Rebecca Stoneback could tell Bean was cold, damp, and hungry the first time she had him in her hands.
She promised the newborn white-footed deer mouse that she would never feel that way again.
“In a thunderstorm, my father discovered Bean near to my parents’ mailbox at the end of their driveway,” Stoneback explained. “He waited and watched for Bean’s mother to come back. “Unfortunately, she never did.”
Stoneback held the mouse in the palm of her hand and gave her milk replacer-dipped paintbrushes. Bean was next treated to her bath, which would quickly become her favorite part of the day.
“As soon as Bean was warmed up and hydrated, she had her first bath,” Stoneback added. “Checking for fly eggs and removing them quickly is one of the most critical things you can do when you locate a wounded, sick, or orphaned animal.”
Bean and Stoneback had the same pattern every couple of hours: Bean would sip her meal from a paintbrush, and then, like any newborn, the messy eater would require a wash.
“I would gently wipe the formula off with a Q-tip soaked in warm water,” Stoneback added. “After that, I’d wrap her up like a small burrito in a tiny towel to dry her off and keep her warm.” I’d lightly fluff her hair with a mascara spoolie after she was totally dry.”
All of these precautions kept Bean’s fur from matting and preserved her delicate skin. Bean appeared to love the time spent together and would drift asleep contentedly with a full stomach.
Bean learned to groom herself as a result of the regular bathing, and as she grew older, she no longer required her mother’s assistance after each meal.
Unfortunately, the temperature had fallen by the time Bean was big enough to be released. Bean would not be able to endure the winter months on her alone, as she had no den, food stockpile, or family to rely on.
Stoneback has turned Bean’s housing into a natural setting in order to keep him engaged. Bean can search for her own food and make nests with fresh moss, pine needles, a pine cone, birch bark, rose hips, apple twigs, acorns, and forest dirt. All of the movement helps to keep the once-ill infant healthy and happy.
Stoneback wasn’t sure Bean would survive it through the first few days, and she couldn’t be happier to see her flourish.
“Bean has settled in with me and enjoys frolicking around the house,” Stoneback explained. “She’s happy, healthy, and having the time of her life as a tiny mouse.”
0 Comments