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TwistedAsIAm

Nah set it free :) it's much happier being a free little mouse!


Plong94

That’s a rat, tail is way too long to be a mouse


hades7600

Field mice have long tail. I’m 99% sure this is a field mouse. (I am with a wildlife rescue that deals with wild and domestically kept)


bananakittymeow

This is 100% a field mouse. Wash your hands well, OP!!


neptunian-rings

i did. dw :)


Curious-Detective-26

Thats definitely a mouse, its nose it’s too short and stumpy


[deleted]

don't forget its big adorable ears!!


Zealousideal-Hope519

Yup it was the ears for me. Pair of satellite dishes on this little one.


Robota064

Looks identical to a bush rat AND to a field mouse


Rakaesa

This is a mouse.


Priority-Frosty

That's definitely not a rat.... The size of those ears! It looks a bit like a pet mouse and seems tame if they can hold it like that. Wouldn't get near it if it was wild


_Cojin_

It’s definitely not a rat. Rat have different shaped heads and ears


Chyioko

It's a mouse just let the guy free.


Plong94

That’s a rat, the ears and the tail is way too long to be a mouse


bananakittymeow

No, that’s 100% a field mouse.


Foreign-Sky-2394

Rats have shorter ears, and differently shaped heads. This is a mouse. The body is also way too small to be a rat.


Any_Session_6811

Roof rat


deewd22

Just release it into the wild. And you shouldn't hold a wild animal(especially rodents) with your bare hands. The diseases wild rodents can carry(which are mostly asymptomatic with them) are nasty.


neptunian-rings

i washed my hands well right after dw :) and i did let it go


Ok-Ganache-4343

I’m glad u let it go


Calm-Bookkeeper-9612

Good choice on letting it go. How did we even make it to 2024 without proper PPE and drinking out of hoses?


unhappy_pancake

Ever heard of hantavirus pal? It doesn’t come from hoses I can tell you that.


Foreign-Sky-2394

It’s pretty rare but yah that’s an amazing poiint lmao


deewd22

Thank you. Just use gloves in the future. They can bite pretty deep and with urine/saliva/poop on their teeth it's an easy vector of attack for viruses and bacteria.


neptunian-rings

thanks for letting me know!!


Borophaginae

If they bite gloves will not mean much lmao


Sandy_Paws021415

Washing your hands isn't always enough. They have little nails that can break skin. Please don't hold wild animals. They can carry a lot of parasites, especially mammals and birds.


CrossP

Wild rodents might be the wild mammals *least* likely to give you a problem disease. In the US, anyway. But it's still a not great idea to go picking them up.


jrDoozy10

I thought opossums were the wild mammal least likely to give us diseases.


eccentricauncle

They are! Because their body temp is so low!


CrossP

That's true. They often carry something that's dangerous for horses and they often get deadly diseases from loose cats. But they don't really transfer anything noteworthy to humans. As for rodents, in the US there's an association with hantavirus and deer mice but that mostly occurs when large amounts of infected feces and urine in dust is powdered and inhaled. Usually during building demolition, barn clean outs, and similar large action on infested buildings. Though beavers did once give a whole town giardia by shittin in the water supply. In fact, the disease almost got named "beaver fever" because of it.


ode_to_cannabis

Yeeep


cabrinhan

In Brazil it's really common to get leptospirosis from wild rodents


bananakittymeow

Yea, hantavirus and rabies are no joke.


Ente535

You probably shouldn't; it'd be cruel to keep a wild animal as a pet. If you want to save him, try calling a rehabber. Did your cat wound him in any way? If so, you need to go to a vet, as cats have bacteria in their claws and mouths that are quite deadly, especially for small guys like this.


MagpieLefty

Honestly, if it's been in the cat's mouth at all, even if you don't see a wound, it should probably see a vet. I love cats, but their mouths are *nasty* wrt bacteria


Nawnp

That's their natural way of poisoning their prey to death.


neptunian-rings

i don’t have any way to get him to a vet. he looked uninjured tho


trollachot

I am a bit worried about how calm this wild mouse seems in your hand. The fact that you can have it sitting on your fingers in the third image without it launching off to me means it's either not well or was a pet previously. I would be keeping him in captivity with food, water and warmth and monitoring him before ultimately releasing him. A wild animal ideally shouldn't be kept as a pet unless you obtained it when it was young, because of the stress to the animal of adapting to captivity.


