor. (Just a note, my neighbour agreed that it seemed the mouse had healed from whatever had paralyzed its back legs. He also thought it may have been born with it. The mouse seemed to have some use of its tail and also groomed it. It also had strength mobility as it pulled itself around & could even be a little fast in moments & 'slippery'.)

The good news is that the young mouse seemed to become more mature that longer I had it. Not sure if that was due to it reviving with care, or if it was older than I thought - maybe 2 1/2 weeks or more. It did seem to have enough independence to potentially build a shelter, forage & find water when it needed to. I may go today & just make sure the box is not tipped over. I wish I'd made two holes - one on the top & one on the bottom. It's painful & kinda scary to go back, though.

A good thing that came from this is a new appreciation for mice. I know the preciousness of the smart, little wild ones, but had not given much thought to all the detail & the pleasure of having mice as pets. This little one was so intriguing to watch & interact with; one time, I was massaging it on my hand (in gloves) after a meal with a Q-tip and it rolled on its side & stretched out, obviously enjoying it. I also found it relaxing & satisfying to successfully care for it (or as well as I could tell, anyway).

Thank you for sharing this experience with me. It was encouraging to get the chance to write & hope for responses, even though there wasn't time to get them. Thank you for being such caring people towards these 'least' little creatures. To me, I'm sure that reflects something wonderful in your characters.

If anyone is a praying person, would you pray for this little one?

Kind & grateful regards,

Tammy


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## WoodWitch (Oct 18, 2009)

We'll never know but here's hoping he makes it


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## SarahC (Oct 3, 2008)

good luck.


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## TammyLee (Jul 30, 2013)

Thank you, WoodWitch & SarahC. Went over today to check the box wasn't flipped over with no escape. It was in the same place & seemed undisturbed. I made a hole in the top corner. I'm praying that it will be protected and not frightened and God's will will be done. May God bless it.

Tammy


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