foundling

Mon Dec 22, 2003 6:35 pm

Weird, I thought I posted this last night, now I don't see it. Oh well, here goes again.
While reinstalling an extra seat to my van that had been stored in my garage, I found a little mouse nest of shredded towels and it's tiny occupant. She appears to be a young (1.5" body) house mouse. Her larger companion scurried away. Since the temps were in the lower twenties, and I had demolished their cozy home, I felt guilty and brought her in.
Since she is so young, could she become tame. And since they are social, would she get along with a female domestic mouse. My sister has a litter about the same age from which I might aquire a friend.
Or am I better off putting her back in the garage, maybe with a little box to nest in?
BTW, it didn't take her long to find the wheel in the cage. She's a speedy little bugger.

Mon Dec 22, 2003 8:12 pm

Her larger companion (if she was quite a bit larger) was probably her mom. If you're certain there were no more than the two of them, then perhaps she was the last baby left in the nest. If you've ot had her longer than a day or two, you could put her back in the garage and give her a nest (out of the way of normal traffic), and it's likely she'll find her companion since it's well within her range of roaming. Make sure you leave a little food and water and that will bring her relatives to her as well as giving her a good start. And everyone stay well out of the garage for a day or so if you can. But do check on her to make sure she's okay, and walk like a shuffly old person in case she comes running.

You could also keep her and get her a couple of your sister's baby girls -- as long as you're 100% certain they're all girls. They'll get along fine.

_________________
Kate & the M.O.U.S.
If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event ... what kind of film would you use?
~ Anonymous

Tue Dec 23, 2003 12:42 am

Oh i say KEEP her...itd be soo colod outsaide for her..the poor thing...and if you got her a tame freind..it would probably also help her become mroe tame tooa s it sees the other mouse interacting with you!! Go For it!! hah

_________________
Dustin -aka- duttie and the Rats!

"SqUeAk" <:3---)~~~ "SqUeAk"

Tue Dec 23, 2003 9:00 am

Thanks, She'll most likely stay now that I know she won't have to live alone. Now for her to fatten up enough so she can't fit through the cage bars. The cage is currently sitting in a plastic storage bin which inhibits good viewing.

Tue Dec 23, 2003 7:51 pm

Female mice like to live in groups of 3 to 5, I've read.

_________________
Kate & the M.O.U.S.
If you saw a man drowning and you could either save him or photograph the event ... what kind of film would you use?
~ Anonymous

Wed Dec 24, 2003 9:26 am

Hmm..? Wonder what the magic of three to five is. Not that three are really more difficult than two to care for. I'm sure my sister will be happy to have found a home for another baby. I won't see her until next week so we'll have to wait to find out what colors we'll end up with. I think her litters are pretty much a rainbow assortment.