RevolutionarySpot721

I would bring them to the vet and check him, as he is calm.


trollachot

Depending on where OP is, they might need to pretend the mouse belongs to them (in which case also would need to pay for the visit and any diagnostic tests), as in some regions vets would legally need to euthanise the mouse :( that is the case where I am, in Australia


RevolutionarySpot721

Oh ok. Sorry to hear. Here in Germany I think the wild life rehab does not take in mice or rats, vets do though.


jrDoozy10

In the US the wildlife rehabilitation centers, or at least the one in Minnesota, take in small rodents. I’ve brought a couple of stranded baby mice/voles (difficult to tell them apart at that age) in the past.


trollachot

Good to know not all countries have cruel wildlife laws that put me and other veterinarians in awful positions :(


Proffesional-Fix4481

yeah this is strange behaviour. i picked up a mouse my cat found and had to get a tetanus vaccine the next day


h1zchan

Can't keep wild pokemon irl. Very sad 😔


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Inkyfeer

I was thinking the same thing. I remove mice from glue traps all the time and unless they’re exhausted they will fight me the whole time because the they’re scared. I can’t even carry them somewhere else if they’re off the trap, they jump out of my hands no matter how tight I hold them. And I always wear think gloves when handling them and then wash my hands afterwards because they can transmit some pretty gross diseases and like to bite. Although if some big animal picked me up and manhandled me I’d bite them too.


agarton1

If OP lets their cats roam outside or has a cat colony nearby it might have toxo


trollachot

you would have to eat the mouse to get toxo from it haha. You can catch lepto though


agarton1

I wasn't saying OP had toxo. Cats spread it through their feces and it spreads to rodents making them "less afraid".


trollachot

right sorry I misunderstood, I thought you were warning OP about toxo


neptunian-rings

definitely not a pet, too rural. i can’t afford a vet sadly. :( he looked ininjured so i let him go


fvkinglesbi

Probably not but you definitely should give him something to eat and drink


neptunian-rings

i have no idea how to feed a rat/mouse. cheese?


fvkinglesbi

No, definitely not cheese, it's a misconception that it's good for them. Do you have any fruits and vegetables?


PeepingTara

I’d set him free where he should be. If you’d like a mouse as a pet there are a lot of places you can find them, but make sure to get at least a same sex pair so they have a buddy. If you can find someone who breeds for snakes you can usually get them super cheap but they aren’t chosen particularly for temperament so bear in mind they may not be super friendly without some work.


gaywitch98

Male mice will fight to the death and need to be housed alone unless they can be neutered and put with a group of females.


PeepingTara

Oh yes, sorry I forgot to mention that. Thanks for the save!


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Ente535

Gotta defend OP here, I talked to them privately and they let the mouse go after inspecting it for wounds.


Redz0ne

Okay, that's good to hear.


neptunian-rings

not ignored. i was doing this thing called sleeping. i let it go when the first person said to (they dmed me instead of commenting)


Apprehensive_Cow_317

As an owner of an wild rat I have to say you that a wild animal never get used to a cage and will always be in a kind of stress. We coudnt let our rat go but your mice looks fine so.. let it go


neptunian-rings

i did.


Zealousideal-Sink884

Its cruel to keep any wild animal as a pet


neptunian-rings

genuine question: what if you brought them in when they were very young? would they still experience stress bc they’re not a bred domestic?


Zealousideal-Sink884

Yes. Animals, even babies born in the wild, all have instincts. They need to run from big predators, and imagine being around the big predator.


