Before anything else, I want to acknowledge that I had no idea that she was pregnant when I caught her. I just want to make that clear in case it's confusing.
Also before I go on a nervous rant, just acknowledge how cute they are. Sorry for the blurry picture, I didn't want to stress her out.
Okay, so I've been keeping this mouse (if you've seen my pictures before you can see her, her name is Willow) because my step dad didn't want her roaming around the house, and every time I released her she would just keep coming back, so I've been keeping her in an old enclosure for my gerbils until I can figure out what to do with her.
No shelter nearby takes mice and the "nearest" wildlife relocation center is 3 hours. I can't drive. So I've been keeping her with me. I've owned rodents like gerbils and mice and rats before so she's been fairly comfortable. I was not intending on keeping her permanently, but I cannot deny that I have definitely grown attached.
What I did not expect...she had babies. Mice are definitely the rodents I have owned the least amount of time, only once and they were all males and not deer mice, so... I didn't notice she was pregnant. I got home early from school for a dentist appointment.. and she got up to go to the water dish that I left in there for her...and when she got up I saw something squirming. I thought it was her tail but...no. She had 4 or 5 babies. Not sure, I didn't want to peek in too long (she was already giving me the momma stare when I just walked by) or move her or move them and disturb the peace.
What do I do? I'm not as educated with mice as I am with rats or gerbils. She's not anxious while staying with me, she seems relatively comfortable, and while she avoids physical touch, I assume that's normal because she was not a domesticated mouse. I don't really try to touch her anyways and I have gloves whenever I change her food dish or water dish, and she clearly doesn't want physical contact since she's bit my gloved finger once, so I haven't been pushing because as I said I did not intend on keeping her permanently. She's by all means living in luxury right now. Should I leave her alone? Last time I let her go she came back. I'm so confused, someone please tell me what to do. I could 100% keep her and she would live in luxury, I just don't know how my parents would feel about it. I have enough money and resources to take care of them though.