Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

by Lightningpython Sun 16 Apr 2017, 4:33 pm

Hey all.
About two days ago I rescued a mouse from my attic after my mum had found it in the spring trap still alive. I'm against using the traps but sadly i have no say in the matter. The mouse has a broken left paw, and it is a male.

I've put it into a critter keeper with several tubes and wooden chews in there. It's been quite active as all those tubes were originally stacked up along one side.

He has been eating the sunflower seeds from the bird food also.

I would like to release him, however there are many cats in my town, and in the fields in the surrounding areas we have many barn owls. I'm also afraid that he's probably been living in my house roof all his life he probably won't be able to survive outside. But even though I love keeping reptiles, this little guy is really growing on me.

So, is there anything i need to do to improve his setup?
I do have a large rub i could use however i use that to transport my snakes and i don't think it'll go down too well as a few of them have a quite agressive feeding response.
And what are the most important things i need to feed him?
He has two bowls (well milk bottle lids, he's a small mouse) right now, one with parrot mix and another with wild bird food. I've also offered a bit of wholewheat pasta and yesterday I put in a small piece of cooked chicken (i read somewhere that they like it. He didn't eat it tho so it went to the dermisted beetles).
And also would there be anything i could do to fix his broken paw?
He would not let me touch him or even get that near to him if i put my hand in the cage. I'm fine with that but it'll be nice to have a closer look at the paw. It's limp and he just drags it. It's one of the front paws.

Thank you!

by Mirabelle Sun 16 Apr 2017, 5:26 pm

I would definitely take him to a vet or wildlife rehab center, if the bones in his paw don't heal right he'll be miserable for the rest of his life and not able to get away from predators if you do release him.

by Lightningpython Sun 16 Apr 2017, 6:51 pm

Just the thing is, what are they going to do? And also how much would it cost for a vet to turn around and say they can't do anything for him? I'm trying not to sound ignorant or anything, it's just when i previously rescued a pigeon it had a canker. Took it to the vets and had to pay £40 for them to give me two weeks worth of meds. They said to release it after. Yeah it was getting better, and it was improving but a week after released i found it dead. I checked it's throat and the canker had come back and much worse than it originally was. Do you see where im getting at? Trust me if there was a reliable vets nearby (which there isn't) i would totally take him to one.
Also mousy throws a complete fit if anyone goes near him. I'm just afraid the stress of that would be enough to kill him.
There are no rehabbers nearby for at least 50 miles or so.

by Mirabelle Sun 16 Apr 2017, 7:19 pm

That's so sad, I'm sorry the poor thing didn't live. I recently found a wild mouse that was sick. I ended up keeping it for a few days and it didn't get any better, but there's a wildlife center only an hour away I could take him to. They said it was terminal and they'd have to put him down, but at least places like that don't charge like a vets would.
In your situation I'd say keep him long enough at least to see if the paw will heal enough that he can use it again, since I really don't think splinting such a tiny thing is possible, especially if he's so scared. If it heals twisted you would have to keep him, he'd be a sitting duck out there.

by Lightningpython Sun 16 Apr 2017, 8:26 pm

Is there anything i should do to improve his setup?
And what are the main things i should be feeding him? As I've posted before I've been giving him a mix of parrot and wild bird seed. Is there anything else I need to be adding?

by River Sun 16 Apr 2017, 9:35 pm

I'm not sure if I agree that with his paw broke you should keep him. How is he getting around? Quickly?
Mice can lose their minds - literally - if wild and kept in captivity. Its just cruel, especially considering he was not raised with you. I would find a wildlife center, even if it means he needs to be put down.
A setup should ideally be 200 square inches or larger but I understand if you can't provide that. I'd add more things to climb. Build some foraging toys to keep his mind working as close to natural as it can. Things to climb work well. Make sure he has things to build a nest with. He may enjoy hay. Generally, try to stimulate his mind by mocking natural habits, such as foraging, climbing, and nest building.
Hopefully you will find a place to leave him.