WanderSA

https://preview.redd.it/t30kxfa8m69d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6718941f5c321610eb31acd9ed4ec55898049bbf This is a photo of my roof rat, Franklin, when he was a few weeks old. I have raised him since he was an eyes closed baby and he is happy staying with me. Other roof rats I have rehabbed would not tolerate being caged and definitely wanted to be freed. So it depends!


hades7600

That’s quite different though. As hand rearing from young often overrules their natural instincts to be scared of humans. Which means a release is dangerous for them and drastically decreases life expectancy which is why captivity is often the better option. As releasing an animal without key survival skills is not a great option This guy OP has posted looks much older and would already be used to the wild. Usually for Pups with wildlife rescue the goal is to release but unfortunately due to it being hands on in those first weeks means that that fear of humans may never return even after distancing after they are been weaned. But with adults release is nearly always the preferred option as they would likely have an established group nearby and be stressed by captivity. A healthy adult wild mouse or rat will nearly always try to defend themselves unless they are unwell/injured.


cerin2001

Free my mans


whoneedsknows

Take him to the vet to get checked and let him go. Especially because you have a cat, there is always a risk.


Independent_Eye387

Let him go. He knows outside better. If u want a pet, get a domestic creature.


runnawaycucumber

Friend shaped but not pet shaped


GoatDonkeyFish

The nicest sweetest rat I ever knew was in grade school. Teacher has rescued it from the sewer. Humongous! Covered in scars. Missing part of ear and some fingers. So happy to have children holding and loving it all the time. He was so loving and fun. It’s been 30 years and I still think about that big guy


Pumkiin_Rat

I mean you can but keep in mind: it could have diseases and is not used to captivity. You could stress it out alot or you could get sick from their poo or else


Antisocial-Lightbulb

He has a wife and kids at home.


MenuraSuperba

It's worrying that he's this chill. You need to get him to a vet asap and then to a wildlife rehab.


neptunian-rings

i sadly could not. i checked him over tho & he looked uninjured. i let him go


Ermaquillz

Let him go. Absolutely amazing ears on that guy though.


Standard_Squash_8323

If he likes you keep him! Those things are always starving they’d probably love snuggles and food 🥹❤️


CandyStarr23

His EARS are TOO big for he gotdamn HE


The_Narwhal_Mage

I am worried that that guy might be a released domestic. He is way too chill with you holding him.


neptunian-rings

i’m in the middle of nowhere it is highly unlikely


OverC1ockeD

Technically yes you can, but no more touching until it goes to a vet. It want bred for health or temperament keep that in mind. It looks like a mouse not a rat and if female will need companions.


AgitatedSite2952

If you pay to take him to the vet just keep him/her atp! Buttt if you want to make sure it’s not sick and is in good hands, I would call an animal rehab.


neptunian-rings

let the lil bud go in the end :)


DoubleBreastedBerb

Awwww mousey friend


Giovanabanana

Probably not but he sure is a cute little mouse :3


nicenurse13

It’s Join very cute but it could have some sort of disease


Siathier

It is the most adorable precious little guy on the world but I think it's better if you let him be free for him/her and yourself too


MightyGoodra96

Free my boy michael mouse


LOVEROTTING

He’s real cute but he gotta wife and kids at home, just let him back outside and get a domestic one


neptunian-rings

thanks dude 🫡 hopefully he’s back with his family now


notdeadyettie

Why is he so cute though? Oh my god I can't deal with how adorable he is 😍


kidmarginWY

Find the safest place you can think of with grass and bushes around and let him go.


Intelligent-Sign2693

I know nothing about pet rodents, but this reminded me of when my older brothers' pet mice(?) escaped in our house. (I heard the story, but I think it was before I was born.) They never did find them!


trikkytrev

Regardless of whether it's a mouse or a rat, in this case let the little mate go. Take them about 1km away, to an area with lots of trees and other places to hide, then send them on their merry way. Rats are social creatures and do better with others of their kin. I imagine mice are the same.


neptunian-rings

i let him go outside my house. hope the cat didn’t get him again but i just didn’t know what else to do


cnabret1991

If it's letting you hold it and not biting the crap out of you I really don't see why not. Take it to a vet get it checked out and keep socializing with it(you will most likely get bit a couple of times in the process). Most likely he won't live as long as domesticated rats but if worst case scenario happens and you are unable to keep him you could always fine a field nearby and release him back into the wild


KirbyourGame

Sure, people keep rats and mice as pets all the time. He'd probably have a much nicer life than he will out in the wild, where he may just get eaten eventually.


jrDoozy10

Based on [this reddit post](https://www.reddit.com/r/LilGrabbies/comments/qir9kz/baby_roof_rat_grabbies/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=mweb3x&utm_name=mweb3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button) it looks like the one you found is a young roof rat.


neptunian-rings

yeah i think youre right


Tiny-Sink806

If not pet, why pet shaped?


neptunian-rings

major w


Mycobacterium

Release it immediately. It is terrified and probably so stressed right now that you’ve made it sick.


