Keeping a baby field mouse as a pet is not recommended. While it is possible to keep a wild mouse as a pet, it is crucial to capture it at the right time. If the mouse is still pink and hairless, it is too young and dependent on its mother. However, once it has fur and its eyes are still closed, it is the perfect time to capture it. At this stage, the mouse will bond with you and behave like a tame mouse.
When caring for a baby field mouse, it is essential to provide a suitable enclosure, such as a large aquarium, with enough space for the mouse to move around comfortably. Wood shavings can be used as bedding, and an exercise wheel is recommended. It is also important to ensure that the mouse has access to fresh drinking water and nutritious food, such as mouse food, treats, and peanut butter. Additionally, it is crucial to separate males from females to prevent rapid breeding.
It is worth noting that wild mice can carry various diseases, such as Hantavirus, Salmonellosis, and Lyme disease, which can be transmitted to humans through bites, handling, or exposure to their waste. Therefore, it is important to wash your hands thoroughly before and after handling a wild mouse.
Characteristics | Values |
---|---|
Can I keep a baby field mouse as a pet? | Yes, but it is discouraged. |
How to catch a baby field mouse? | Catch a baby field mouse when it has fur but before its eyes are open. |
What to feed a baby field mouse? | Milk and melted cheese, peanut butter, chocolate, cheese, meat, hamster food moistened with formula or goat's milk, kitten food, human baby food, soft cooked vegetables like squash, peas, or carrots. |
How often to feed a baby field mouse? | Every two hours until its eyes are open, then every 3-4 hours until it is 4-6 weeks old. |
How to create a home for a baby field mouse? | A large aquarium, wood shavings to use as bedding, an exercise wheel, and sticks to chew on as rodent teeth grow continuously. |
How to protect yourself from diseases transmitted by a baby field mouse? | Wash your hands after touching the mouse, keep the mouse away from food, and remove ticks from the mouse's body. |
What You'll Learn
Capturing and caring for a baby field mouse
Capturing a baby field mouse:
If you encounter a baby field mouse, wait at least one hour to see if its mother returns before attempting to capture it. If the mother does not return, you can then try to capture the baby mouse. Purchase several traps, such as spring-loaded traps, electric traps, or glue traps, from a hardware store or online. Set multiple traps in locations where you think the mice will be, such as enclosed, dark spaces like cupboards or under furniture. Place the traps against a wall, with the baited part of the trap in contact with the wall. Set multiple traps in both directions along the wall, covering high-traffic areas. Check the traps every day and dispose of the mouse if it has been caught.
Caring for a baby field mouse:
Once you have captured a baby field mouse, you will need to create a comfortable living space for it. Keep the baby mouse in a container that is big enough for it to rest comfortably and move around. A large aquarium or a small wire cage that the mouse cannot chew through are good options. Line the container with bedding, such as clean rags or paper-based bedding, and be sure to change the bedding often. Keep the baby mouse warm with a heating pad set to low, placed under the box. Feed the baby mouse a solution of milk and melted cheese using an eyedropper or a small syringe without a needle. You can also feed the mouse peanut butter, chocolate, cheese, or meat. As the mouse gets older, you can introduce solid foods such as rodent food, cooked rice, human baby food, kitten food, apples, carrots, and seeds. Be sure to provide fresh drinking water, either in a water bowl or a water bottle attached to the side of the enclosure.
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Preparing an enclosure
The first step in preparing an enclosure for your baby field mouse is to choose an appropriately sized cage or aquarium. It is recommended that you allow for at least 0.5 cubic feet of space per mouse, with a little extra if possible to allow them to run and play.
The enclosure should be made of plastic, metal, or glass—something that is easy to clean and won't absorb urine. Avoid wood, as urine will soak into it. Ensure the bars are no more than 0.9 centimetres apart, so your mouse doesn't escape.
Before placing your mouse in the enclosure, clean it thoroughly with a mixture of bleach and water. Rinse it out, sanitise it, and then rinse again to ensure no bleach is left behind.
Once the enclosure is clean, you can fill it with the necessary supplies and bedding. Spread at least 3 inches of bedding across the bottom of the cage. You can use hay, shredded paper, or aspen shavings. Avoid using sawdust, cedar shavings, pine shavings, or cotton wool, as these can cause respiratory problems or choking hazards.
Next, add a water container and a food bowl. You can attach a water bottle with a drinking tube to the side of the cage, or use a heavy, shallow bowl.
Your mouse will also need a little house or hidey-hole to feel safe. You can buy a small plastic domed house, or make your own with a cardboard box.
Finally, add some toys for your mouse to play with and chew on, such as paper towel tubes, plain wooden craft sticks, or wood from a fruit tree.
Remember to clean the enclosure regularly, providing fresh food and water daily, and sanitising the cage at least once a week.
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Feeding and nutrition
If you are caring for a baby field mouse, it is important to provide it with a balanced and nutritious diet. Field mice are omnivores, meaning they eat both plant and animal matter. In the wild, field mice eat a variety of seeds, grains, nuts, flowers, fruits, fungi, and invertebrates. They are also known to prey on arthropods, with caterpillars being one of their favourite meals.
