How to Tame a Mouse
Feed the mice., Massage them to encourage elimination., Keep the mice warm., Treat diarrhea., Wean the babies., Provide healthy conditions., Handle the mice regularly.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Feed the mice.
If you find mice that have been orphaned, they’re probably in desperate need of food.
Try to get them fed as quickly as possible.
They’ll need to be fed liquid nutrients with droppers, since they’re still very young and would normally be nursing.
By feeding them as babies, you're getting them to think of you as a mother, which is key to taming them from a young age.Feed baby mice every two hours.
This can become tiresome, but it’s what’s necessary to keep them alive until they’re weaned.
If there’s another nursing mother nearby, they should be nursed by her.
Mice are good mothers and will nurse babies that aren’t their own.
Assuming there’s not a nursing mother nearby, the best things you can give the babies are goat milk or kitten formula.
Do not try to feed them cow milk, as it’s very hard to digest. -
Step 2: Massage them to encourage elimination.
Baby mice will not automatically urinate or defecate.
They need to be physically encouraged to do so.
Rub gently on their abdomens and their genitals to induce urination after eating.
This is another way to gain their trust and develop their dependence on you, making them tame.The best way to do this is with a warm, damp washcloth.
Do this each time the mice feed until you notice that they urinate on their own after eating. , Normally, baby mice would be kept warm by their mother’s body heat.
You need to simulate this as best you can.
Create a nest for them that is between 75°F (24°C) and 90°F (32°C).The mice must be kept warm at all times.
A good option is a plastic critter carrier lined with a towel.
Then, place either a hot water bottle or an electric heating pad (set on the lowest setting) under the towel. , Diarrhea is a common problem for baby mice and can be serious.
The baby mice can become dehydrated and die.
Luckily, you can treat diarrhea in mice with over the counter treatments that are suitable for humans.
When you care for your baby mice in this way, they continue to have positive associations with you as their keeper.Pedialyte is excellent for helping baby mice stay hydrated and recover from diarrhea.
Feed it to the babies with a dropper.
If the baby is big enough (weighing at least 15 grams) you can give it a tiny dosage of pepto bismol up to three times per day. , Once the babies are about four weeks old, you can begin to wean them.
To do this, add some crushed solid food to the liquid feedings, as well as some simple fruit for them to chew on.
Now the mice will be less dependent on you for feeding, but they should also be fairly tame from the bottle feeding up to this point.Rodent blocks are available at pet stores and can be crushed up and put inside a dropper.
Place a slice of apple or a peeled grape near the babies so that they can practice chewing and eating solid food. , Dirty cages and coats can cause health problems.
If your mice don't like their conditions, they will be less good as pets.
Keep your mice healthy by making sure they have everything they need.
This includes:
Fresh water always available via a bottle Removing leftover, uneaten food from the cage each time you feed the babies Cleaning up any messes they make, as well as feces in the cage , These mice will have essentially imprinted on you, since you’ve raised them since they were babies.
They will have the impression that you’re their mother.
Continue to handle them regularly and they will be wonderful pets.Some people even let their mice sit on their shoulders while they go for a walk or a bike ride! -
Step 3: Keep the mice warm.
-
Step 4: Treat diarrhea.
-
Step 5: Wean the babies.
-
Step 6: Provide healthy conditions.
-
Step 7: Handle the mice regularly.
Detailed Guide
If you find mice that have been orphaned, they’re probably in desperate need of food.
Try to get them fed as quickly as possible.
They’ll need to be fed liquid nutrients with droppers, since they’re still very young and would normally be nursing.
By feeding them as babies, you're getting them to think of you as a mother, which is key to taming them from a young age.Feed baby mice every two hours.
This can become tiresome, but it’s what’s necessary to keep them alive until they’re weaned.
If there’s another nursing mother nearby, they should be nursed by her.
Mice are good mothers and will nurse babies that aren’t their own.
Assuming there’s not a nursing mother nearby, the best things you can give the babies are goat milk or kitten formula.
Do not try to feed them cow milk, as it’s very hard to digest.
Baby mice will not automatically urinate or defecate.
They need to be physically encouraged to do so.
Rub gently on their abdomens and their genitals to induce urination after eating.
This is another way to gain their trust and develop their dependence on you, making them tame.The best way to do this is with a warm, damp washcloth.
Do this each time the mice feed until you notice that they urinate on their own after eating. , Normally, baby mice would be kept warm by their mother’s body heat.
You need to simulate this as best you can.
Create a nest for them that is between 75°F (24°C) and 90°F (32°C).The mice must be kept warm at all times.
A good option is a plastic critter carrier lined with a towel.
Then, place either a hot water bottle or an electric heating pad (set on the lowest setting) under the towel. , Diarrhea is a common problem for baby mice and can be serious.
The baby mice can become dehydrated and die.
Luckily, you can treat diarrhea in mice with over the counter treatments that are suitable for humans.
When you care for your baby mice in this way, they continue to have positive associations with you as their keeper.Pedialyte is excellent for helping baby mice stay hydrated and recover from diarrhea.
Feed it to the babies with a dropper.
If the baby is big enough (weighing at least 15 grams) you can give it a tiny dosage of pepto bismol up to three times per day. , Once the babies are about four weeks old, you can begin to wean them.
To do this, add some crushed solid food to the liquid feedings, as well as some simple fruit for them to chew on.
Now the mice will be less dependent on you for feeding, but they should also be fairly tame from the bottle feeding up to this point.Rodent blocks are available at pet stores and can be crushed up and put inside a dropper.
Place a slice of apple or a peeled grape near the babies so that they can practice chewing and eating solid food. , Dirty cages and coats can cause health problems.
If your mice don't like their conditions, they will be less good as pets.
Keep your mice healthy by making sure they have everything they need.
This includes:
Fresh water always available via a bottle Removing leftover, uneaten food from the cage each time you feed the babies Cleaning up any messes they make, as well as feces in the cage , These mice will have essentially imprinted on you, since you’ve raised them since they were babies.
They will have the impression that you’re their mother.
Continue to handle them regularly and they will be wonderful pets.Some people even let their mice sit on their shoulders while they go for a walk or a bike ride!
About the Author
Marie Morris
Specializes in breaking down complex DIY projects topics into simple steps.
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