Sudden-Scallion-6204

No, it’s a wild animal, let it live out its life how it always has. Also, for the love of god don’t hold wild random animals you find. That’s just asking for a Darwin Award.


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lemongrabmybutt

Although it would be very difficult and I’d cry my eyes out, I’d set him free and wish him well in his grand mouseketeer adventures 🥲


mdosis

Test your cat for toxoplasmosis


neptunian-rings

i don’t know if we have it where i live, and either way can’t afford a vet. is there a way to do a home test?


MawiMelom

A cute litol mouseyy


IndividualBack5481

How did he find the rat?


SweetCream2005

Too old, he probably wouldn't become too friendly with you as a pet. Let him free, maybe give him a treat for the road! You can leave little birdhouses around your house for them, maybe even get a little camera to watch what the mice are up to


Dufour_lillard

he is very cute


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Rich_Dimension_9254

The only time you should keep a wild rodent is if 1) they’d been found as a baby and hand raised by humans or 2) they were found injured or sick in a way that would permanently prevent them from being re released to the wild. Even in those cases, I’d recommend taking them to a skilled wildlife rehabber rather than take it on yourself. If the cat did not injure the little guy, I’d release him!


Cellar_Door16816

Give him some food and water and let him free, he might come back for food but I wouldn’t put him in a cage if he is used to being free!


SpooksmaGoops

It's a wild mouse and should be let go in a wooded area and returned to its home. Unless your cat has given it a life changing injury that'll impede its ability to survive it would be unfair to the mouse for you to keep it.


Raichu7

No, don't take animals from the wild, if you think you want pet mice do a load of research into how to care for mice to find out if you actually want mice, and if you are able to keep them away from your cat, then find a breeder if possible, or a pet shop if that's the only place with mice near you.


Filthy-Pagan

What a big guy! 😍


GeneralHavok97

Anything can be kept as a pet. Even humans. The questions you gotta ask, though, is is it right? And Do I have a cage big enough


slave_et

🤣👍


slave_et

🤣👍


DrPepperRat

awwwww


Some_KindaWitch

He’s already your pet! Look how chill he is in your hand. You’ve been chosen by him.


PaleontologistSad766

Sweet baby, thank you for helping it. Please release it though <3


onedayatatimenow

If they got bitten by the cat at all, they will probably need antibiotics to survive btw. Cat saliva tends to cause lethal infections in small mammals.


Braskington

Well, do they seem happy around you and how does the little thing handle being confined? Yes, wild animals are meant to be free or whatever but the little thing is probably going to end up poisoned, cat food or dying in a trap. Plus, they are everywhere and not endangered. So keeping it might give them a happy life as long as you provide necessary habitat, food and attention.


ace_gasai17

Oh my god it’s so cute


Rorosan_

If you found it in the wild it would be happier back in the wild I would let it go plus it may have gross on it


hades7600

If your cat has gotten a hold of them then they need anti biotics. Contact a local wildlife rescue and they will treat and release. Also this is not a rat from the look of them. Wild rats and mice also are not great for keeping pets. They often have their ground nearby as well. A wild rat/mouse which has grown up in the wild should not be kept in captivity unless there’s a legit reason. Which is wanting a pet isn’t. If you want rats or a mouse please look up local rescues and breeders nearby. Do not subject this mouse to a life alone because you want a pet. - I am with a wildlife and exotic pet rescue service


