Deer mice...........

kalolin · #1 12-20-2007, 10:13 PM

of which I just happen to have 1 female, I call Noelle. I've been searching the net trying to find out if anyone keeps these mice as pets. I did get one reply from a professor who did a study on them and he told me to get rid of her. I've had her for just about a week now and she seems quite content living in a 10 gal. tank, the reason I have her is she was living in our garage for well over a month and destroying everything in there, but on the other hand I was afraid if she crawled out under the door into the porch, my dogs ora cats would kill her, which ever would get to her first. I know deer mice carry the HV disease but apparently here on the rock it isn't a big deal. I guess all I'm asking is, does anyone else here have deer mice and what do you think of them?

PS I read they don't bite, that isn't true, Noelle never tried to bite me when I wore gloves, so tonight I picked her up with my bare hands and she bit me 5 times, she never broke the skin but it did hurt. The gloves will be back on from now on

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**Sasami** · #2 12-20-2007, 11:08 PM

Some people do keep them as pets but they aren't too common. I was interested in getting a pair of captive-bred deer mice and actually found a breeder around here. Unfortunately, she didn't have any babies available until about a month ago (we had first spoken back in January, I think). I'm just not prepared to take some in right now.

I remember finding some websites on Google so maybe you could do a search. If you want the breeder's e-mail I could give you that too

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Personally, though, I would probably release her since she's wild. How long have you had her?

Any pictures?

Vanilla_Rat · #3 12-21-2007, 07:41 AM

I also would release her since she is a wild mouse.

I heard that they can be kept as pets as well.But they are captive bred ones.I wouldn't keep a wild caught one.Do you have other rodents as pets? Because the deer mouse could pass something on to your pets.I just would not risk it.Release her into a field or somewhere away from your house.

mulder · #4 12-21-2007, 09:26 AM

i agree that captive bred can be kept as pets, but you caught your girl in your garage? that's a fun playground, and now she's in a ten gallon? boourns! she's not impressed even thought you think she's content. i'd also let her go, walk a block away and do it so she doesn't come back

Padfoot · #5 12-21-2007, 12:51 PM

Here are a couple of sites:

p_maniculatus
Bucky Goldstein's G.W. Deer Mouse Ranch

Also, the owner of this forum has a small population of them:
Pet Rodents - Information on mice, rats, gerbils, hamsters, degus and more! - Home

The owner of the mouseranch website also frequents that forum so you could contact them and ask all the questions you want, I those 2 would be the most knowledgable that I know in the deer mice area.

Good luck!

Angelnstuff · #6 12-21-2007, 05:19 PM

aww i bet shes cute, do you have any pictures? I agree with what everyone else said. i would let her go. its one thing to keep one that was born in captivity, but to take one that was free and keep it in a little tank isnt very fair, kinda like putting someone on house arrest isnt it? I would take her to a nearby park or something and let her go free

marmilla · #7 12-21-2007, 11:45 PM

In Oregon deer mice a usually found in grasslands. I would take her somewhere where there isn't going to be a lot of people/pet traffic so she can live and maybe find a nice mousey to make a family with

You could leave her off with some stuff to get started making a new home with. They are very resourceful creatures though. It was nice of you not to trap her

kalolin · #8 12-22-2007, 03:43 PM

I do plan on releasing her but not until the spring, I live in the country and we are surrounded by woods, so I will take her far away from here, but I'm figuring if I released her now the foxes, owls or hawks would get her because there is so much snow down, she would be easy to see. I had to get her out of the garage because she was into the chicken and horse feed, but don't worry I do not plan on keeping her. Yes, I do have other pets, 7 rats but I do not let them mingle with Noelle. Thanks for all your replies, they are much appreciated.

Kalolin
No matter where you go, there you are

kalolin · #9 01-15-2008, 12:10 AM

I decided to release her about an acre away from my house on Boxing Day, in a nice excluded area so she could hide from the owls and foxes and she was close to water, there was a bit of snow down but I figured she would be ok. I gave her some food, a blanket and a little box she had been staying in so she wouldn't feel like she was in totally unfamiliar territory. The next day, she was back in my garage, but got stuck in an empty garbage container. At first I didn't think it was her until I picked her up and she bit me, but I did return her to the tank (which I hadn't cleaned out yet), she ran right through her tunnel to the food which she had buried and promptly started to eat like she was starving! Then she washed herself and went to sleep, so I knew it was her. I have never had a wild mouse before, but Noelle is really special, so I've decided to keep her until the spring. She is on my compter desk so I get to see her when she is awake and playing with her sock, well it's an old sock with holes which she seems to love, she has tubes to run through, bars to crawl up and down on and lots of shavings to hide her treasures in. I just wanted to give everyone an update on her progress.

deermouse · #10 01-15-2008, 03:16 AM

If you keep her until spring, you will probably become too attached to release her. Some people manage to do it, but most people become attached.

good luck,
paul

cerulean42 · #11 01-17-2008, 01:16 AM

Yeah, I would still release her, but further away from your house so she doesn't find her way back and doesn't tempt you to keep her. Even though you don't have your rats mingle with her, you could still inadvertently transmit diseases to them from her. I think even keeping her until Spring is a lot to ask of a wild mouse that has only known freedom.

Vanilla_Rat · #12 01-17-2008, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cerulean42


	Yeah, I would still release her, but further away from your house so she doesn't find her way back and doesn't tempt you to keep her. Even though you don't have your rats mingle with her, you could still inadvertently transmit diseases to them from her. I think even keeping her until Spring is a lot to ask of a wild mouse that has only known freedom.

I agree!

Update on Noelle..........