my dog tried to catch a mouse in the backyard and it ran under a door and got stuck. when we went to pick up the body [assuming it was dead], it started walking with its two front arms/legs whatever you call them and dragging the back two. we tried to save it by putting it into an old cage of ours with bedding, food and water for the night. now she seems to be walking just fine so i dont think anything is broken. and, but of course with my luck she ended up having babies. there is a toilet paper tube in there and she gave birth to them in there. now, if i buy a very small igloo for her, will she be able to move them?
also, i have not touched the babies, or the tube or anything in the cage at all since she's had them. i've only dropped some food in because of the chance of her abandoning them.
i'm sorry if this is a stupid question. i've never had a mouse before so i'm lost. i do not plan on keeping her or the babies. i just want to make sure they are all safe for the time being.
2007-09-10 14:28:02 · 4 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Rodents
Mice can move their babies just fine, but wild mice can be very sensitive about the presence of humans. I would advise not to put anything new in the cage as this might freak her out and she might kill the babies. It depends on the mouse.
Just drop some suitable bedding (toilet paper or something similar) into the cage and she will arrange it herself. After a few days if she seems comfortable with seeing you, maybe you can do a little more.
I once caught a deer mouse in a live trap (this was before Hantavirus) and she gave birth in the trap and also injured her tail; the trap wasn't a very good one. I took her home and puther and the 3 pups in a cage. Two pups died but the mom and the third did fine, despite the trauma. I tried to tame the pup, and he got so he would take food through the bars and let me rub his nose, but he wouldn't tolerate being handled.
Another time I caught a harvest mouse (picked her up by the tail in my backyard) and put her in a cage. A few days later she had babies, but she ate them all. I guess she really couldn't handle seeing people around.
So like I said, it depends on the mouse.
2007-09-10 15:37:53 · answer #1 · answered by The First Dragon 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Hi congrads on your new family! yes mice can move there babys if you want to help them survive put her in a fish tank with bedding on the bottom they love to cover the babys in toilet paper put some in there she will rip it up her self and keep the babys warm don't put the food right with the babys if in a cage put the food off to the other side the mother will come down and eat the food herself the babys just need milk right now. don't get upset if she eats them this is just her way of protecting them.
good luck.
2007-09-10 14:39:01 · answer #2 · answered by countrycutie0012 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can move them but use latex gloves mice use smell as identification. So you don't want to pick them up with your bare hands, the mother will pull away from her babies and won't give them proper care. And if you really don't plan on keeping them the pet store will take them. Hope everthing works out.
2007-09-10 14:52:10 · answer #3 · answered by D.S.C 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes she can move her babys . she might be happy with were they are. she will get well some.
2007-09-10 14:33:53 · answer #4 · answered by ? 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