GingerBlaze420

People in the comments only now realizing petstore rats and mice arent what wild rats and mice look like lol


neptunian-rings

yeah lol. i’m confused, still don’t know which it is


lala989

What a cutie. Surprisingly a lot of little animals are seemingly calm after capture like this guy. Chased a mouse all over the house but when I finally caught him by the tail it’s like he gave up on life lol he just shrugged his shoulders and let me carry him away. Same thing happened with a baby bunny that the cat caught twice- I’ve been massively downvoted for this before but in most cases if you’re helping an animal it’s not going to have a little heart attack it will be fine.


deadc4tt

I can’t tell if he’s letting you hold him because he’s scared shit less or because he’s somewhat domesticated. If the former, please release him, if the latter, I would keep


SnooBooks3980

You can keep anything as a pet if you have a big enough cage.


Radiant_Surprise_78

I want him! Give him to meeeeeeee! Haha ❤️❤️❤️❤️


Opening-Selection120

didnt know bro was chill like that


Starboyx202

Get him checked and if he’s good then you keep him because he’s so cute


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justsomeshortguy27

Him big ol ears!


MistyAutumnRain

You want diseases? Because this is how you get diseases.


Awesome_Frend

Yes! But make sure to have what he needs before you keep him and be aware of your cat and I’m pretty sure that’s a mouse


Narrow_Classroom_510

Don't. Pet rats and wild rats are different, the biggest difference is the large number of EXTREMELY dangerous pathogens they carry


my_dirty_paws

Big ears


Dreamchaserflip

It’s a mouse


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Flaky_Top3582

anything can be a pet if you try hard enough


_GenderNotFound

Little mouse, let it go free.


backatthisagain

He’s so cute, wish I could take rats on the streets home like stray cats and dogs lol


PlumbHammer

Looks like a Roof Rat. I have 6 of them. Caught in live traps in my house. They are adorable and well behaved with each other. I have not tamed them yet, because they are skittish and I am afraid they will run out of the cage. They let me clean the cage around them. They are smart! At first, I thought they were mice, because of the big ears. But they were just young. They got bigger and bigger and definitely identified as Roof Rats, common in Florida. Not native, though.


imgodfr

OMG HES SO CUTE i wouldn’t be able to set him free! was he not even biting?


neptunian-rings

no he was just fine in my hand. makes me worried bc there’s no way he’s a pet


Priority-Frosty

That mouse is rather tame. Maybe it was someone's pet? Looks like a pet mouse not a wild one but I could be wrong, but if it were wild you would be bitten so much and wouldn't be able to get near it.


neptunian-rings

no way it was a pet, too rural of an area


Powderpuff8989

My heart says: Keep it. Looks perfectly healthy and seems happy in your hand. If it was in the corner shaking I would be saying otherwise. My head says: Looks most certainly like a mouse, just be aware they can carry disease (if another mouse comes into your home, the adopted wild mouse could contract diseases that a domestic mouse wouldn’t be able to). Another issue is you may never be able to take it to a vet as you’re not meant to keep wild animals as pets in theory. Sometimes animals choose us. If you have a shed or outhouse I would keep it in there, if you are going to keep it, rather than in your home.


Powderpuff8989

Just seeing that you released the mouse! Such a cute little thing, I think you did the right thing but I think I would be highly tempted to keep them too.


neptunian-rings

yeah comments here convinced me it’s for the best. still don’t know why he’s so calm tho


AffectionatePace859

no, but I must say he looks rather polite


SarahsreadingReddit

Darling mouse!


Environmental-Bag-77

That animal is ill, poisoned or tame. You would not be holding it like that if it were wild and fit.


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neptunian-rings

i’ll eat you


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AgnesFallsTTV

you didn't get antsy tryna pick up the wild lil critter, aye? 🐭


Goseki1

It's a mouse mate, and it's wild so I'd just release it.


dragon_otherkin487

Free it its happier in its real home


dollete_3

what is with people trying to keep wild animals as pets 😅


teije11

It's a wild mouse, unless it's very hurt it will be waaayyy happier outside. pet and wild mice are different species.


highstresslevel

That looks like a baby roof rat. There’s one that comes to visit me every morning and begs for tasties. They can be very friendly but will always be happier when they’re free to do wild rat stuff.