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Actually, not mice at all 
These are baby Flying Fox Bats in Australia. They are not sure if it's the floods or other factors but rescue groups have been finding many abandoned baby bats. THey hang them in these blanket pockets and care for them until they are old enough to survive on their own.
Boechout, AntwerpAwww, that is so sweet; it's hard to imagine that they are really bats. 
I am glad to see that they are well looked after, poor babies. 
Thanks for posting Karen.
Hugs, :hug:
Peter & the bears
Posts: 751OMG they are just TOO cute!!!
When I saw the first photo I actually thought you had created them :crackup: .
What dear little critters!
Oh, my goodness - such sweet little creatures! 
It's easy to imagine that the crazy weather in Australia has thrown nature out of whack in some ways.
Becky
Past Time BearsWow - they are adorable! Hope they all survive.
SueAnn,
Flying Fox bats are fruit eaters so I think these babies have a better chance of surviving than our North American bats would.
Past Time BearsThat's good - I'm relieved.
i loooove bats!!!!!!! in france they are tiny with round faces! i love bats.rats mouses............snakes scorpions and spiders......heu i know im strange :redface:
Here in Australia, they are in plague proportions in many areas, in the State of Queensland they are the main cause of the spread of the Hendra Virus which is passed onto horses when they graze in areas where these bats have left droppings, this virus is life threatening and is passed from horses to humans...they are also the cause of great concern as they are wiping out our fruit farmers crops.
They might look cute but they are dirty foul smelling and disease carrying creatures.
Little Leaf Bears by ShannaI worked in a lab at a university (while pursuing my masters degree) that did extensive bat research and also worked for the State of Colorado as a bat rehabilitator. Bats can be hugely beneficial and are often given a bad reputation. They are keystone species in many ecosystems and are huge contributors in insect control and pollination. It's unfortunate if their numbers have gotten out of control in Queensland. I think I've only read of two deaths due to Hendra though, far far fewer than many other diseases that plague mankind. In addition, from what I've read, the horse is a necessary intermediate host for the virus. My point here is that anything in too large of numbers is a problem and bats are not just dirty disease carriers (in fact they are meticulous groomers). In other areas of the world they have been hunted to virtual extinction. It saddens me to hear such negativity toward this amazing animal.
How sweet they are! I've always loved bats. When I lived in Australia I used to do a lot of trail riding there. One guide took us to an old mining cave that was safe to enter and we were able to see some tiny bats up close. I can't remember what they were called, but they were adorable and very docile - they noticed us, but weren't afraid. We have some small bats living near us - I love to see them in the warm summer evenings. I enjoy seeing their acrobatic flying and they help keep the mosquito population down!
I worked in a lab at a university (while pursuing my masters degree) that did extensive bat research and also worked for the State of Colorado as a bat rehabilitator. Bats can be hugely beneficial and are often given a bad reputation. They are keystone species in many ecosystems and are huge contributors in insect control and pollination. It's unfortunate if their numbers have gotten out of control in Queensland. I think I've only read of two deaths due to Hendra though, far far fewer than many other diseases that plague mankind. In addition, from what I've read, the horse is a necessary intermediate host for the virus. My point here is that anything in too large of numbers is a problem and bats are not just dirty disease carriers (in fact they are meticulous groomers). In other areas of the world they have been hunted to virtual extinction. It saddens me to hear such negativity toward this amazing animal.
The people of Queensland who are suffering with the onslaught of plague proportions of these creatures would disagree with you about them," not being dirty disease carriers". Children at schools can no longer sit outside in playgrounds or drink the water from the tanks (wells) because of the health implications from the excrement of hundreds of thousands of these animals flying over their towns fouling their water supply, homes, yards & washing on the line, let alone the complete destruction of their fruit crops.
I have been through towns where there are colonies of these flying foxes and they are putrid smelling and I'm sure you would have a different opinion if you had to live under the circumstances these poor people are at the moment and have been for many years.
Unfortunately, but not surprisingly, Hendra virus has resurfaced in Australia. Horses are the only known species that are naturally infected by this deadly virus, which is carried by flying foxes (bats). Death rates are high, and the infection can be transmitted to people, with fatal consequences. Four out the seven people that have been diagnosed with Hendra virus died.
In the latest equine case, nine people were exposed to the infected horse (that was euthanized on Monday), including a nine-year-old girl. All of these individuals are being monitored. No treatments are being given because there is no established way to treat or prevent the disease. Ribivirin, an antiviral drug, has been tried in some people that have been exposed to Hendra virus, but the drug is quite toxic and it's far from convincing that it works. So, for the moment, they are taking a wait-and-see approach. Fortunately, it seems like very close contact with secretions from infected horses is required for transmission, so hopefully the true risk of exposure for these individuals is low. It's going to be a tough couple of weeks for them, however, while they wait to see if any of them get sick.
This is a very tough situation to control and a major concern for people in Queensland.
* There is no clear way to prevent exposure of horses to this virus, since it has a wildlife reservoir.
* There is no vaccine available, although fundraising is underway to support vaccine research.
* There are no effective treatments.
* Measures to reduce the risk of transmission from horses are based on common sense, but have not been specifically investigated.
* Hendra virus is not always an obvious diagnosis when a horse first begins to show signs of illness, so people can be exposed before realizing they may be dealing with a deadly disease.
Little Leaf Bears by ShannaI said that bats were not JUST dirty disease carriers. I empathize with your situation in Australia, I really do. We have areas here that have over populations of squirrel, or deer and in too large of numbers any animal can cause problems. I just hate to see all bats villianized. We are facing the opposite problem here in the United States. We are losing all of our bats to a mysterious illness called White nose syndrome. In just the few short years since it was first discovered, more than one millions bats have died and new locations are found to be affected every year. It is spreading and quickly. Predictions on what this means for ecosystems effected are not good. Because bats reproduce so very very slowly (one to two babies each year), a re-bound from these massive die outs will not happen quickly. Bats in the U.S. are extremely valuable in pest control. As far as fruit bats in other areas of the world (perhaps where they are not overly abundant), they are critical in pollination and seed dispersal. In fact, many of the fruits we enjoy depend on bats for pollination and dispersal. I just couldn't help chiming in to stand up for my very favorite of all animals (humans aside, of course). I do not mean to offend, or to step on any toes, just inform.
Hugs
Shanna
Posts: 751
Karon
DENBY BEARS It must be very sad for the people of Queensland, being in the states we do not realize the complications from this tiny creature. Thank goodness for that. So it is best not to even comment one way or the other under the circumstances.
Thanx for sharing all the views.
Hugs Pat 
