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Wanted Deer mice

S

sohben

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I am looking for any deer mice for sale or in need of rescue. I found a deer mouse pup a few months ago and have hand raised him. As a social creature he really should have some mousey companions. I have never liked fancy mice and even have a mouse phobia, deer mice do not seem to trigger my phobia because they lack the mouse smell. If any one knows where I can get a deer mouse or two in the north east united states or near by please let me know.
 
BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL WITH DEERMICE FECES!! If the deermouse is wild caught, there is a chance it can be a host to hantavirus. If the feces are allowed to dry and you clean the cage (which is more often than not), you could be exposed to this DEADLY disease. Just less than a couple years ago we lost a mammalogist to this disease.

You should seriously consider letting that little bugger go and count your blessings that you haven't gotten ill.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hantavirus
 
Letting it go would be a bad idea. Releasing a mammal that's been raised in captivity is usually bad for a few reasons, some due to it not being as able to survive, some due to the possibility of it taking something bad out to a wild population.

I agree though, not a risk I would like to be taking, or exposing others to, as cute as the deer mouse is.
 
It was a wild-born mouse that has been isolated from others in captivity. Releasing it would do no harm to wild populations because she did not transport it away from its point of origin. Unless she exposed it to other domesticated mice, the only parasites/diseases it has are the ones it had when she found it.

There are reasons why professional biologists wear gloves when handling wild small mammals. I can't condone keeping even something as innocently cute as a deermouse in captivity. It needs to either be euthanized or released. I wouldn't even feed it to a one of my snakes.

I know it sounds harsh and is probably not Katie wanted to hear at all, but as a wildlife biologist myself I know the risks when dealing with wild animals. I used to capture wild rodents with regularity as part of my dissertation project. I know it was a kind act to save the mouse, but sometimes it's best to let nature take its course.
 
I have not taken the lightly. I did quite a bit of research when I found Fezzic. Part of my rodent phobia has to do with disease so that was one of the first things I looked up. so lets start with some facts
Fezzic was less than a week old when i found him. If he had been carrying something like hantavirus he would not have survived. Hantavirus takes two weeks to incubate in humans. I have had him for 3 months, i would have shown symptoms by now. If caught early hanavirus is treatable.
Now with precautions. When he was younger we washed your hands before and after handling Fezzic, for his health and ours. we still wash our hands after handling him and i wear gloves while cleaning his cage.
Additionally It may not hurt the wild poplulations but it would kill the mouse i have saved. He has no fear of people or cats not to mention that winter is here.
I understand your concerns but I am responsible for his little life. I would never recommend to anyone that they should keep an adult wild mouse that they have found but I have spoken to and read articles with quite a few people who have kept orphaned deer mice with no problems. I am looking for deer mice who were BORN IN CAPTIVITY for preference or who were found as orphans and need homes. As I said I do not take this lightly and I have done my research.
Also there is a very low incidence of hantavirus in my area.
 
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