How to Save a Baby Wild Mouse
Coax the foster mother out of her nest., Change the scent of the wild baby mouse., Put the baby wild mouse with the other babies., Return the mother mouse to the cage., Leave them alone., Assist with feeding multiple wild baby mice., Consider...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Coax the foster mother out of her nest.
If you have a domestic mouse with babies roughly the same size, you may be able to get the mother mouse to take care of the baby wild mouse.
Lure the mother mouse out of her nest and put her in a separate holding area, so she can't see what you're doing.Fostering is less risky than hand-feeding a baby that is less than one and a half weeks old. (About the time they first open their eyes.) -
Step 2: Change the scent of the wild baby mouse.
Very carefully, rub the wild baby mouse with bedding from the mother mouse's cage.Use only clean bedding – soiled bedding materials can harm the baby mouse. , Place the baby wild mouse in between and underneath the existing baby mice.
Try not to touch the babies any more than you need to, and be very gentle., Place the mother mouse in her cage, slightly away from the nest.
Allow her to find the babies on her own – don't force her to join the group., Do not hover over the cage to watch, or try to disturb the mice in any way.
If the mother becomes even slightly upset, she may abandon all the babies.Be aware that there is a very real risk that the mother may abandon the new mice (or all the babies.) Be very careful when introducing the baby mouse, and leave mother and babies alone when you don't need to handle them.
You will hear loud squeaks if something bad happens, so there is no need to watch the cage. , If you need the mother to foster several wild baby mice at once, she will probably not have enough milk to feed them all.
Coax the mother away from her nest several times a day, and place her in a separate tank.
Hand-feed the babies the same way you would feed an orphaned baby mouse.If the babies have “milk bellies” (a visible white band or area on their stomach, which is the actual milk in their tummy), they are getting enough milk from the mother without your help.
Check the babies several times a day during the first few days, to make sure they have milk bellies and are not losing weight.
Babies can lose weight very quickly, and will need to be fed right away. , If you don't have a mother mouse, you may be able to buy one that has recently given birth, along with her babies.
If you have a very young baby mouse, its chances of survival are much better with a foster mother than if you hand-feed it yourself.Moving them carries the risk that the mother will abandon her babies, so weigh the risks very carefully before trying it. -
Step 3: Put the baby wild mouse with the other babies.
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Step 4: Return the mother mouse to the cage.
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Step 5: Leave them alone.
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Step 6: Assist with feeding multiple wild baby mice.
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Step 7: Consider purchasing a foster mother from a pet store.
Detailed Guide
If you have a domestic mouse with babies roughly the same size, you may be able to get the mother mouse to take care of the baby wild mouse.
Lure the mother mouse out of her nest and put her in a separate holding area, so she can't see what you're doing.Fostering is less risky than hand-feeding a baby that is less than one and a half weeks old. (About the time they first open their eyes.)
Very carefully, rub the wild baby mouse with bedding from the mother mouse's cage.Use only clean bedding – soiled bedding materials can harm the baby mouse. , Place the baby wild mouse in between and underneath the existing baby mice.
Try not to touch the babies any more than you need to, and be very gentle., Place the mother mouse in her cage, slightly away from the nest.
Allow her to find the babies on her own – don't force her to join the group., Do not hover over the cage to watch, or try to disturb the mice in any way.
If the mother becomes even slightly upset, she may abandon all the babies.Be aware that there is a very real risk that the mother may abandon the new mice (or all the babies.) Be very careful when introducing the baby mouse, and leave mother and babies alone when you don't need to handle them.
You will hear loud squeaks if something bad happens, so there is no need to watch the cage. , If you need the mother to foster several wild baby mice at once, she will probably not have enough milk to feed them all.
Coax the mother away from her nest several times a day, and place her in a separate tank.
Hand-feed the babies the same way you would feed an orphaned baby mouse.If the babies have “milk bellies” (a visible white band or area on their stomach, which is the actual milk in their tummy), they are getting enough milk from the mother without your help.
Check the babies several times a day during the first few days, to make sure they have milk bellies and are not losing weight.
Babies can lose weight very quickly, and will need to be fed right away. , If you don't have a mother mouse, you may be able to buy one that has recently given birth, along with her babies.
If you have a very young baby mouse, its chances of survival are much better with a foster mother than if you hand-feed it yourself.Moving them carries the risk that the mother will abandon her babies, so weigh the risks very carefully before trying it.
About the Author
Joan Johnson
Joan Johnson has dedicated 13 years to mastering lifestyle and practical guides. As a content creator, Joan focuses on providing actionable tips and step-by-step guides.
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