4 wee orphan wildies! Found me just in time

[hopefloats]

I found where one of the wildies is camping out. I believe its the one I had caught as she's in the rat room in the back of a shelf. She made herself a nice nest with paper she found and bedding scraps as well as a LOT of food stashed. She ran out while I was cleaning cages today. I thought I had seen something scurrying across the floor a few times this week. Thought I was just seeing things but seems she's stayed close to the familiar rat smell and where she has clearly found food. Either someone (a rat of mine) is throwing her food or she's coming and going from a cage and taking food because its block food not random garbage!
I set it so she can get in but I might be able to catch her on her way out. Made it safe for her to stay there. And hopefully I can catch her and get her to a safe place. She seems to be coping and thriving now. No sign of anyone else. Food and water bowls in the basement went untouched for a few days but this morning were signs of someone visiting so I set it back up and hope to catch them early tomorrow morning. Before they take off for the day.

took us 3.5 weeks to catch our mouse that got out. Not fun at all LOL

 

[SterlingRats0408]

She has not come back to the shelf. Beleive she's back in the basement as the blanket in the one cage I set has chew holes and is more positioned like someone nested in it today.
Hopefully I can get the door closed before she pops out in the next few days. I think one went back outside as my one dog ran to the back door growling and then seemed to be following something around the yard. She won't hurt a rat so I hope she (baby rat) finds the old squirrel nest in the shed (I opened the door and put some food & water in there). I won't worry about catching that one. Just leave her some supplies to help her out. And set the door so a racoon or cat can't open it and get at her. We had had rabbits out there so we had it pretty secure and insulated so it'll be the safest 'natural' habitat for her. Obviously she has some strength back so I'll leave her to her natural habitat with some help. I left the food scattered so shr naturally has to forage. Don't want her completely relying on finding a bowl of food all the time. She has straw and an old fleece blanket to nest in as well as a wood box that we had a young family of squirrels living in last summer when they fell out of an old tree.
The mom has not showed any signs of being back. All the poop trails are tiny baby poops. Just glad I know they are there and I am doing what I can to help them. There is no live trap small enough for these guys. They escape everything! But if they have that strength then hopefully they'll make it!!

 

[Joanne]

It sounds like she will do fine. Otherwise she wouldn't be so determined to get away.

 

[SQ]

Hope you are either able to catch them all or they find their way to your safer space outside ....
I hope they make it too
Poor mama must have died because she wouldn't have left her babies like that

 

[SterlingRats0408]

Thats what I'm thinking. I don't think she'd take off or abandon them like that. Not with so many safe places for them all to chill.
Still trying to set places for the one I saw the other day so I might have a chance to catch her. If I do I have a cage that even a baby mouse cannot escape that she can stay in and I'll start socializing the babies in with her when/if I catch her

 

[SQ]

Thats what I'm thinking. I don't think she'd take off or abandon them like that. Not with so many safe places for them all to chill.
Still trying to set places for the one I saw the other day so I might have a chance to catch her. If I do I have a cage that even a baby mouse cannot escape that she can stay in and I'll start socializing the babies in with her when/if I catch her

Yeah, if she is all alone she likely will not be able to survive long term .... hopefully she will be able to find her siblings and they will all survive ok

 

[SterlingRats0408]

She's surviving just fine. I haven't found her yet but heard her in the one room last night and then I found this today...

She found the bag of sunflowers. Helped herself. That's huge piles of shells. Must have been doing it for days and I didn't notice. I only give sunflowers once a week and when i went to scoop them out I was like...this bag seems a lot less full then I remembered. She had eaten so much of it. Little piglet. They are now in a tote so she can't get them. She has access to pellets too though she keeps somehow avoiding the trap (live humane trap). Smart little thing too.

 

[Velo]

Wow!! That's a lot of shells, smart little lass!

 

[jorats]

Wow! So now you know she's somewhere and in that spot often.

 

[dspch911]

Clark would do that with peanuts if we'd let him. He needs peanuts anonymous meetings - that boy is addicted.