Small-Animals - Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Your Reptile and Amphibian Resource and Information Site

Back to Small-Animals Forum Forums Home Members Area

Small-Animals Forum

Stina Skullkeeper Stina Sasha0009 Lovetheleo Stina Dragongirl6 Stina Dragongirl6 Dragongirl6 Stina Cinderellawkids Amyers Skullkeeper Stina Skullkeeper Stina Skullkeeper TutThePlatedLizard Skullkeeper Cinderellawkids Angelkitty RepticTay Stina TutThePlatedLizard Cinderellawkids Creties Creties Dragongirl6

Member

Message

#1835404

Stina
View Profile

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

I was getting ready for the approaching storm here in Florida and opened my storage bin to put some stuff in and found an amazing but horrible sight! There were 2 dead newborn baby rats (at least I think they are rats) suspended in mid air by a web with a LARGE banana spider standing guard. I looked farther and found 2 more babies that were dead and one ALIVE! The mother was nowhere to be seen. I scooped him up and brought him inside. He is now in a small critter keeper in a soft blanket. He’s pretty strong considering his ordeal. I have been able to get a drop or 2 of milk, water and honey into his mouth and I was able to get him to poop! He can’t be more then a few hours old. I desperately want this guy to live. I need to know how often to feed him and how to get his little mouth open without hurting him. I don’t have much to offer him right now and can’t get to the store until the storm passes but for now he’ll get milk and honey. Caution, the photos below of the 2 babies in the web are graphic. They are actually suspended about 6 inches off the ground but it’s hard to see. I just found it fascinating that a spider could lift those 2 babies that are much bigger. I’m guessing something scared the mother away and the babies died. I don’t think the bigger spider killed them.

08/18/08 06:39pm

#1835407

Skullkeeper
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1835404

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

They are either baby mice or rats . I am sorry to say that they will not survive without their mother . You can keep them warm but they will eventually starve to death . It must have been horrible seeing that . Sorry but there isn’t much else you can do .Stay safe !

08/18/08 06:43pm

#1835473

Stina
View Profile

Message To: Skullkeeper In reference to Message Id: 1835407

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Well, actually they were all already dead accept for the one in the blanket. He CAN live if I can feed him properly, I’ve done it with other orphans before. (squirrels, birds, etc.) Hopefully he got the first milk from his mother, I’ll take it from there. I just need to know how often he needs to be fed.
Every hour, every 30 min. every 4 hours?

08/18/08 07:44pm

#1835490

Sasha0009
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1835473

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

well with baby birds i feed them twice in 1 hour but i dont know if its the same with rodents.

08/18/08 07:59pm

#1835521

Lovetheleo
View Profile

Message To: Sasha0009 In reference to Message Id: 1835490

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

i am not sure how often you feed but i beleive they are lactose intolerant when it comes to regular human milk(not from a human lol but you know what i mean)

what would you guys suggest kitten reptlacemant milk?

pm dragongirl i know she has rats i think she might breed them too?

anyway hopefully she or someone else will come along

08/18/08 08:34pm

#1835573

Stina
View Profile

Message To: Lovetheleo In reference to Message Id: 1835521

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Well, maybe just Honey and water. I can’t go out until the hurricane passes so.....
I read that they need to be fed every 2 hours. It says goat milk is best but any of the pet milk formulas are OK.

08/18/08 09:11pm

#1835647

Dragongirl6
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1835573

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Hey, what a strange find! Jeeze. Anyway, you can give it a shot, but you’ll have to act fast. Pick up some KMR at the pet store (Kitten Milk Replacer) and mix it according to the instructions (one part powder to two parts water). Use a dropper or 1 cc syringe to feed the rat every hour, make sure the milk is warm and fresh and give him as much as he will eat.

Keep him in a small, enclosed box or cage with a heating pad on one end and a nice soft towel for bedding. Use a warm wet paper towel to rub around his butt to get him to urinate/poop.

Keep us updated, I hope he makes it!! Good luck!

08/18/08 10:12pm

#1835667

Stina
View Profile

Message To: Dragongirl6 In reference to Message Id: 1835647

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Thanks, he is in a box with heating pad and towel. I have been able to get him to poop. I will not be able to get to the store though until the hurricane is over. I stopped using regular milk, I think I have also heard they can’t digest vit. D milk too. Any other suggestions? household items? I have tons of pets so maybe something of theirs will help. I have 3 rats but unfortunatly none of them have babies right now.
Yes, it was a VERY creepy finding, like something out of a bad monster movie! Can you imagin if spiders were bigger?!

08/18/08 10:31pm

#1835670

Dragongirl6
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1835667

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Yes, don’t use cow milk!! Is there any way at all you can get to a grocery store? Goat’s milk and human baby formula can work in a pinch. I’m quickly googling, lol. One second...

08/18/08 10:34pm

#1835678

Dragongirl6
View Profile

Message To: Dragongirl6 In reference to Message Id: 1835670

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Here’s a good link:
Link

Do you know anyone with a nursing mom rat? They will usually accept new babies and if you could just get another rat to nurse her, at least for the first 2-3 weeks, her chances of survival would be way higher.

It says human soy formula works for a replacer. If you really can’t leave the house, use warm water and sugar to keep her glucose levels up and hopefully you can get some formula tomorrow.

