# Baby mouse- need answer fast **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 11, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896 "2014-04-11T21:40:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/1 "2014-04-11T21:40:02Z")
Okay, so my mom found a little mouse stumbling around in the crawl space when she was looking for some last-minute Passover stuff. It’s young- has fur, but the eyes are still closed and the ears are nearly flat against the head. I tried leaving it where it was found for the mom to take back, but she hadn’t come when I came back to check and the mouse was crawling away out of the tissue nest I came. I don’t know how long I am supposed to wait in these situations, and how long is basically leaving the (whadayacallem- not a pinkie, not anymore) to die. This is just about the worst possible time for this sort of thing to happen- right before Passover, right before Shabbat. We’ve got very little food in the house. Or time to do anything today, for that matter. Right now the critter’s in some tissues in a tupperware container on my desk. I tried giving it some milk, but I wasn’t very successful. It moves around and makes chattering noises. At least it’s old enough that it’s pooping on its own. (And old enough to hang on to my hand and not let go when I tried to put it back in the cold crawl space). Should I still put it back? I don’t know what to do. I know rationally this is dumb- it’s usually considered a good thing when the cats kill an adult- but… I have a soft spot for rodents; I remember my own two mice. And it held on to my hand and didn’t want to let go. ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/2 "2014-04-11T21:45:51Z")
Just eat it. It is slightly crunchy, but the bones are still soft so you should be OK. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/3 "2014-04-11T21:49:50Z")
[This website is rather pessimistic](http://www.thefunmouse.com/info/orphanedmice.cfm): > [@](#): > > The risks of taking care of new born babies yourself are much higher than trying to foster them with another mouse mother. New born babies need mouse nourishment, something that is hard (if not impossible thus far) to recreate. The chance at a new born baby surviving is much smaller when a person takes care of them rather than if a mouse would. Even if you do everything in your power to take care of them, the chances of survival from a human foster are relatively small. The chances at survival form hand raising do go up significantly as the baby ages. For instance, babies that are 1-1/2 weeks old have a great chance at survival from human fostering. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/4 "2014-04-11T22:07:07Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Even if you do everything in your power to take care of them, the chances of survival from a human foster are relatively small. The chances at survival form hand raising do go up significantly as the baby ages. For instance, babies that are 1-1/2 weeks old have a great chance at survival from human fostering. Judging from the pictures on that site, he (and it looks like a he if I’m any judge) is somewhere between six and fourteen days. Not a very useful estimate, I know, but those pics largely look alike to me. He’s finally had some milk. I think. A large drop got on his nose and he ran his paws over his face and licked them, or at least that’s what it look like he was doing. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/5 "2014-04-11T22:10:33Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > Judging from the pictures on that site, he (and it looks like a he if I’m any judge) is somewhere between six and fourteen days. Not a very useful estimate, I know, but those pics largely look alike to me. > > He’s finally had some milk. I think. A large drop got on his nose and he ran his paws over his face and licked them, or at least that’s what it look like he was doing. Good luck with the little guy. Maybe he’s old enough to make it. Think maybe your cat got his mom? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/6 "2014-04-11T22:14:21Z")
Possibly. They both hang out in the crawl space a lot. I wonder if my brother still has his mouse cage/wheel/feeder/stuff. I think we gave it away when the last rodents died, but it can’t hurt to ask. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/7 "2014-04-11T22:16:34Z")
> [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](#): > > Just eat it. It is slightly crunchy, but the bones are still soft so you should be OK. **Moderator Note** **ThisUsernameIsForbidden** , while we permit some joking in GQ, we ask that you wait until serious answers have been given first. No warning issued, but don’t do this again. Colibri General Questions Moderator ---
**Author:** ![ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b4bc9f/32.png) [@ThisUsernameIsForbidden](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisUsernameIsForbidden)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/8 "2014-04-11T22:30:04Z")
Ok, will wait next time. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/9 "2014-04-11T22:40:42Z")
