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Baby Mouse Help

  • 15-06-2014 12:05am
    #1
    mosi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 620 ✭✭✭


    I caught a baby mouse tonight in my house. Last night we caught two so there is obviously a litter. We released the two from last night but they stayed in the same spot for ages. We were going back down to check on them when we saw a cat moving in.
    I went to release this one and he stayed in the same spot before climbing onto my hand and arm. He's completely unfazed by human contact. I took him back up to the house as I'm not sure if he should be released yet. He isn't very fast or agile, like adult mice are. We caught and released an adult a few days ago, so I;m wondering if that was the mother maybe. I imagine the litter was born in the house.
    What's the best thing to do?
    Release him now - chances of survival poor
    Keep him temporarily and release him later - chances of survival probably still poor as he would be semi domesticated at that stage
    Keep him as a pet - not sure if this is ethical.
    I felt really bad about the two from last night so would love some advice so I can do the right thing


Comments

  • #2
    mosi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 620 ✭✭✭mosi


    Make that two mice now


  • #3
    aonb
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,277 ✭✭✭aonb


    Yikes, a tame 'wild' mouse?!? You sure have a dilemma there. BUT if you try to keep them (as a pet) they will BREED! The gestation period of a mouse is 20 days :eek: and they sexually mature from about 5weeks!!

    I couldnt kill a mouse myself, so maybe you should just bring it far from your house to release it, so it doesnt come back indoors (to you!!)


  • #4
    mosi
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 620 ✭✭✭mosi


    aonb wrote: »
    Yikes, a tame 'wild' mouse?!? You sure have a dilemma there. BUT if you try to keep them (as a pet) they will BREED! The gestation period of a mouse is 20 days :eek: and they sexually mature from about 5weeks!!

    I couldnt kill a mouse myself, so maybe you should just bring it far from your house to release it, so it doesnt come back indoors (to you!!)

    Dilemma over, neither made it through the night. I put them in a box with holes for air, and put down newspaper and tissues, and left a jam jar lid with water and some breadcrumbs and bits of ham. They drank a bit at first but didn't eat anything and had died by the morning. Maybe the stress of captivity got to them although they had no problem climbing on my hand initially. Maybe they were younger than I thought.

    I know nothing about little ones like this...although I did loads of internet searching last night. I'm worried now that there may be more around and I'll be facing the dilemma again. I know they're "only" mice - and this happens in nature all the time - but I'm too soft when it comes to them:rolleyes:. I've no problem releasing adults that are caught in live traps but the first two little ones that were released looked so pitiful, and had no clue what to do...and then the cat got them. It seems neither way had a great outcome...although it's probably marginally better to go in a warm box than out in the cold and by a cat.


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