Expert: Natasha - 1/19/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi

I have been hand rearing a baby wild mouse since my OH orphaned it (by accident of course).

It now weighs 7 grams and has his eyes open and is at least trying to nibble the food I've been putting in. My question is ....

I live in the UK and Panya reckons it is a deer mouse. Do we get deer mouse in the UK ? I have a ouple of pics for you to take a peek at and give me your opinion as to what it is. His eyes opened yesterday. I've had him for 6 days now ... what do you reckon the chance of it surviving now ? He wouldn't poop or pee yesterday and he looked quite ill last night but he seems pretty good today...could I have over fed him ? Any advice you can give me now would be greatly appreciated....what should I be trying to tempt him with ? Many thanks

ANSWER: Dear Yvonne,

It's hard to tell from your letter, but I assume you have been feeding him a milk substitute such as KMR or paedialyte?  He's not old enough to eat solid food yet.

There are 180 species of Deer Mouse in North America.  This should give you an idea of the thousands of species of mice that inhabit the world.  I don't know what common mice live in the UK, but it looks similar enough!  

Baby mice are built to be raised by mama mice.  Thus it is a difficult task to raise a baby mouse by hand.  If you succeed you've done a great job, but it's not always possible.  Make sure he is warm, and feed him  milk every 2-3 hours.  Stroke his tummy with a Q-tip or finger after meals to help him eliminate.  

When he eats solid food he will like crackers, seeds, hard bread, and other grain-like foods.  He will love to lick a little butter from your finger.

I wish him the best of health!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Natasha,

Well we are another week on now and my 'little man' is doing great. He is less interested in the milk and porridge although I am still offering that to him but he is eating bird seed and a little mouse food. He is eating the seeds well and I think he has worked out how to use the  water dispenser too. I have noticed the area just where his tail joins his body is looking a little sore....is there anything I can do ?
Also curiosity is getting the better of me to know what type of mouse he is.... Panya reckons a deer mouse... we live in Uk. I think he is starting to look more like a house mouse. Are there any distinguishing features that would tell a house mouse apart from a field mouse (I think thats the UK equivalent to a deer mouse).
I think he is doing so well I no longer worry if he will be alive when I go to his box.... I am pretty confident he will be okay now although if there is anything that I should be aware of I would be grateful.

Many thanks.

Attached another picture....

Cheers
Yvonne

ANSWER: Dear Yvonne,

Your 'Little Man' probably has mites or some other parasite, though there are other, less common, possibilities.  Many mice have mites with no problem until they either get sick, old, or have to live alone.  Because the mice groom each other, they remove each others' mites.  A single mouse has that disadvantage.

It might be hard to treat him for mites because you will have to hold him.  You will probably need help, as well as two pairs of gloves.  One person holds him by the base of the tail with the other hand supporting the body, and the other person tries to treat the mouse.  

I recently explained to a questioner how to treat a 'fast mouse' for mites:

http://en.allexperts.com/q/Mice-3824/2009/1/Treating-fast-mouse-mites.htm

Read the second answer and then follow the link in the first answer.

Here are some adorable photos and even videos of the different types of wild mice likely to be found in or near your home:

House Mouse:

http://www.arkive.org/house-mouse/mus-musculus/info.html

Yellow Necked mouse:

http://www.arkive.org/yellow-necked-mouse/apodemus-flavicollis/

Wood mouse (the most likely possibility):

http://www.arkive.org/wood-mouse/apodemus-sylvaticus/

Harvest Mouse:

http://www.arkive.org/harvest-mouse/micromys-minutus/

Hope that helps!!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha






---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi Natasha,

Sorry I should have explained where the sore are on his tail came from. When he was tiny and I needed to make him pee and poop I noticed there was some hard poop stuck to his little bottom and tail. I soaked it with water first to soften it and then picked it off ( he squeaked ) which probably wasn't the smartest thing in the world to do but I realised he would need to poop again and with it all stuck up like cement it would have been near impossible. For sure that is how he got the sore spot on his tail but for sure I am almost certain he may have mites as well. Have spoken to my vet about treating him but he says until he is at least 10 grams (he is 8-9grams) he cannot do anything and it doesn't seem to be bothering him too much at the moment.

As regards to the handling.... this mouse is so tame as I have been handling it every 2 hours or so now for nearly two weeks. He actually looks forward to me opening his box. He climbs onto my hand and if I put him down he runs back to my hand and climbs straight back on. I have no problem getting to the sore spot on his tail or indeed anywhere. I realise that you probably think I did the wrong thing but I have done it and I cant turn the clock back. If there is anything I could put on his tail I would be grateful (I was thinking maybe aloe vera gel) or do you think I should leave it alone ?

Do you think he looks in good shape ?

Attached another picture....he had been eating his porridge and his little face was all stuck up.

Thank you so much for all your help.

Yvonne

Answer
Dear Yvonne,

Well then you have a friend for (his) life!  The only thing that matters is that he is happy with his life.  Did you figure out what kind he is?  Your porridge picture also didn't come out but the last one looks good.

Unless the sore spot gets red or swollen, it will probably heal by itself.  Aloe is a good idea-- after all, people drink it-- but make sure you get 100% aloe and not one that just has 100% aloe as an ingredient.  They are very sneaky in labeling.  An aloe plant is of course the best way to go; you could probably borrow one leaf from your local florist to last a week.

My 'kids' (Brandy, Kerfluffle, Little Honey, Valentine, Chanterelle, and Daisy) squeak hello!

squeaks n giggles,

Natasha