a person on my feline diabetic forum found two baby rats and needs help caring for them, here is what she wrote, I encouraged her to come here and post as I have no experience with babies at all!!
Brought home 2 baby rats in flats of flowers from a greenhouse yesterday evening. Did not know they were there- They stayed in truck all night and it rained. Did not find them until this afternoon while unloading- 2:30pm EST. In the back of my truck...one fiesty and soaking wet, the other dry and lethargic.
BOTH HAVE FUR.
Fiesty has his eyes open- but not wide.
Lethargic not sure about eyes as he was...lethargic.
Quick read on internet, I have them in a plastic cup with ripped kleenex and a plastic med bottle filled with hot water in the middle. They are hunkered around it and napping with occasional shuffling and movement.
I do not think they are realted, not that it matters according to net- but they look pretty different in color and size. There were other nests in the flowers at greenhouse and I left those flowers for "momma" to move them...guess I missed the nest in these or they were scurrying about the flats while I shuffled through them and got caught in these.
WHAT DO I DO? I imagine they need water or food- well they had rain water last night and flowers to munch- but did they eat or drink? Are they old enough to feed on their own? I tried putting in some cheese and they didn't even notice.
One was cleaning his face with hands, the other- lethargic, not really done much except shuffle about...lethargic has a lazy hind leg- not sure if broken or sprained or what...moves, just not with the rest of him.
Anyway, I need to exchange phone numbers with someone who has rat experience and can tell me what to do.
I am considering taking them back to the nursery where I got the flowers and setting them in a nest there for "momma" to come get. I can do that in a few hours.
I just think I should give them some food and drink first? To give them a fighting chance until "momma" comes to their squeaks?
HELP!! PM a phone number or reply here quickly if you can, please! Going out to look for more babies while I wait replies-
THANKS!