Straight cow’s milk isn’t good for him. The best bet is to get a powdered baby formula )(Similac, Enfagrow, etc.) and mix it with twice the recommended water then it feed it small amounts with an eyedropper. Don’t get overzealous with the dropper or you could easily get formula in his lungs. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2014, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/10 "2014-04-11T23:15:14Z")
Thanks for succouring him. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/11 "2014-04-12T03:28:48Z")
_Feed it some chicken soup!_ With matzo balls. ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2014, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/12 "2014-04-12T15:15:16Z")
Is mouse _chametz_? ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/13 "2014-04-13T00:27:47Z")
Funny you should say that- I named him Chametz. (He’s still alive, so I’m going to find some rodent rescue to call and ask question). ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/14 "2014-04-13T00:34:47Z")
EDIT: Or… I guess I’m going to wait till tomorrow when the rescue places actually have someone around to answer the phone. And hope Chametz can stomach cow milk until at least tomorrow, because I don’t have any other sort of milk in the house. ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/15 "2014-04-13T01:37:19Z")
I know a baby mouse is cute and all but are you OK with having vermin in your home? Normally people are trying to eradicate mice as they destroy and contaminate food and shit everywhere. I did Google “OK for a Jew to kill a mouse on Passover” to see if it was some observance related issue [and that went in an unexpected direction](https://www.google.com/search?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1T4GGHP_enUS420US420&q=ok+for+a+jew+to+kill+a+mouse+on+passover#q=ok+for+a+jew+to+kill+a+mouse). ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/16 "2014-04-13T01:49:47Z")
_shrug_ Like I said, it’s not logical. ---
**Author:** ![Crazyhorse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crazyhorse/32/31_2.png) [@Crazyhorse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crazyhorse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/17 "2014-04-13T02:10:43Z")
> [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](#): > > _shrug_ Like I said, it’s not logical. It’s not illogical either. He should be able to nibble on small pieces of solid food if he’s made it this far. You might try, well almost anything. A little piece of carrot, apple, cereals, grains, nuts, dog or cat food, pretty much anything containing nutrients. Make sure there is water to soften it up and/or wash it down. If he can’t or won’t try solid food yet cow’s milk is much better than nothing. ---
**Author:** ![Psychnurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/fbc32d/32.png) [@Psychnurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Psychnurse)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 2:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/18 "2014-04-13T02:19:03Z")
Ok I totally get it, I have fostered bunnies, kittens, puppies, an opossum (just overnight as he went to a wildlife rescue the next day), baby birds etc… I have found that my local emergency vet clinic is an invaluable source of info since these things always seem to happen after normal business hours. They are a great resource for info on medication doses and whether a med is safe for the animal you are trying to treat and lots of other stuff like what to feed and how to tell if a critter has really been abandoned. They have never charged me unless I actually brought the critter in. Most mothers leave their babies for various periods of time, but if the little fella was hollering and she didn’t come back that’s unusual. Also, rodents are usually born in litters. It’s possible your mom’s rooting around scared off a predator that was busily working it’s way thru the litter. Not a nice thought but it happens. Personally I believe all life has worth and I have zero tolerance for suffering. I wish you and the little mouse luck! ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/19 "2014-04-13T18:00:51Z")
Well, I made a sorta-KMR formula thing. (it’s really confusing around here, so making something from a recipe on the internet is the best I can do for the moment. Yolk, yoghurt, milk, and water). Seems to be a hit with the little guy. One odd thing- when I talked to the animal-rescue guy on the phone this morning, I mentioned that he was bruxing- the rescue guy seemed confused because apparently they’re not suppose to make sounds before their eyes open. Or something like that. Well, Chametz bruxxes every time I pet him, so I guess I’m doing something right? ---
**Author:** ![Leo\_Bloom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leo_bloom/32/10377_2.png) [@Leo\_Bloom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leo_Bloom)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2014, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896/20 "2014-04-13T18:32:08Z")
Tell me you knew the word “bruxxing” before 4/11/2014. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/baby-mouse-need-answer-fast/685896.md?page=2)