# WC harvest/field/?? mice



## WeAreBorg (Jan 4, 2011)

*Firstly, can anyone ID?* This is the first one just after I won the struggle with the cat (and promptly fell in love with it). It's 5-6cm long, and I *think* it's a harvest mouse by the shape, as apparently they are darker as juveniles. But I honestly don't know my wild rodents, so picture comparisons only go so far.










*Secondly, I've never kept anything that was WC before, so are there any considerations I need to think of?*

To my knowledge they are not protected, so this is legal. And morally, I know not everyone thinks it's ok to keep WC animals as pets. I think it is, so long as they are healthier and happier than they would be in the wild - as almost all young mice are predator fodder, and these are the evolutionary losers (caught by the cat), I don't feel like I'm depriving them of much.


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## feorag (Jul 31, 2007)

Looks more like a young Wood Mouse (also known as a long tailed field mouse) to me rather than a Harvest Mouse.


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## WeAreBorg (Jan 4, 2011)

feorag said:


> Looks more like a young Wood Mouse (also known as a long tailed field mouse) to me rather than a Harvest Mouse.


Thanks - there must be a fair amount of growing left to do, then! At least that'd mean that I'd definitely have juveniles.


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## Gorbash76 (Sep 2, 2012)

Looks far too big for a Harvest Mouse baby, and trust me I got loads of CB babies at the moment


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## sharpstrain (May 24, 2008)

Let it go


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## corvid2e1 (Jan 21, 2007)

It is a young Wood Mouse and it will need antibiotic treatment for the cat bite whether you ultimately decide to release it or not. Keeping a Wood Mouse would be very different to a domestic House Mouse as they are much faster, more agile (they really jump!) and more delicate as they will readily shed the skin from their tail as a defence if caught. Like any wild animal they will be much more nervous than one that has been born it captivity though this one is young enough that you might have a chance of taming it down to some degree. It is still not likely to be something you can (or should) be regularly handling though.


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## x Sarah x (Nov 16, 2007)

I kept one once that i rescued only because by the time it was ready to go back it was -8 outside and didn't want to chuck him out after living indoors so long, very much observe only animal, as when they go they really go, he did escape once, took me ages to catch him!
You will need treat for parasites, though you can't see them it will most certainly have lice or mites that will appear at some stage in the warmer conditions and small accommodation to thrive in.

Easimec will do the job, a drop on the back of the neck works wonders for my fancy mice.


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## WeAreBorg (Jan 4, 2011)

Thanks to those replies, the health things are especially useful, I'll get onto them.

And thanks to everyone for the agreed-upon ID.

I'm keeping an eye out at the moment, because I would only want to keep a WC animal if it's going to be happy in captivity, and release should be sooner rather than later if not.
So far so good - eating well, curious in exploration.
And taming potential seems good - much calmer in my presence already, will approach my hand.

So far, I'd say things are positive :thumb: So long as I get on the health jobs asap.


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## Rach1 (May 18, 2010)

Why not just reLease him back to the wild and create a nice CB harvest mouse set up?


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## WeAreBorg (Jan 4, 2011)

Rach1 said:


> Why not just reLease him back to the wild and create a nice CB harvest mouse set up?


Because I'm a stupid idiot who fell in love after a particularly lengthy struggle with the cat. I don't deny that that is a completely self-centred reaction, and what you said _is_ most sensible course of action.

So it becomes a question of how to make him happier and healthier (releasing if it's not possible to surpass what he'd have in the wild). Whilst it's not the optimum, I want to gather information so that at least my self-centredness is as positive as possible for the critter.


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## selina20 (May 28, 2008)

Surely keeping 1 mouse isnt fair on it??? Let it go outside


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## KWIBEZEE (Mar 15, 2010)

You may be depriving an Owl or a Sparrowhawk or Kestrel a meal !


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