If you have found a lost mouse pup, you may be tempted to take care of it; although it takes a lot of effort, you can manage to care for this small mammal to keep it healthy. The most important task is to feed him and offer him a place to live. However, you must keep in mind that - although the infection is quite rare - wild mice are carriers of various diseases. Finally, while looking after his well-being, it is always a good idea to consult a veterinarian for helpful advice.
Steps
Method 1 of 4: Rescue an abandoned rat pup
Step 1. Make sure the nest has been abandoned
If you come across a nest and don't see the mother, you don't have to automatically assume she's gone; she may simply have been frightened by your presence or have wandered off to hunt for food. Leave the nest (and the mouse) undisturbed and come back later to check the situation; if the mother is still absent, you can intervene.
- Make sure you don't disturb the nest, but don't worry too much, as the mother doesn't refuse her pups if someone has touched them.
- Come back again after an hour or two and once again spent another 1-2 hours.
- Check if the puppy's belly has white bands, the so-called "milk belly"; if you do not see such streaks within 4-6 hours, the puppy has not been fed and may be an orphan.
Step 2. Get help from a veterinarian if needed
If the mouse has been attacked by a cat, you must immediately contact a competent doctor. The bacteria present in the mouth of the domestic feline can cause a serious (often fatal) infection called septicemia; the vet is able to provide emergency care to the little mouse.
- Search online to find a veterinarian in your area.
- Call him in advance to find out if he can treat this type of mammal.
Step 3. Handle the mouse carefully
The puppy is small, docile and must be held very gently. It shouldn't wriggle excessively, but you need to grab it firmly when you feed it to prevent it from falling. Also, it's important to remember that wild mice are known to be carriers of disease.
- You can consider wearing latex gloves when you pick it up.
- Regardless of whether you decide to wear them or not, still remember to wash your hands very carefully after handling the mouse.
Method 2 of 4: Power
Step 1. Provide him with liquid nutrients
The mouse should usually drink the mother's milk, but in this case you need to find a substitute; however, avoid the vaccine and choose one of the following solutions:
- Soy-based infant formula (to be diluted slightly);
- Artificial milk for kittens (slightly diluted);
- Goat milk;
- Puppy milk replacer.
Step 2. Feed him every two hours
The mouse must eat punctually with such frequency until it opens its eyes; when he is still very young (from 0 to 2 weeks of age) you have to respect these times, while afterwards it is sufficient to feed him every 3 or 4 hours. Once your eyes are open, it is no longer necessary to feed it at night.
- Heat the milk; test by pouring a drop on your wrist to check that it is not too cold or too hot;
- Fill a dropper, syringe or pipette with milk;
- Grasp the puppy firmly with the non-dominant hand;
- Hold the pipette in the other and insert the tip into the puppy's mouth;
- Pour a drop of warm milk into its mouth and wait for the mouse to swallow (you should see it stretch and squirm);
- Offer him all the milk he wants.
Step 3. Once his eyes are open, wean him on solid foods
When it reaches this stage of growth, it can begin to eat some solid food; keep giving him the formula until he is 4-6 weeks of age, which is when weaning begins. Here's what you can offer him:
- Hamster food moistened with formula or goat milk;
- Food for kittens (wet);
- Baby food (homemade or store bought);
- Cooked and soft vegetables, such as pumpkins, peas, carrots.
Step 4. Stimulate the mouse to help it evacuate
Baby mice are unable to urinate or defecate independently; usually, it is the mother who licks their genital area to encourage them to free their bladder and bowels. After the meal, wet a cotton ball or finger with warm water and gently move it over the puppy's lower abdomen until it begins to evacuate.
Method 3 of 4: Arrange a Home for the Mickey Mouse
Step 1. Prepare a cage
You have to make some kind of fence to create his house. For the first night you can start with a simple shoe box to put a tea towel in; however, if you plan to keep the mouse as a pet, you should find something more durable. As a general rule, you should provide a space of about 30cm3 for the first specimen and another 15 cm3 of space for each new mouse you plan to place in the same cage. You also need to clean the enclosure once a week. You can purchase one of the following facilities at the pet store:
- Glass aquarium;
- Metal cage;
- Plastic cage.
Step 2. Keep the puppy warm
If he has lived in nature so far, he was probably pampered by his mother and siblings, but in your home you have to guarantee him a warm environment.
- Sprinkle some wood shavings on the bottom of the cage;
- Do not place the cage on the floor of the house;
- Keep the house temperature around 21 ° C;
- Install a heat source in one corner of the cage. Use a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel or place an electric warmer under half of the fence; make sure the puppy can move away from the source if he is too hot.
Step 3. Insert some toys
The mouse needs some physical activity, as well as gnawing on objects and receiving mental stimuli. When he starts wandering around the cage, provide him with some of the following items:
- Exercise toys, such as a wheel or a ball with a bell inside (which is typically sold as a cat toy)
- Chewable toys, such as kitchen roll tubes or egg cartons;
- Toys containing food (typically made for birds and / or rodents).
Method 4 of 4: Protect yourself from disease
Step 1. Be aware of the risks
Although the rate of transmission of disease by wild mammals is very low, remember that the wild mouse carries diseases that could make you sick; do an online search to determine the level of risk in your geographic area and take appropriate precautions. For example, a wild mouse can transmit:
- Hantavirus;
- Salmonellosis (bacterial infection);
- Lyme disease (from ticks).
Step 2. Wash your hands
The best way to avoid the spread of pathogens from the mouse is to wash your hands after touching it. Before sanitizing them, do not touch your mouth, eyes or any other part of the face; The ideal is to use soap and water, but if you don't have them, you can also use an alcohol-based hand cleaner.
- Wet your hands with water;
- Create a nice lather with the soap (whichever type you choose is fine);
- Rub the entire epidermis carefully;
- Rinse and dry them.
Step 3. Keep the mouse away from food
This rodent is capable of transmitting the Salmonella bacterium that causes salmonellosis, so it is important to prevent it from accessing your food.
- Never allow him to climb onto the kitchen counter or enter the pantry;
- Keep all food protected in safe and sealed containers.
Step 4. Eliminate ticks
If you live in a region where they are quite common, you should regularly inspect the mouse for these annoying pests (at least once a week); if you find any attached to his body, you must remove them.
- Wear rubber gloves;
- Clean the area with denatured alcohol (try to suffocate the tick);
- Use tweezers to gently pull the insect out of the mouse's body;
- Throw it down the toilet.
