Disabled wild mouse - keep or release?

by smc Sat 23 Mar 2019, 2:58 pm

A week ago, found a young-ish (teenage maybe?) wild mouse on the sidewalk spinning in maniac circles with a bulging eye. Brought it home, had a vet-school friend look at it; said most likely a brain tumor or blunt trauma to inner ear. When put on a flat surface, mouse just spins without stopping (always counterclockwise). Eye went back in, but spinning hasn't changed. If given something to snuggle in, mouse will snuggle and settle down. Have been giving it water with a syringe (won't drink by itself) and the recommended foods. It doesn't eat much but poops regularly. Friend said he can't imagine it could survive in the wild bc can't go in a straight line and can't stop spinning unless nesting. Should I just treat this like hospice and care for it until it dies, or release it and let nature take its course? I agree 100% with all that's been said here about not keeping wild mice, but this seems like a less cut-and-dried case.

by Peachy Sat 23 Mar 2019, 8:01 pm

I was in this same situation, minus a knowledgeable vet friend. I personally kept the mouse until he passed, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with letting nature do its thing either, unless you think he might have been poisoned.

by MerciToujoursMaPetiteBoop Sun 24 Mar 2019, 12:39 pm

We hope your little patient is doing all right. You and the patient are very lucky to have veterinary assistance at the ready!!

One of the better scenarios: Sometimes there is injury, perhaps from an attack or perhaps from clumsiness or poor judgement, and it just takes some time (and a little help from its new human friends) for the little one to get back to feeling like returning to its natural habitat.

That was the case for a very young rabbit a co-worker found once, sitting forlornly outside the front door to our office building when the co-worker returned from lunch one day. She buzzed up to me and said "Just come down!". Every time the little fluffie tried to hop, it flipped over on its back and flailed around trying to get rightside-up again. I took the little fluffie home for the night; it got newspaper to nest in and salad for dinner. The next morning, a Saturday, I took it out in the back yard to assess the hopping problem after it had had a night of rest, and after first crawling between my feet to have a good look around at the surroundings, ... zzziiiipppppp! Off went little fluffie with me in pursuit. I released little fluffie at the side of the office building when I went back to work that afternoon.

Similarly with a little tree cricket I found flat to the ground next to a welcome mat at work, soaked from the automatic sprinklers, and missing all his legs on one side. But when I tried to move him out of the way, figuring he was thoroughly lost, he grabbed on and would not let go. I brought him inside and fed him baby porridge and leafy greens while he rested safely. He was adorable, eating porridge off my finger while he rested the antenna from the side with no legs on my finger for balance. Then 48 hours later he looked ready to leave, so I allowed four more hours to observe him before taking him out under the viburnums, where he walked away to freedom on three legs and three stubs, never looking back.

by CallaLily Tue 26 Mar 2019, 2:00 pm

Peachy wrote:I was in this same situation, minus a knowledgeable vet friend. I personally kept the mouse until he passed, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with letting nature do its thing either, unless you think he might have been poisoned.

Same.

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Disabled wild mouse - keep or release?

Disabled wild mouse - keep or release?

Re: Disabled wild mouse - keep or release?

Re: Disabled wild mouse - keep or release?

Re: Disabled wild mouse - keep or release?

Re: Disabled wild mouse - keep or release?