Pet Information > ASK Experts > Exotic Pets > Pet Rats > Baby Wild Rats

Baby Wild Rats

21 17:01:50

Question
My neighbor's dog found 5 baby rats.  All still have their eyes closed, but one looks like an eye might be opening. Any guess at how old they might be?  What do I feed them, and how often do they need to eat?  I can't keep them, but I can foster them until they are old enough for release or are adopted.  Any and all advice is most appreciated.

Answer
They are 2 weeks or younger and its almost impossible to keep them alive at this age unless your a professional.  What you must do is contact your local wild life rehab center for them to take the babies and nurse them back to health. This is the best way to do it because trying to do it on your own will only make you an absolute nervous wreck as they need constant attention at this age, kept warm, fed a certain type of mixture for rats, they need to even be helped to go to the bathroom by manual stimulation.  You can find a local wild life rehab place right on the internet.  I would to it ASAP.