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Cheryl

Member
Joined
Jul 8, 2018
Messages
6
Location
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My sisters cat found a very young baby rat. My sister saved it and I adopted it.

I've been trying to learn all about being a rat mommy, but she/he doesn't like to feed. Keeps looking for nipples! Likes my skin more than anything I have tried feeding him/her with and I cannot find small enough bottles.

Anyway, I think this forum is awesome to share stories :)

The furbaby has been under my care for about 24 hours so far. I hope she/he is close to learning how to eat on their own.... It's eyes are still closed and not furry.

Is there a way to determine how old it is? Thanks.
 
Hi Cheryl. That was kind of you to take in the wee baby. Hopefully it is not too young to survive without its momma.

If you post a picture, the people here may be able to guess a ballpark age range.

Medicine dropper syringes (the kind without needles) and the squeeze dropper like you find in a bottle of essential oil (looks like a teeny tiny turkey baster) could be used to try feeding.

Someone else will have to weigh in on what to feed the little tyke though. Possibly meat baby food watered down a little, but baby mammals generally need lots of fat in infancy, so I'm wondering if goat milk or replacement kitten milk would be better.
 
If the baby was found in a safe place like a nest, mama might return if you put it back ….. however you would need to keep checking to make sure it was ok and take it again if mama did not return. It's mama will care for it but other animals will kill it.

If the baby is getting milk, then depending on how old the baby is, when you look at the baby's stomach, you will see a white band on the abdomen ….. this is the milk in the baby's stomach. You will not be able to see this on older babies

You need to find a nursing mama rat or mouse with a litter of babies immediately. Do not give the baby to a pet store or a breeder because it will be eaten alive. Look for a mama and litter in pet stores, breeders, shelters, rat rescues etc and also try to find someone on social media, craigs list, kijiji etc that can give you a mama and litter.

Baby will need to be fed every 2 hours and has very little chance of surving because it is so young.
These links will let you know how to care for the baby
Baby will need to be rehydrated, kept at a comfortable temperature, and fed formula with a clean, new (never used) tiny paint brush
http://www.rmca.org/Articles/orphans.htm
http://www.afrma.org/orphanrm.htm

You can also contact a wildlife center to verify it is a baby rat or a baby mouse because it might be a baby squirrel etc If it is a baby rat or mouse, then a good rat rescue may be able to help. If the baby is a rat or a mouse, then a wildlife rescue might use the baby as food for other animals.

Squirrel milk replacer would be the best to use
http://www.mcssl.com/store/17128612/milk-replacers

otherwise I believe you will need to use one of the powdered puppy or kitten formulas (milk replacers like KMR) as shown in the cart on one of the above links, the liquid formulas do not have high enough fat levels. Please get this from a vet asap

I do not know how old you are, but I hope that your parents are helping you with this, because it is going to take a lot of help for this baby to survive (if it does it will be a pet and can never be put outside).

Please post pictures
Please let us know what city/ prov or state/ and country you are in because people may know of resources in your area
 
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Yeah SQ, that's what I found on the internet too. I may re-home her/him. Rats are social creatures and need other rats to live with.
 
Yeah SQ, that's what I found on the internet too. I may re-home her/him. Rats are social creatures and need other rats to live with.

yes they do ..…. I really hope you can find a nursing mama so you can remove mama, make baby smell like her babies and put her back …… because the baby needs a mama rat or mouse
 
Nah, those videos are silly. They make it sound like it needs special stuff. It's a rat. They eat most anything! :)
 
It is an infant rat ….. it does need special things if it does not have a mama to nurse it and care for it
and even with excellent care, it has little chance of survival because it so young, unless you find a nursing mama and carefully add it to her litter

Please read the 2 links I sent re how to care for the baby, what to feed, how to feed, and stimulating the baby to pee and poop since it does not have a mama to do that

The video was just to give you a better idea of what you need to do, because it shows someone doing those things

The baby needs to be fed powdered puppy formula from a vet that you mix up into a liquid form, or squirrel milk replacer from a wildlife rehab or you can order it at http://www.mcssl.com/store/17128612/milk-replacers You need to feed the baby using a new, clean tiny paint brush every 2 hours, the baby needs to be stimulated to pee and poop, and the baby needs to be kept warm (not hot).

Please read http://www.rmca.org/Articles/orphans.htm and http://www.afrma.org/orphanrm.htm

It will be about 12 to 14 days before the baby is able to start trying to eat on its own but it will need formula for more then 4 more weeks

Where are you located?
It is possible that if someone is nearby they can help
Is the baby still alive?
Are you feeding it formula?
Is it getting enough formula?
 
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I’m disappointed that this forum appears to be just another imperious place know-it-alls gather. I asked ONE question! Just one, yet I was bombarded by a plethora of information anyone could google IF they didn’t know.


I just wanted a place where other rat parents could share cute stories about their rat’s antics. I guess I will keep looking.
 
I am sorry that I offended you.
From what you wrote it sounded like you might find some information helpful
so I posted information and links out of concern for the baby
I am not a know it all, just someone who cares deeply about rats and tries to help when I can

all the best to you and the baby
 
I am not offended. I'm disappointed.

Answering my one question would have been helpful... or if you can't, just welcoming me to the group would have been nice.

But I've researched enough now to guesstimate his age, so no worries.
 
Someone else will have to weigh in on what to feed the little tyke though. Possibly meat baby food watered down a little, but baby mammals generally need lots of fat in infancy, so I'm wondering if goat milk or replacement kitten milk would be better.
and what exactly is the % of fat, protien etc in goat milk? Because you need to know all of that before making a suggestion that could kill them
 
I've handraised two mice, one didn't make it. It's common enough, so it makes sense for someone to be worried for this little one's welfare. Acting like a fool afterwards makes little sense. If you want a thread on rat antics, make one specifically for rat antics. Being unprepared to raise an orphaned rat does not equal antics.
 
Wondering if the baby survived - the baby was likely less then a week old :(
and from the comments and questions made by the original poster, I am not optimistic :(

ie : she/he doesn't like to feed
I hope she/he is close to learning how to eat on their own.... It's eyes are still closed and not furry.
If I leave it outside so the other wild rats can find it will they adopt it?
those videos are silly. They make it sound like it needs special stuff. It's a rat. They eat most anything!

:(
 
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