4 baby mice, need help and rehabber

The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

LittleB

New Member
Joined
Nov 17, 2014
Messages
4
Location
NULL
We found a litter of 4 baby mice in our garage as my wife was cleaning the up for our move next month. We found 2 dead adult ones elsewhere in the garage (assuming they are the parents) as one was trapped in an empty bin while the other must have ate something and didn't move in a cardboard box.

As soon as I saw the baby mice, I wrapped them up and quickly brought them inside (it was starting to snow). Then I filled a waterbottle with warm water for them to lay on until I could find a container to put them in.

Once I got them a container with a softer waterbottle, I went to get goat's milk, whipping cream, eye dropper (syringe opening is too big for them) and I mixed a small batch along with some plain organic yogurt I had.

Feeding (2 rounds so far) has been difficult but I did my best and gave each of them some to drink. I also tried to massage their bottoms and gential areas but only one of them pooped.

Please see the photos, I have no idea how many days old they are, but my guess is around 5-10 days old.

I know I'm not the best person to take care of them and I want them to have the best chance to live. Plus I don't have any antibiotics if they suddenly get sick and we are preparing to move out of our home soon. So if there are any rehabbers out there, please help.

I live in Brampton, Ontario and work downtown near Union Station.

m1.jpg


m2.jpg


m3.jpg


m4.jpg


m5.jpg


m7.jpg
 
This info may help http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=21486

Their best chance is if you get a nursing mom and litter, make them smell like the litter and put them in with the other babies.
A wildlife rehab center will use them as food, and pet stores will sell them as food or freeze them alive for food.

The above link gives info re feeding frequency etc I would suggest you use organic soy infant formula as it is the closest thing to mama's milk .... I know of babies who died as a result of being fed goat's milk ...
Joanne successfully raised some wild baby mice so you might want to message her

They will not be able to be released when older as they will not know how to survive and mice are territorial so other wild mice will kill them if they are put into their territory.

good luck
 
Thank you for the info, SQ.

I went out and bought the soy infant formula as suggested and also messaged Joanne for advice.

I initially came from the squirrel board and read about what wildlife rehab centers do so I knew to stay clear of them along with pet stores.

They are still active when we feed and massage their bottoms. I made some homemade pedialyte as they seemed a bit dehydrated from their skin. They like to cuddle with each other for warmth and company. They're so fragile and cute.

Took some more photos when I had the chance. I ended up taking the day off but will definitely need to be in the office tomorrow. Not sure how to feed them throughout the night as we both need to function tomorrow and I don't think my wife can handle feeding every 2 hour intervals with 4 of them..

Hopefully we can find a nursing mom and litter to integrate them. We'll do our best in the meantime.

2a.jpg


2b.jpg


2c.jpg


2d.jpg


2e.jpg


2f.jpg
 
Depending on what you are able to take on, you might be able to get a nursing mama and litter off kijiji/craigs list, from a local shelter or rescue, or from a pet store (usually less expensive if you ask for the feeder price).

Here is the link to Joanne's experience raising baby mice.
http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=27529&highlight=wild+mice

The ones she found were much older then your babies ....

without a nursing mama their chance of survival is not very good
They are very sweet .... hope they survive

good luck
 
Last edited:
That is a great idea. I just checked on kijiji and found someone who breeds them so hopefully they can help.

I saw Joanne's thread and her baby mice are much older (they're eyes are opened and have fur). The ones we have haven't crossed the danger zone. They're so tiny and fragile. Plus they don't have the natural antibodies which they get from their mom's milk.

Also I have a feeling the actual mom is still in the garage and might have ran away as we were cleaning the garage that day. The reason is because these babies are so young, probably 2-5 days old. If the one that had died in the empty bin was the mother, those babies would have died as well since they cannot stay hungry for that long, where as an adult would last a lot longer. I'm not sure how the other one in the cardboard box passed away but we have heard a brief sound of a bag on different occasions for a split second when alternating cleanup. We put jam on one end of a paper towel roll and put half of the roll over the edge of a table in the garage. The half that's over the edge has a recycle bin underneath so we are hoping if the mom is still around, she would go for the jam and fall in the recycle bin so we can integrate the babies with her. The other option is to put the babies back in the garage and hope the mom eventually gets them, but it's freezing now in Ontario so we don't want to take that chance.
 
Yes, I agree LittleB. I'm in Ontario as well and it's far too cold for them. Which area or city are you in? If you are somewhat nearby I could try to help you find a surrogate mom. I'm hoping you can either find the mom or someone who could function as a mom. Regardless of what happes my fingers are crossed and I wish you guys all the best. I know that even if their survival rate isn't too high they're better off with you guys than alone and starving in a freezing garage.
 
I'm in Brampton and work downtown Toronto. They have gotten a bit bigger, grown some fur and more quick in trying to get away. Hopefully they will continue to get stronger.

I bought some KMR yesterday and have been mixing it with the soy infant formula and the goat's milk. I also mixed a bit of manuka honey since they haven't been getting the natural antibodies from their mom.
 
I just checked on kijiji and found someone who breeds them so hopefully they can help.

The other option is to put the babies back in the garage and hope the mom eventually gets them, but it's freezing now in Ontario so we don't want to take that chance.

Please screen very carefully. People who breed mice are usually breeding them for snake food (there really isn't a market for them otherwise), or are else backyard breeders who are breeding and selling but not screening etc

If there is some way to safely heat the garage so they are warm it might be a good idea ... if you didn't take them too long ago their mom might be still lactating and find them. Trapping mom might not be a good idea unless you check very frequently as she may be nursing the siblings of those 4 babies you found.

Hope the babies are still doing well. If they can not go back to their mama, their best chance is with a nursing mom and litter. depending upon your circumstances you might consider looking for a nursing mama being rehomed, try the pet store or buy the mama and litter you saw on kijiji.

There have been instances of nursing rats taking on a baby mouse but I'm not sure how safe that is.
 
Back
Top