When it comes to pet field mice, it is recommended to feed them commercial mouse food, such as nuggets, which will provide a complete and balanced diet. Small amounts of fresh fruits and vegetables can also be offered, but these should be included as part of their daily allowance rather than in addition to it. It is important to avoid feeding them grapes, raisins, rhubarb, and lettuce, as these can be poisonous or cause digestive issues.
Mice are coprophagic, meaning they eat their faeces to absorb essential nutrients such as vitamin B12 and folic acid. In captivity, this behaviour may be less common, so it is important to provide a balanced diet to ensure they receive the necessary nutrients.
Make sure to provide constant access to clean drinking water, as mice can quickly become dehydrated and die if they don't have water for even short periods. Use water bottles with metal sipper tubes, and check them daily for leaks and blockages. Change the water regularly, and clean the bottle and nozzle thoroughly each time.
If you are unsure of the specific dietary needs of your field mouse, it is best to consult a veterinarian or a rodent expert. They can help you identify the specific species of field mouse and provide guidance on its unique nutritional requirements.
It is worth noting that, while it is possible to keep a baby field mouse as a pet, it is generally discouraged to keep wild animals in captivity. If you do decide to care for a baby field mouse, ensure you are committed to providing it with a safe, comfortable, and nutritious environment.
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Common diseases
While it is possible to keep a baby field mouse as a pet, it is generally discouraged. Wild mice can carry a lot of diseases and fully grown mice can bite if provoked.
Respiratory Diseases
Respiratory diseases are common in mice. Signs of illness include sniffling, difficulty breathing, discharge from the nose, or sneezing. Mice with respiratory disease tend to make a noise called chattering. Infections may be caused by bacteria, viruses, or a mix of several different microorganisms. Bordetella is a type of bacteria that causes respiratory infections in guinea pigs and can be fatal if untreated. In mice and rats, respiratory problems are often caused by a type of bacteria called Mycoplasma, which can lead to chronic respiratory disease.
Gastrointestinal Problems
Gastrointestinal (GI) disease is common in pet rodents. This includes diarrhea (known as "wet tail" in small rodents) caused by bacterial or parasite infections, and gastrointestinal stasis, which is a slowing down of food through the GI tract due to changes in the normal GI bacteria. In hamsters, Lawsonia bacteria can cause a severe, life-threatening intestinal infection. All rodents are susceptible to intestinal infection with Giardia, a protozoal parasite.
Skin Diseases
Skin diseases are common in rodents, including lice or skin mite infections, which cause itchy, flaky skin and hair loss. Ringworm, a fungal infection, causes circular patches of hair loss with scaly skin or scabs in the center. Lumps and bumps on or under the skin are generally a sign of cancer.
Dental Problems
All rodents have teeth that grow continuously throughout their lives. Occasionally, these teeth grow too long and cut into the gums, causing pain and possibly preventing the mouth from closing properly. This can eventually lead to the rodent stopping eating.
Cancerous Growths (Tumors)
Cancer is a common ailment in pet rodents, with mammary (breast) tumors being one of the most frequent types, especially in rats and mice. Tumors can develop anywhere under the skin as breast tissue in these pets covers most of the underside of the body.
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Releasing into the wild
While keeping a baby field mouse as a pet is not recommended, if you do end up with one, it is important to know how to properly care for it and what to do if you can no longer care for it.
If you are no longer able to care for a pet mouse, it is not recommended to release it into the wild. "Fancy mice" or mice bred to be pets will die very quickly in the wild because they do not have the correct genetic traits for wild survival. Wild mice have developed genes that help them survive, and even with this advantage, only 5% of all wild mice survive the first year. If you need to give up your pet mouse, consider reaching out to your local Humane Society or checking online forums to find someone in your area who can take your mouse as a pet.
If you are set on releasing a pet mouse of wild stock into the wild, there are a few things you should consider to increase its chances of survival. First, relocate the mouse as soon as possible and avoid handling it—wild animals do best with little human contact. Keep in mind that wild mice are extremely fragile, and if the weather is extremely cold, it is best to wait for better conditions. A relocated mouse will have no shelter or food stores to help it through harsh weather.
To prevent the mouse from returning to your home, take it about 2 to 3 miles from your house. Try to find a location away from human habitation that provides some shelter, such as a pile of wood, branches, or rocks, or at least some low ground cover. This will protect the mouse from predators until it can build a proper nest. You can also leave some food and nesting material, which is especially important in colder weather. Hide the food where larger animals can't reach it, such as in the sheltering pile of rocks or sticks, to prevent birds and squirrels from eating it.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, but it is discouraged. If you do decide to keep one as a pet, it has to be captured at a very specific time—when it has fur but before its eyes are open. If you wait until after its eyes are open, it will see you and will bond with you through sight identification, which will make it afraid of you.
Baby mice would ordinarily drink milk from their mother. Instead, you can give them kitten formula, puppy milk replacer, or baby formula made with soy (diluted slightly). Once their eyes are open, they can begin to eat solid food, such as hamster food moistened with formula or goat's milk, kitten food, human baby food, or soft cooked vegetables like squash, peas, or carrots.
You will need an enclosure that provides one cubic foot of space. Spread wood shavings on the bottom of its cage and keep the temperature in your home around 70 degrees F. Include some toys, like an exercise wheel or chew toys like paper towel rolls or egg cartons.