LIFE // there are currently four babies in my bathroom

Baby deer mice. In my bathroom. Being adorable.

No, they did not come up from the drains or whatever. They're supposed to be here. They were in the basement, and from what we can tell the mother either abandoned them or died, because they were scattered all over the basement in random places squeaking like mad. My cat — the fat one, Daisy — found them (didn't hurt them, my mother just brought her down to the basement and said "go find the mice, Daisy" and she'd trot off, find one, and stare at it until my mom came to get it).

And now, they are in my bathroom. In a fish tank (without water, of course). My mother got some kitten formula and we've been feeding them every couple hours via paintbrush because they're so teeny.

May I mention that this all happened while I was at school? I got an email from my mom saying "there are now four baby mice I am feeding" and I thought she'd gone off her rocker.

But no. They are real. Twelve days old.

Extremely small.

And adorable.

And squirmy.

Did I mention how CUTE they are?! I don't know what we're going to do with them, but they are so cute it should be illegal.

(Kaija, if you're reading this, you are no longer afraid of rodents. You cannot be. They are too adorable. Come see them.)

PS: I have final exams for the next three days so don't expect too much activity. Love you all... wish me luck!

Response to comments:


1- We aren't naming them because their chance of survival is only one in four. Plus, we are just rearing them until they're old enough to go out on their own, so we won't be keeping them.

2- They may be older than twelve days, but they were (from what we can gather) without their mother for several days, so they were severely dehydrated and starving. They can't handle normal food, they only drink the milk. They're probably more like seventeen days, but they're definitely not ready to be on their own.

3- My mother had a legit miniature zoo in her bedroom growing up — she'd catch mice, insects, and I don't know what else. She exhibited them at the local Children's Museum. (My dad was also a collector of creatures, but he favored reptiles.) So I wasn't too surprised.


UPDATE: One of the mice died, and another looks like it might kick the bucket soon, but the other two are doing great and it looks like they might make it!