Help me, i have 23 baby rats.

[kathleenford]

Some man dropped off 23 baby rat's at my work (I work at a petstore) and they weren't old enough to leave their mother. I'm 17 years old, working, going back to school in a few weeks and I already have 6 of my own rat's, 4 witch are on pregnancy watch.. I live in Sackville, NS. I'm willing to do anything to help these babies, I am a true rattie lover. My oldest man is 4 years old, so I've owned them for awhile. They survived lastnight and are all eatting.. Got up every hour to check on them/feed them. Let's just say, I am DRAINED. and I need HELP. 4 of them look to be 2 weeks old, or a few days over.

 

[eagle]

Welcome
We will get your through this.

 

[lilspaz68]

As Tanis said, we will help you get through this. Many of us have raised orphans but maybe not on such a large scale.

 

[hopefloats]

I think i saw a cross post for this looking for a momma to feed some or help hand feeding. How old are the babies? Have they opened their eyes?

You can try to put small bowls very little liquid in the bowl to encourage them to drink if you can get them to drink from that bowl that will take some stress off and way to go on taking these babies in you are amazing for doing so.

Hopefully we have some members that can help you with this. I havent had babies but I know they can start from a bowl at a young age!

 

[Aida]

Hold in there! Maybe there's a friend who can take in some?

 

[lindsayfawn]

They are some cute. They look old enough to start some liquids to help so you don't have to feed them as often. Kitten milk would work good.

 

[Dahlas]

some look bigger then the others...the ones that are bigger make sure they have lots of soft food, scrambled eggs, soaked lab blocks, baby food etc.....and access to lab blocks. The smaller ones may need assistance....like letting them lick mushy lab blocks, baby ceral, ensure........off your finger 5 or 6 times a day.....offer them baby cereal and mushy lab blocks on a plate and see if they can lick it up. Make sure they are drinking...use shallow bowls that won't tip for water...I would also offer them lots of watered ensure so they are getting lots to drink....

 

[SQ]

Soy infant formula (grocery store or pharmacy) is recommended as it is the closet thing to mama rat's milk.
Tiny babies will lick it off the end of a needless syringe or off your finger.
Older babies will lick it from a shallow saucer.
You can thicken it with a bit of baby cereal (the kind that says add formula).
Do they all have their eyes open? If so, they are likely over 2 weeks as eyes open at about 14 days old.

Here is a thread that gives several links to raising orphaned baby rats.
viewtopic.php?f=26&t=27608
Hopefully some of the members on here that live in NS will be able to help, 23 orphaned babies is a lot to care for.

Soaking good quality lab blocks (oxbow, harlan tech 2014 or living world hamster extrusian) in soy formula or cool water, will turn it into mush for the babies to eat.
You will want to make sure they have access at all times to soy infant formula, mushy lab blocks, regular lab blocks and water.
Baby rats need to have shallow water dishes as they are not strong enough to move the ball bearing in water bottles, although they may loonk like they are drinking they will be unable to actually get water out of a water bottle until they are several months old.

A site that might be of interest:
http://ratgrowth.homestead.com/

Some baby threads:
http://ratshackforum.com/forum/viewtopi ... m&start=60
http://ratshackforum.com/forum/viewtopi ... r&start=75

 

[Joanne]

Kudos to you for stepping up to the plate and taking care of them!
I agree that if their eyes are open, you are past the hardest part. You will need to check and see that each baby can lick formula and baby food up from a shallow plate. If they can, then you just need to make sure food is available at all times, but you won't have to feed each by hand.
What is the plan for these ratties? Are they going back to the pet store when they are old enough? Or have you 'rescued' them, and they no longer belong to the store?

 

[EDK]

Ya is there someone close by this nice person to help her take in some of the babies?

 

[MiniFrog]

omg they are so cute!! good luck!! if i could take some i would (well i will let you know how about that lol) i am still working with kimmy >_<

 

[kathleenford]

everyone, they are eatting. but i have rat's of my own, and one is on pregnancy watch. with me working and going back to school, it is very hard. i'm gonna try them on solids on friday and see how that goes. they all look like they're different ages. and no, i will not be taking them back to the petstore. i'll do anything, i don't even care if i get fired, i will help these little guys and contact a rescue. but i can't seem to find one. thank you for all your guys tips they're great little guys. if i had my own apartment i'd keep most of them! i've really fallen for 2 of the runts.

 

[MiniFrog]

they are adorable guys, i have seen pictures, and i hope to be getting a couple of them, am so excited right now lol!! i think babies just may be what the doctor ordered for kimmy *giggles* (this is what i tell hubsters). She has been in contact with a rescue, HART Rescue, anyone know anything about them, are they a good rescue, that kind of info etc? I have no idea about rescues so I am no help lol

 

[Bundyrats]

They're beautiful. I wish I could help.

 

[SQ]

She has been in contact with a rescue, HART Rescue, anyone know anything about them, are they a good rescue, that kind of info etc?

They rescue and rehome cats and kittens.
I have no idea as to if they have a good rep. re working with cats or even how long they have been in operation.
To my knowledge they know little or nothing about rats, their care, major concerns re rehoming rats etc
Personally, I would not take rats to them.

At present, the only good rat rescue in operation at this end of the country (that I am aware of) is Mainely Rat Rescue in Maine.
I would strongy suggest that she contact them and make arrangemnents to take them there as soon as they have space.

 

[Godmother]

Mainly Rat Rescue had been overloaded recently, so I don't know whether they would be able to help.

I hope that enough people can each adopt a couple of the babies. It's daunting to think of finding so many homes.

 

[Joanne]

I would love to help but there is no room at the inn...

 

[MiniFrog]

She recounted them, and there are 25 not 23. I contacted Dr. Greenlaw, since she said she knew of some rescues when I wasn't sure what to do with Kimmy's babies, nd it is funny, she was going to give Dalhas a call, but I told her that she was already talking to my friend about it. She is going to call me back with some info.

 

[SQ]

Mainley Rat Rescue gets full, rats find homes and they have some space, they become full again.
I would advise her to contact them and see if MRR can take the babies ... if not immediately then perhaps in a month or so.
They do have a large number of foster homes and most if not almost all of the 76 ratties I transported to them in April seem to have been adopted so perhaps they have room or will soon have room. http://mainelyratrescue.org/rattieblog2/
I am certainly not saying that MRR can take them, but it is worth checking into.

There are many 'rescues' willing to take in rats .... sometimes well meaning people who do not know much about rats, become overwhelmed within a few months to a year and dump the rats with anyone who will take them. Almost all 'rescues' willing to take in rats (at least in NB and NS) have turned out to be snake owners or feeder breeders.
OIf you do find any rat rescues in NS, she will need to investigate throughly ... I, for 1, would appreciate info regarding them .... emails, websites, info re intake & adoption proceedures, their setup, etc

 

[MiniFrog]

I picked up a couple, I wish I could take them all, they are so tiny and cute!! Kathleen still is having issues with the forum, so I will post on her behalf, there are still a bunch needing homes, I have been asking around, but no one is biting, if anyone is interested, I would be willing to help with transport within reason.....

There are some male black berks (I got the only female at hubbys request lol), some male and female agouti berks, some male fawn/beige self/berks, a couple female agouti variegated, and one that looks like a beige capped/variegated boy (he's got one spot on his back). If anyone wants pictures let me know and I will post them

Her feeder rescued rat just gave birth to 7 babies (plus 3 still born) last night so in a few weeks there are more babies that need homes.....I took Kimmy's nursery in yesterday and a few hours later she gave birth, as though she was waiting for the proper place lol!