If the mother stops feeding her young, or if she eats any babies, place her in a separate cage If the mother is aggressive or does not care for the infants, you will need to feed and care for them yourself.
Quickly find a nursing mother from a pet store or breeder. Rub the foster babies with bedding from the new mother’s cage to let them absorb her smells. Place the babies in the mother’s tank. Keep an eye out for signs of aggression, excessive squeaking, or abandonment.
A swollen tummy, lethargy, and yellowish discharge from the anus are signs of diarrhea. [4] X Research source Replace the mother’s milk or formula with an electrolyte solution for human infants. Take the babies to a vet to ensure they are healthy.
Slightly warm the formula or milk before feeding; do not use hot or cold formula. Powdered formulas will need to be mixed with water per the directions on the container. The babies must be warm before feeding, or they won’t be able to digest the formula properly. If this happens, the formula will ferment in their bellies, causing diarrhea. You can keep the babies warm by placing a heating pad on a low setting underneath their enclosure. [6] X Research source
Soon, the mice will be nibbling at the soaked crumbles. When the mice appear to be getting stronger, try feeding them regular rodent pellets.
You no longer have to wet the pellets once the babies are weaned. You can provide apples, bananas, broccoli, and other snacks, but remember that mice have tiny stomachs and should not overeat. Mice usually drink 3-7 ml of water per day. [12] X Research source Hang a small animal water bottle in the cage, and keep it filled. Before weaning, the mice were getting water from their food. Once they begin to eat dry food, the water bottle is necessary.
Mice are very good at chewing, so choose a cage without protruding parts and wires the mice can chew on. Provide hiding spots for the mice, such as small boxes or cardboard tubes. Using a cardboard box for the babies is only a temporary option, as mice will quickly learn to chew through the box and escape.
