hi there!

My name's Jen, and I have 2 mice named Minnie and Mickey. They're wild orphans I found in a glue trap. Both have a disability from the traps, so they can't be released into the wild. I'm also considering getting a pair of domestic mice, to keep Minnie company once they hit puberty. My only question is if they would get along, and if it's possible to get a friend for Mickey. I know domestic males can't be housed together, but I don't know about wild mice. Does anyone have any information about wild mice? I'm currently housing them in a 10 gallon tank with a screen top, but they're chewing the plastic so I bought a wire cage. They don't know how to drink out of a bottle, do you think a domestic mouse would teach them? And teach them how to use a wheel? Thanks for any advice!

I would not put a domestic mouse with them. They could be carring illnesses and will be much more agressive than pet mice. Just give them lots of things to chew and eat and they will be fine alone. They will probably not live long lives, or ever be tame, but they can be fun to watch.

What kind of injuries make them unreleasable? It's really best for them to be set free.

Also, I would NEVER put domestic mice in with wild mice. They aren't tame and their wild instincts can be a danger to your domestic friends. Also, even though they're wild I still wouldn't house males together.

The ten gallon tank is probably a better habitat for them then a cage. Cages are hardly escape proof and someone is bound to get loose. Are you housing both of them in the same tank? Are you sure of their sex? I would separate them if they are a boy and girl. You're going to end up with wild mouse babies that you will never be able to tame.

If they can't use the water bottle use a shallow dish with water but try to put it up on some sort of platform so it limits the bedding thrown around in the dish. I think they will eventually learn the water bottle.

Again, I really have to ask what is wrong with them that they can't be released?

Hey there,

Good job saving these babies. I would definitely use a glass tank to house them, and a good lid (not the lids that use window screen but the heavy duty screen).

I would not mix wild and domestic mice.

They may never be tame enough to handle regularly but they can be good pets to watch.

I would use a bowl. If they are small, grab a lid for a milk container and put the water in there. It's shallow but you'll need to keep filing them often and they'll for sure kick bedding in there.

Good luck with them and welcome.

@Candy corn- ok, I won't put any domestic mice in with them.
@Trix yogurt- Minnie is blind and Mickey has a wonky foot that makes him unable to run. I'm pretty sure of their sex, they haven't hit puberty yet so that's why they're still together. I'm separating them this weekend, though. I've had both a bowl and a bottle in with them since I got them, they aren't drinking from the bottle though. I'll just keep the bowl in.
@mouselover1- I have a screen top, but they keep chewing holes in it. I've duct taped it over and over again but they keep chewing.

I have a big 30 gallon tank that I can't use for my fish, is there any way to add levels and get a screen top for that so they can have more floor space?

i'm guessint that's the window screen top. There are two types of screen top, a window screen type top, and a heavy duty metal top.



This is the flimsy screen lids that I had tons of chew outs.
http://a2.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images02/3/4fc420f51d034a1695e662520ddc2268/l.jpg




these are the ones I use. All metal heavy duty screen

http://s3.amazonaws.com/tc-photos/11442/product/standard/507523.jpg

http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/07/06/53/29/04/0706532904105_500X500.jpg

That's what I'm using. It's the only screen top sold here.

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3039685&f=PAD%2FpsNotAvailInUS%2FNo

Those are the only screen tops I've found that work on a constant basis for constant chewers.

Hey, if it's at PetSmart you could probably order it online. That's a good price, too.