Raising Baby Mice

Standing on the Shoulders of Immigrants

Recently, my family got together for a reunion in Saratoga Springs, New York. Since my maternal grandmother had 13 children and many of those kids had big families, it’s a lot of people. 

And there are some important lessons I’d like to pass along for you to do with your own family — in fact, something you should do as soon as possible. And it won’t cost you a dime.

My maternal grandfather Robert was always hard-pressed to make a living, and the older kids’ memories are of growing up dirt-poor in towns in Eastern Massachusetts. My maternal grandmother Mae was a genius at keeping second- and third-hand clothes stitched together, and making a meal out of practically nothing.

So why have 13 kids? Because that’s what you did in those days, when you were Irish and Catholic and could trace your roots back to Dublin.

And we’re lucky they did. They made all of us, as one of my cousins put it at the reunion. We are standing on their shoulders, and that boost up allowed us to achieve the American dream.

Still, back in the day, they were desperately poor. In the 1930s, friends gave Robert and Mae a car, but for a long time it never left the yard because they couldn’t afford the $16 to register the vehicle. 

When they finally were able to afford running the car, they had to wrestle with how to transport eight or nine kids along with my grandmother and any friends in one small car. 

My Uncle Jimmy says that when the car stopped, passersby would do double-takes because it was like a clown car with this endless parade of kids getting out.

Lean times have an interesting effect on different children. For example, to this day, my Uncle John, now aged 80, refuses to eat leftovers. He says that’s because, when he was a kid, there never were any leftovers, and he never developed a taste for them.

My mother, on the other hand, never threw food away when I was a kid. Leftovers could always be worked into some stew or casserole.  You never wasted food in Mom’s house. Never! 

Hard Times Are Extra-Hard for a Man with 13 Kids

Robert was a happy-go-lucky guy, but he struggled to feed his wife and all those kids during the Great Depression. When World War II came along, he managed to put some money together working in the shipyards. When the war ended, he got laid off, and he got a bonus. He decided to put that money to good use, buying a farm in New Hampshire.

Carolin Ballman: Raising wild baby mice?

You should have left them. Mama mouse is probably worried about them, even if she was scared off she would have come back. They may also have diseases that can be passed on to you. Being this young without mom they will probably not survive. You probably need to offer them food as often as you can (15 minutes to 30 minutes) because they are so small. They should have a heating lamp as they probably had their mothers warmth to keep them warm. You can definatly try and I know your heart is in the right place but keep in mind there survival rate is probably pretty low. Also use an animal formula don't give people milk! You should also call a wildlife rescue and see if they would be willing to take them and try to rehabilitate them once they are old enough. Trust me you don't want to keep them as pets, it is not good for their health, yours and the people around you.

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