Rearing an orphaned mouse?

T

Teal

...ice road...
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So, I got a pinkie mouse for my Alligator lizard. And she didn't eat it.

Normally, I'd just pop it in the freezer and call it a day. But for SOME reason, I couldn't do it to this little guy :-/

So, I decided to try to save it. When I was a little kid, I "rescued" a fuzzy meant for snake food and fed it with an eyedropper... I've bottleraised newborn kittens with success... so I have *some* experience with the raising of young critters. But a mouse is so... tiny. I read some articles on it, and watched some Youtube videos... so I think I've got the idea down.

Has anyone here does this before? Reading and research is fine and dandy, but talking to someone who has been in your shoes is always helpful!

Part of me is thinking it is cruel to try and save it... but part of me is thinking I could really do this. It's not a newborn pinkie.. I believe it's somewhere around a week old or more, as it does have some fuzz.
 
oakash

oakash

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They're really hard to keep alive when they're that young, so don't get too attached. That's just a hint. I was always the one getting my heart broke when our rescue animals died.

We aren't experts at all, and we've never tried to keep a mouse alive, but the general idea is the same. Put it in a box or some kind of container with a heating pad. Make sure you test the pad yourself, because if its too hot that's not good. we also put a cloth over it so the animal wouldn't be on direct heat.

We fed ours with an eye dropper, and I think baby formula? Just be careful to sterilize it, because they can get infected really easily. We always just held the baby, and would dab milk on their mouth if the eyedropper was too big, and then rub the throat or tough the nose to make it lick its tongue.

Hopefully someone who actually knows what they're doing will pop on, because I'm sure there's more ways that are better out there.
 
X

Xandra

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^^ditto that, also you should also encourage it to defecate/urinate by rubbing its belly with a warm moist cotton swab. Good luck!

ETA I used kitten formula though!
 
A

animalluver#1

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Teal said:
So, I got a pinkie mouse for my Alligator lizard. And she didn't eat it.

Normally, I'd just pop it in the freezer and call it a day. But for SOME reason, I couldn't do it to this little guy :-/

So, I decided to try to save it. When I was a little kid, I "rescued" a fuzzy meant for snake food and fed it with an eyedropper... I've bottleraised newborn kittens with success... so I have *some* experience with the raising of young critters. But a mouse is so... tiny. I read some articles on it, and watched some Youtube videos... so I think I've got the idea down.

Has anyone here does this before? Reading and research is fine and dandy, but talking to someone who has been in your shoes is always helpful!

Part of me is thinking it is cruel to try and save it... but part of me is thinking I could really do this. It's not a newborn pinkie.. I believe it's somewhere around a week old or more, as it does have some fuzz.
Click to expand...
All I could say is use an eyedropper to give it water and feed it little chunks of crackers, cheese, or peanuts. I nursed a baby robin (I named it Pretzel) back to health and I let it go and it happily flew away! :) So don't give up on yourself! ( and don't forget to give it a crazy name!!!!!!) :D
 
A

animalluver#1

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GOOD LUCK TO YOU!!!!!! I have taken care of robbin nestlings but, never baby mice.... I want a baby mouse BADLY!!!!!!!! They sound adorable! :D
 
T

Teal

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Thanks guys! I do know the basics, as I've bottleraised newborn kittens and the theory is the same - keep them warm, feed them formula, stimulate them to potty.

I saw a YouTube video of someone using a high quality detail paintbrush to feed a tiny pinkie with, so I tried that... but I think my baby is too big for that now, because she fights me more than anything when I try to feed her. So I'm going to see if I can find an eyedropper tomorrow, or a tiny syringe. Or a teeeny tiny bottle.. that would be best LOL

Here's a crappy picture of her... she doesn't hold still! lol Her name is Brennan Brain ZeMouse (my friend won't stop calling her Brain, so I just added it in there to please him LOL)



I'm definitely attached... but I know the mortality rate is high, and I've lost baby critters before.. all I can do is put in my best effort, and hope it pays off!
 
smkie

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They use what looks like a small wedge of a makeup sponge on the Bat Rescue forum to feed them I will see if I can get a link with a pic.

here a vid is even better. I have been following lil drac from the beginning.
http://www.batworld.org/lil-drac/
 
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