Please help - Does this rat need help eating?

I got a rat at the store today as a feeder it's too large to feed. I'm keeping it over night (or possibly forever if my roomy continues to fall in love with it. -lol-) and I haven't seen him eat any of the seeds I've given him. I don't know the age of the rat, but here's a picture. It's young. Does it still need to be given milk or anything like that? I know NOTHING about rats and I want it to be happy for the night (or, again, possibly forever. :rolleyes:)

Please let me know what I should be doing for him.

http://i27.photobucket.com/albums/c1.../Therat002.jpg

Help asap would be great since if he DOES need something other than hard food, I don't know how long he's been without.

What did you buy him as? What size? If he is smaller than a weanling, he wont survive without moms milk.

Well, if they'd told me he was a weanling I wouldn't have to ask. But unfortunately, I asked for a mouse and got him instead. (Which I now think is actually a HER, but anyway...) So I don't think the store even knew. :(

She showed interest in a carrot earlier but only licked it and then played with it. I'm wondering if this is a sign that she does need milk...

Hmm. Sorry! Can you weight him for us? That would help alot!:D

Look to me about a week away from weaning...about 30 grams??
But that is just my guess.....:confused:

Try offering some cheerios or other easily nibbled yummies. Maybe some peanut butter to lick on.

I don't have a digital scale, but I'd say he's about 60- 75 grams.

Rodent pro considers an 60-75 gram rat a "Small"...me thinks he is much less than that!

ok, then let's assume that he's still a week away from weaning. Can I substitute something for mother's milk like is possible for kittens? Or is there no hope?

He deffenantly is no small Rat! I am not sure about hand rearing him, but you will have to do it like every 2 hrs, and keep him warm if he's that young.

She's been sleeping in my pocket so she's warm now. Tonight I plan on keeping a heating lamp on her.

Does anyone know of any vets that are available this time of night? It's 10:30 in south Florida where I am. Perhaps a vet could tell me what would be best to feed her.

That 2 hr. feeding schedule won't be a problem for me. It's just figuring out what to give her that's the problem...

He *looks* like he is in the 2-3 week old range. I'm no rat expert as I have only raised one litter, but I didn't notice any babies eating solid foods until around late in the 3rd week of development.

Sorry I can't be of more help.:(

You can use the kitten replacement milk, called KMR, and just mix it according to the package if you buy the powder. I believe that they also sell it premixed. You can try feeding it with a medicine dropper. I have heard that you can also use the puppy milk, don't know what it is called, although I believe that the KMR is better. With my first rats, although they were basically just weaned, I fed them KMR, along with a little bit of kitten wet food, I also gave them crumbled up pieces of Mazuri block, anything that I could find that they would eat. And they are happy and healthy and much bigger than when they came home. Hope this helps.

I'll gladly try the kitten milk mix, but since it's 10:33 at night I can't get to a pet store. Will she be ok until tomorrow morning?

I am not sure, although I am sure she would be okay. They do sell it at Walmart though, which would still be open (Just to throw that option out there). Good luck with your new baby!! ;)

In an absolute pinch I have used bread/Cheerios with a bit of cows milk until I could get a nursing momma or KMR.
And yes, the baby is too young to be away from momma, but there is a good chance of hand raising her as she appears to be around 3 weeks old. It will just take an extra bit of work on your part.

ok, I'll be making a trip to walmart momentarily then. Tomorrow I'll get a hold of a vet and get something better but for now this will work.

Thanks for all the help. :hug:

try giving it an artificial sweetener. ;)



http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/96849.php

Get 1 can of eveporated milk, mix in some caro syrup use an eye dropper feed every few hours and she should be fine.

Jeez... what the heck is that thing too big to feed?

I just got back from Walmart with kitten formula. I tried to give him/her some, but he/she didn't want it. Then I tried peanut butter, and he did eat a little bit of it, then when I put him back in the carrier he ate a pumpkin seed. Or at least appeared to.

So, I'm hoping ... *fingers crossed* :please:

If he really is 60 grams, that rat is a weaner and should be eating solid food as well now. He's approx 3 weeks old, I always wean at 3 weeks.

Give him a bunch of aspen to play in, easily accessable water and a dish of rat food. I recommend if your going to keep him to get him a play mate. Rat's should always be kept in pairs, they are really social creatures and need a mate.

Also, don't give rats peanut butter. It's too thick and they can easily choke on it.
You can give him a few treats like bread and left overs.
Check out this link for foods to avoid.
http://www.ratnutrition.com/suppleme...forbiddenfoods

You can toss in old paper towel tubes and stuff for him to destroy and hide in too.

When I woke up this morning I picked him up and held him for a while then offered him more KRM. He drank a few drops of it but not much. Right now he's jacked one of my cheerios and is eating it on my desk. So I guess he's in an in-between stage. I'm just nervous because he's not eating very much at all. Just a seed or a cheerio here and there. He drank only a little water last night. And all he does is sleep.

Is this not eating and always sleeping thing normal for a baby his age?

Also, if I get him a companion should it be another lab rat, or a pet store rat? Because I'm afraid the pet store rats will be MUCH too large to play with him.


P.S. He's currently eating a dried strawberry. :D

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mindibun

When I woke up this morning I picked him up and held him for a while then offered him more KRM. He drank a few drops of it but not much. Right now he's jacked one of my cheerios and is eating it on my desk. So I guess he's in an in-between stage. I'm just nervous because he's not eating very much at all. Just a seed or a cheerio here and there. He drank only a little water last night. And all he does is sleep.

Is this not eating and always sleeping thing normal for a baby his age?

Also, if I get him a companion should it be another lab rat, or a pet store rat? Because I'm afraid the pet store rats will be MUCH too large to play with him.


P.S. He's currently eating a dried strawberry. :D

---

He can be housed with another rat of any size. I have my girls foster weaners when they aren't breeding, and they will clean and fuss over the young ones. Just make sure to get one of the same sex. I find the weaners will quickly fall asleep in hoods and pockets and be content for quite a while :)

Rats will instinctively eat only small amounts of whats offered and run away and wait for any delirious effects. This is how they know what food is ok to eat or not. Continue to offer the same food you see him eat in a little dish, once he thinks he's safe he should go and munch on some more.

Also, when the larger rat starts to eat the food, he will want to greedily join in. I know there are rat people out there that say (now i have no idea if this works or not) to eat or put some of the food in your mouth to get the rat interested in what your eating. I have honestly no idea if it works, but if your desperate you can try.

Also, maybe try and do a KMR mixed with some food, to make the food a little softer, like you do for puppies. Maybe it will smell icky good to him :D

I wean my rats at about that size(judging by your finger size). He should be ok. You may even offer him some moistened food to get him started.

For those of you who wean at 3 weeks, have you noticed any ill effects? I have always waited until 5 to give them the best start possible.

Cant help you with its problem, but if i had that there is no way in hell i could feed that off! IM in love!

Quote:

---

For those of you who wean at 3 weeks, have you noticed any ill effects? I have always waited until 5 to give them the best start possible.

---

Not at all, I think it's harder on the mother to have any past 4 weeks with her. :P, the mom will wean them regardless, but it does take the toll on the mother, and they do fine weaned at 3 weeks for me.

If you watch them, the rats will begin to eat the hard food around 3 weeks of age. So technically, I wean at 3 1/2 weeks because I do tub changes on saturday's, and they are most often born on a wednesday.