baby southern ring neck

[bruinsboxers]

This past weekend my daughter found ( what we now know is) a southern ring neck hatchling stuck in the mud . It looks like it had been stepped on and was packed hard into the mud . So we dug him out gently and brought him inside , he looks to be uninjured .

I set up a 10 gallon tank with some peat moss/ sand / soil mixture , added some moss and bark for him to hide under & a shallow water dish. And of course a few different kinds of bugs ( tiny crickets , tiny worms & millipede looking things ).

I have been trying to do some research into whether it would be able to survive indoors or whether we should let it back outside .
It is only about 5 inches long and so skinny . I worry that with the below normal temps ( and the resident hawk family in our backyard woods) he will not survive . I am torn as what to do with this baby .

Any input will be welcomed .

[Lankyrob]

Personally i would release it and let nature take its course, either it will thrive or it will help another animal survive by becoming food.

[StudentoReptile]

Yeah, I agree with Lanky. This is not an easy species to keep. They do not eat conventional prey items, like crickets or mice. They eat worms, tiny salamanders, and ground skinks. I would let it go.