Introducing female deer mouse to orphaned mouse

by Raberdash Fri 18 Sep 2020, 2:21 am

Post by Raberdash Yesterday at 6:55 am
I have a total of five rescued deer mice. They live in separate cages in my laundry room. I rescued Spencer Papillion a year ago, and she gave birth to Molly. They were extremely bonded, slept together, ran on their wheel together, etc.

Three days ago, the bathroom door was left open, and poor Spencer was apparently eaten by one of my cats when he knocked over the tube leading to her wheel.

Molly went into a depression, wouldn’t sleep in the bed, and moved bedding material into the wheel where she and Spencer used to play.

Two weeks ago, I rescued what was my sixth mouse, Skipper. She lived in a cage 3 1/2 feet away from Spencer and Molly. She was injured, but with homeopathic treatment, she recovered fully, but was clearly uncomfortable. She slept in the crook of one of the tubes.

Until this morning, I didn’t know she was a female. After approximately 45 minutes, my husband and I were able to determine that she was a female. (God gave me a split second where I was able to see that she had nipples, and her equipment is no farther than ¼” from her bottom.)

I therefore moved her in with Molly. After awhile, she moved up into a feeding tray that has bedding in it, the same tray where Molly was born. Molly slept the entire day in her wheel.

Tonight, there is none of the racket of my mice running on their wheels. I’m very nervous that Molly and Skipper will get along. There was no way to introduce Molly and Skipper slowly, because these are wild deer mice.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I fed evening treats as usual, but both Skipper and Molly were in the same locations as before.

Will they bond? I know there’s also a risk that Skipper might be pregnant, but in that case, I’ll sex the babies and leave the girls with Molly and Skipper, and put the boys in Skipper’s old cage.

Please help. Thanks

UPDATE 09.18.2020. Molly remains in the wheel. Skipper remains in the tower. I’m very worried about Molly. I know she’s depressed and lost without her mother, Spencer. Is there any chance that she will bond with Skipper? For how long might she grieve, and am I making it worse by putting Skipper in with her?? Please, someone give me an idea of how to help her.

by SarahAdams Fri 18 Sep 2020, 9:18 am

I am certainly no expert on mice of any kind, but I did also rescue a baby deer mouse and ended up keeping her during the cold months. Although she was not afraid of me, she was not happy and would stay in her hidey all day. She got loose in my house and I caught her in a trap. Back in her cage, she just sat there and actually appeared to be depressed. She was a wild animal and I took her and let her go. Like wild rats, wild mice are different than our fancy mice who have been domesticated for centuries.

You might consider finding a field with tall wild grasses in it, where mice normally live and let them go. All their wild instincts are totally intact. Just my 0.02 cents and others might not agree with me.

by muisjes Sat 28 Nov 2020, 11:31 am

Every winter we have deer mice in our garage. I live-trap them and put them in a nice cage until I have several, assumingly from the same family. Then I release them somewhere where there are some sheltered spots like fallen over trees under blackberry bushes (they protect the wild things from predators I like to believe. Sometimes I am tempted to keep them but then realize they are wild little animals. Also they (Deer Mice) can carry the Hanta virus which is nothing to mess with.

by muisjes Fri 04 Dec 2020, 1:02 pm

I just caught a cutie. young adult female. It is very cold outside and I will keep her in the garage in 10 gallon tank until the weather warms up. Hope to catch some family members so she doesn't have to move by herself.

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Introducing female deer mouse to orphaned mouse

Introducing female deer mouse to orphaned mouse

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Re: Introducing female deer mouse to orphaned mouse

Re: Introducing female deer mouse to orphaned mouse

Re: Introducing female deer mouse to orphaned mouse