by River Sun 16 Apr 2017, 9:35 pm

I'm not sure if I agree that with his paw broke you should keep him. How is he getting around? Quickly?
Mice can lose their minds - literally - if wild and kept in captivity. Its just cruel, especially considering he was not raised with you. I would find a wildlife center, even if it means he needs to be put down.
A setup should ideally be 200 square inches or larger but I understand if you can't provide that. I'd add more things to climb. Build some foraging toys to keep his mind working as close to natural as it can. Things to climb work well. Make sure he has things to build a nest with. He may enjoy hay. Generally, try to stimulate his mind by mocking natural habits, such as foraging, climbing, and nest building.
Hopefully you will find a place to leave him.

by Lightningpython Mon 17 Apr 2017, 4:39 am

I have a spare glass vivarium i can use however it had no lid. Which would be a problem of course, but i can see if i can make one. I think it's 2ft wide but I'm unsure of the dimensions. I'll dig that out and give it a clean today.
When i last saw him he didn't move at all, but i was only doing a quick water change. He can run and jump if he wanted to

by River Mon 17 Apr 2017, 6:35 pm

I think the best thing you could do is take him to your local wildlife rehab center. Wildlife rehab centers are not regular vets-- they will most likely take the mouse of your hands and nurse him back to health, releasing him themselves. Even an exotics vet may not know how handle a wild animal. A rehab center behaves much differently and is very likely his best chance at survival.

If you don't have one near you, and you think he's getting around fast enough to survive in the wild as he is, I would release him to a retention pond, nature park or wildlife sanctuary.

If you've judged he is not getting along good enough to survive, I'd keep him until he is. There isn't much you can do about a broken leg, unless you can get Metacam from a vet...it'll heal on it's own, but it'll likely heal wrong. This doesn't mean it'll be completely useless, though. Keep him comfortable until his leg is functioning well enough for release.

Here's a detailed article on releasing wild mice once they have healed. https://www.petmousefanciers.com/t4-wild-mouse-mice-care-and-information There is more information on what to do in your situation as well.

by Lightningpython Fri 21 Apr 2017, 4:18 am

With this vivarium I've got, do you think it would be a good idea to make it a planted setup?
I was just thinking because in not sure he likes it being in a setup used for domestic mice. It would give him the enrichment he needs and pose as a small rehab enclosure until i find someone to give him to or until he is able to be released. It won't be a problem to find some.grasses at the local garden centre of any other mice friendly plants. I have some nice java wood and cork bark from the cornsnakes viv that i could disinfectant and use too.

And a update on the lil guy
He's eating and still trashing his cage, but I've not seen him since like Tuesday or something (probably before then i cant remember)
I've been starting to offer mealworms and those have been eaten too. I might try a roach or a waxworm tonight. He loves sunflour seeds and pumpkin seeds too

by River Fri 21 Apr 2017, 9:15 pm

Soil and driftwood / reptile rocks, etc. might be easier. Mice tend to just dig up plants. I believe organic potting soil is safe, but its recommended to freeze it to kill any bugs, though that may not be quite as necessary with a wild one...I'm unsure. I do agree that making the habitat as natural as possible is a comforting thing to them.

by Lightningpython Sat 22 Apr 2017, 5:38 am

I've read that dandelion and clover are safe for mice. Anyone have any experience with this?

And I'm. It fussed about him digging up the plants, most of the stuff that will likely be put in there will be weeds anyway. Hes a wild mouse and it's probably just his instinct to do that

by CallaLily Sat 22 Apr 2017, 7:09 am

Dandelion is for sure safe; roots, leaves, stems, and flowers all. My mice have liked the leaves and flowers. I've never tried clover with them.

by Lightningpython Sat 22 Apr 2017, 6:24 pm

Coolio. I can grab some dandelion seeds from the tortoise run and grow them in the greenhouse. My mum is gonna be happy with that! Laughing

Is there any other plants? What about regular lawn grass (all natural, no fertilizes and stuff) or succulents?

by Lightningpython Thu 27 Apr 2017, 3:02 pm

Just an update
He's still eating mealworms and birdseed every day.
I cleaned him out and also got him out of his nest (i put him in a plastic box and he came out eventually) to check on his paw.
Well, he can move it, and put weight on it which is a big improvement from when i saw him last. It is healing well, not twisted or anything. When he's able to use it properly, then I'd say he's going to be ready for release :3

by Sponsored content

Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED

Re: Rescue Mouse. ADVICE NEEDED