# Found a Young Mouse!



## FeralWolf (Dec 28, 2010)

Hello! I haven't been on this site for a while, due to a lack of mice, but today I find myself in the possession of one once more, quite by accident.

I came home today to find a tiny little mouse climbing up the screen door of my porch. He was alone, and he couldn't find his way off of the porch. He was so tiny that I decided that he would be more likely to survive with me than outside on his own, so I grabbed him (he was pretty calm) and brought him in. I've got him in an old cage with hidey houses and paper towels, water and some food (barley, lentils and orzo is all I have at the moment).

Based on some rough research, he is most likely a two/three week old white footed mouse. He seems energetic, hungry and healthy, as far as I can tell. He's in the jumping phase of life, and he has been launching himself off of the walls.

I know that these mice are infamous for carrying hantavirus, so I guess I'll need to do some research on that as well.

I was wondering if anyone had any tips for raising this little guy? There is so much information online about raising _infant_ wild mice, but very little on just _young_ ones. Can he eat the same food as domestic mice? Is there anything special about caring for wild mice versus domestic ones? Even just a reference to another post would be helpful!

Thank you!


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## reeserueryn (Apr 13, 2015)

I'm assuming it is possible so if you could get him checked by a vet for hantavirus I would do so immediately. If not release him/her ASAP! It is in the feces and urine obviously but unless you plan on wearing a mask whenever you open the habitat to interact with him/her and clean, feed, etc it would not be wise to keep him/her because the virus is airborne. I sadly once had to leave behind an abandoned deer mouse that was just a few days old because of this but it is not worth the risk! There are not treatments for it, if it is caught earlier you could ride it out with oxygen therapy but I wouldn't take the chance :/


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## EdgewoodMousery (May 7, 2015)

Poor little guy. Hoping for the best!


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