Putting baby (mouse) in with adult

[pet-nut]

Hi again, I wrote a couple weeks back about a sickly barn mouse. Still don't know what's wrong, but she eats well and has improved some I can tell, but I doubt I'll ever be able to let her go. She still spins in circles and flops over, but only occasionally now, so that is good.

2 questions today....#1...is it mean to keep her by herself? She's in an aquarium so can see the other mice, but is she okay by herself all the time? #2...Today when I shook the straw out of a bag by the fire a baby ran out (of the bag)and right into the fire. He/she, of course ran right back out and I was able to grab him. He doesn't look too bad for injuries other than his one front paw looks raw. That was 4 hours ago. I left him in a small container by where I originally took the bag from hoping his mom would come get him, but if he's still there in the morn I'll have to put him (and hope he is actually a she) in with the sick adult. So, will she hurt an unknown baby? He's too small and way too wild to get a good look at him. Everytime I pick him up he bites me and freaks out so I leave him alone. But if she's going to hurt him I don't want that either.

I wish I knew more about the growth of babies so I could give you a better guess to his age. He has fur and open eyes and about a 1.5 - 1.75" body stretched (just guessing). When are they weaned? I'll try to see if he eats anything tonite and hope his mom rescues him. I just hope he isn't suffering from burns that I couldn't see.

Thanks for any thoughts.

[uMgaziRatRescue]

I haven't had a whole lot of time with mice but I know it's fine with rats. We are introducing a 5 week old female to a year old female and it's in ways safer because the smaller girl wont be as much of a threat as another older one. Plus the older girl is more likly to mother the smaller one. I'm going to say it will be ok to put a baby with your older one but you might want to wait for someone with more time with mice.

[Vanilla_Rat]

Honestly you should not keep wild mice as pets.It is NOT a good idea at all.They can carry diseases.

Check these links out.They are not nessicarily wild mouse info,but they are a good read.
Eva's Mouse Care Page 7 - Wild mice

Mouse | The Humane Society of the United States

Caring for your mouse

However mice are social animals and do need companionship of other mice,so you can keep them together temporarily.However when they recover,it would be a good idea to release them.

[pet-nut]

Thanks for your replies. The baby is a non-issue now. When I went out tonite to check he was really cold and lethargic. Didn't even struggle when I picked him up. I introduced the adult into the smaller container and stood right there to watch. Either she doesn't like kids or she is a he. Short version...it didn't work out. I ended up putting him up to a nest with other babies and a mom. She dragged him in and I never heard any squeals so I'm assuming he's being taken care of. At least that's what I'll tell myself.

Thanks for those links Vanilla_Rat, I'll check them out. I'd rather not have any mice as pets, but she (the sick one) has some neurological problem (based on her behaviour) and I can't see her surviving if I let her go. I don't want her to die or suffer and I'm not prepared to spend $$ on a vet for proper analysis so I think I'll try to find someone local that has mice experience and at least find out if she is, in fact a she.

People like me must frustrate you pros. I think I'm doing the right thing, but probably doing more harm than good, I know....I just can't let anything die if I can help it.

Thanks again for the help and hopefully it'll work out for all of us.

[Dragonrain]

Be careful - I would be afraid if they bit me since they're wild and could be carrying something. Make sure to wash out the bites really well.

Also - is the adult one sick? If she's sick with something, and you put the baby in with her, the baby could catch what she has. But if she's not sick and its just a neralogical thing or something then she might like the company - I dunno.

[Z Car Barbie]

I would have to agree with Vanilla's comments. I didn't read her links, but they're probably packed with valuable info. In my opinion, if you find a wild rat, it's best to let it go back into the wild. If it was born in captivity, then I certainly wouldn't let it go though because it might have a difficult time adjusting - not being able to survive.

Your adult wild rat, however, obviously knows how feed, and you never know if it has a disease unless you have it tested at a vet (those tests aren't 100% reliable though), and it could very well take on the "hamster trait" (feeding on the babies and smaller rats), so I wouldn't put it in the cage with the small rats either.

If it were me, I'd let it go back into the wild, for its own sake, yours and your current "captivity-born" rats. If you do let it back into the wild, it'd probably be best if you let it go somewhere at least 10 miles from your home. I caught a wild rat once in my house (chewed up the cords to my stereo, desktop computer and laptop computer) - let it go 4 miles away from my house, and it came back! It didn't find it's way back after I recaptured it and let it go 10 miles away though. LOL!

[pinkie1205]

Is the sick mouse a male? Male mice get territorial and can fight to the death. I doubt he will take to a baby. Yes as Lisa said its not wise to keep wild mice as pets. Just let them go outside in a field or in the woods.
[
If you want mice they are easy to obtain at petstores. Just remember that if you do take on a pet, you are responsible for their care, including vet care.

[Angelnstuff]

I agree with what others have said, its really best not to keep wild mice, or any animal for that matter.. ecpecially if its biting you, you could get really sick.. i believe most animals born in the wild should stay that way, your little caged mouse is prolly very miserable being caged up after being free.. it would prolly much rather spend its life one day free to go where it wants, then a few months caged up, always scared wondering whats going to happen to it.

[gwindegu]

hmm....regardless of what you say, I think mice are less likely to befriend eachother if they have never met. although with rats its fine, as long as one is an elderly female. if the younger one is out of hand, she just whips round and nips his nose! Lol I think a rat can befriend a stranger better than a degu, gelbil, mouse, or hamster could.

[gwindegu]

i had a baby mouse that my mom found at the store lying under the aisle thing-wall-doohicky. We took it home and nursed it, incubated it, and helped it until it could be released. never, ever keep wild animals;they could die of fear and misery. i had that happen to me when my cat killed a rabbit who had seven babies in our yard. we tried to save them but only one survived. also, my rat had a litter of thirteen-her first. she was a bit young, and she did not seem to imprint on the pinkies, so I found them cold, dirty, infected, and skinny. i was very scared, because she actually killed one and was...err...consuming it. i looked up how to take care of baby rats and it said they needed to be nursed every 2 hours!!!!!!!!! *o*!
we called up the local rattery who willingly took the infants in, distributing them throughout the nursing mothers!
all in all, this mouse should be in the wild.

[Mousey]

Either way if you keep the mouse or not it is your decision. If you do end up keeping it you should see if are are any visible testicles because you will see them by now. If not you have a girl. I know that my mice are very friendly with me and other mice. But keep in mind my mice are not wild mice. If you have a boy then they should be by himself if its a girl she can stay by herself but female mice do like companionship most of the time. I have two females at the moment who cannot be housed with any other mouse. Plus since there are unknown genetics one of them could be cannibalistic and disposeofthe other. Very close monitering will be necessary. ..