Good luck!

08/18/08 10:39pm

#1835917

Stina
View Profile

Message To: Dragongirl6 In reference to Message Id: 1835678

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Thanks for your help guys. The little one passed away last night around 4am. :(

08/19/08 08:54am

#1835982

Cinderellawkids
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1835917

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

I was sorry to hear he passed, I was going to ask where you were at as I have several nursing moms.

08/19/08 11:06am

#1836053

Amyers
View Profile

Message To: Cinderellawkids In reference to Message Id: 1835982

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

thats sad sooooooooo sorry.

08/19/08 12:27pm

#1836237

Skullkeeper
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1835917

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

I am sorry . But like I said it is next to impossible to get one to survive .

08/19/08 04:01pm

#1836285

Stina
View Profile

Message To: Skullkeeper In reference to Message Id: 1836237

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Well, at least I tried. I feel bad that he didn’t make it. I know it isn’t easy but it HAS been done. I just wish he were one of the lucky ones.

08/19/08 04:55pm

#1836355

Skullkeeper
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1836285

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

I understand. I just didn’t want you to get your hopes up . He may have been injured before you rescued him. You did what you could . I am sorry he didn’t make it . Glad to know you made it through the storm.

08/19/08 05:47pm

#1836396

Stina
View Profile

Message To: Skullkeeper In reference to Message Id: 1836355

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Thanks, this storm has turned out to be pretty pathetic, at least in our area. We are getting tons of rain and a little wind, that’s about it.
I thought about that, that maybe he was injured already. Or maybe mom left them because there was something wrong. At least he died warm and comfy.

08/19/08 06:15pm

#1836418

Skullkeeper
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1836396

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Yep at least you know you did what you could and you cared . That’s says a lot about you .They made it sound really bad here in Ohio at first but then it looked like mostly heavy rain . They did warn against Tornadoes though. They terrify me . My daughter and I was in Daytona a few years back and saw a tornado touch down in Daytona.Just after we went to Universal Studios and went in the Twister exhibit ,LOL.

08/19/08 06:32pm

#1836528

TutThePlatedLizard
View Profile

Message To: Skullkeeper In reference to Message Id: 1836418

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

well i can tell you its not pathetic here in brevard co., we are getting pounded! its getting very annoying and boring, not sure if the power lines will last through the night. sorry to hear about the rat, but good job taking care of it and making its exit from this world as peaceful as possible.

08/19/08 07:47pm

#1836958

Skullkeeper
View Profile

Message To: TutThePlatedLizard In reference to Message Id: 1836528

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Forgive me for being off topic - I saw where you guys are getting even more rain today . And were hit with several tornadoes last night . Make sure you are not on the computer during any lightning .Take care , my prayers are with you .

08/20/08 08:03am

#1837087

Cinderellawkids
View Profile

Message To: Skullkeeper In reference to Message Id: 1836958

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Im in Daytona, fortunately we are just getting alot of rain at this time. Im sorry for those of you in Brevard.

Skullkeeper, real twister is scareyer than ride , huh. Xmas 05 I was on the road about 200 yards away from where tornados tore apart and apartment building at that moment, saw it in my rear view mirror just after I passed that area

08/20/08 12:01pm

#1837168

Angelkitty
View Profile

Message To: Cinderellawkids In reference to Message Id: 1837087

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

So sorry to hear about the little rat! At least you tried and made his last little bit of time here on earth peaceful and loving.

I know this is off topic but goes with the twister stories. When I was about maybe 13 or 14 (almost 20 years ago!), I lived in a mobile home park and a very small twister went up the middle of the park. I was at a friend’s mobile home when it happened-we skipped school that day-go figure right! We were out in the back yard getting her mom’s laundry off the line cause it was getting dark and starting to rain and we saw it coming. Scared the crap outta us! It uprooted a tree in her front yard and the tree landed (and smashed) her front porch. The twister also ripped off someones roof-pealed it back like a sardine can. It did a bunch of damage to trees, porches, etc. It was very scary and cool at the same time. Every since then I have had a fascination with weather. I would love to go on the TV show Twister Sisters! Sorry to be off topic.

Angel

08/20/08 01:33pm

#1837284

RepticTay
View Profile

Message To: Angelkitty In reference to Message Id: 1837168

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

poor babies!

08/20/08 03:35pm

#1837680

Stina
View Profile

Message To: RepticTay In reference to Message Id: 1837284

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

Thanks for the concern SkullKeeper, I’m in Haines City. We are just on the outer edge of the storm so all we are getting is rain STILL. Tut is probably still getting hammered though. Brevard got it pretty bad and the storm is just sitting there not really going anywhere. Actually it’s right over Dayton right now so be carefull Cinderellawkids!
Believe me, if we get a lightning storm all my electronics get unplugged. I’ve already had 2 modems fried by storms!

08/20/08 09:40pm

#1837733

TutThePlatedLizard
View Profile

Message To: Stina In reference to Message Id: 1837680

Help with new born rat! Graphic pics caution

yes we are STILL getting hammered. my pool is about to overflow, i had to take water out of our pond already to keep it from overflowing, and the street outside my house is flooded.

you shouldnt worry bout the lightening, there wasnt much and it was really far off, couldnt even hear the thunder.

08/20/08 10:18pm