Help Mom Rat Died

[NorCalPythons]

allright mom rat died and left me 10 babys about 16 days old, eyes are jest starting to open. i have 2 other mom rats with liters that range from 7-10 days old. can i split the babys with the moms? The 10 babys are much biger then the ones the other moms have, so will thay accept them into the liters? how do i put them in with the new lister? do i put the sent of the other moms babys on the ones im introducing? plz help thank you

[littleindiangirl]

Hmm, you could give the larger ones to a mother, but keep in mind that the big ones will push the smaller pinks out of the way.

By the way, please please please make sure that female is dead. I have had it happen quite a few times where females are SO deep asleep, that I can handle them for a few minutes before they jump awake and freak the hell out of me.

[MonitorLove]

If they have just started to open there eyes, I would suggest trying to feed them soft foods (soft bread, boiled potatoes, oatmeal, etc.) and raising them by hand. I had the same thing happen to me, except my mom rat got out and never came back. I was stuck with a dozen two week old pups that had just opened there eyes.
I started them on boiled potatoes and bread. I did loose maybe two or three, and ended up feeding quite alot, but the four I kept are some of the best rats I have ever had

And the plus side of raising your own pups is that when you go to the cage and do "HELLO BABIES!" they all spring up and come RACING over. It's the cutest thing ever.

[NorCalPythons]

thank you for the quick replys.

By the way, please please please make sure that female is dead. I have had it happen quite a few times where females are SO deep asleep, that I can handle them for a few minutes before they jump awake and freak the hell out of me.

sadly yes she is dead not sleeping

[Bettacreek]

Try to keep them with a like-sized litter. I've had rats raise orphaned mice who were quite a bit smaller, but everyone survived and grew big and healthy. Good luck.

[anendeloflorien]

If they have just started to open there eyes, I would suggest trying to feed them soft foods (soft bread, boiled potatoes, oatmeal, etc.) and raising them by hand. I had the same thing happen to me, except my mom rat got out and never came back. I was stuck with a dozen two week old pups that had just opened there eyes.
I started them on boiled potatoes and bread. I did loose maybe two or three, and ended up feeding quite alot, but the four I kept are some of the best rats I have ever had

And the plus side of raising your own pups is that when you go to the cage and do "HELLO BABIES!" they all spring up and come RACING over. It's the cutest thing ever.

omg that sounds so cute lol. I wouldn't really want to have to feed the babies every day like that but still having them all come over when you call them lol.

To the OP, I would say the best bet is to put them in with the other litters, just split them up so both females have a pretty even number. I had 2 rats have litters in the same tub on the same day, 29 babies total and they kept switching back and forth on who would feed them. Sometimes the babies were split up under both females sometimes one would be chilling on top of her hide and the other would be taking care of all of them. It was pretty cool .