advice about rescued escaped pet shop rat

Question
A rat escaped from a closing down pet shop next to our cafe, two months
ago.
She ended up living in the walls of our building. We left food for her so she
would not try to get into food we didn't want her to. We could not get her to
enter a human cage. In desperation because we are a food establishment, we
put out a sticky board. WE got her almost immediately and used vegetable oil
to get her off. This was on Saturday. I have her at home in a small cage. Over
the last few days I have gradually been able to calm her and she is enjoying
long neck strokes and tummy rubs, and is less jumpy when I open the cage to
do this. she is eating and drinking and grooming. She is not moving much at
all however. She doesn't use the wheel and spends a lot of time lying in the
corner. She occasionally sniffs around and goes on her hind legs to look out.
She did lose a little skin on one foot and half her whiskers on on side as a
result of being stuck to the pad. The food is healing well. Will she ever
recover and become socialized at this late stage and is it possible she came
into contact with wild rats (We are near a river and they are around outside)
And if she did could she be pregnant?
Sorry it's so long, but I have never looked after a rat before,
Linda C

Answer
Hi Linda

WOW!  What a story!! I am glad you got her. First let me say thank you for keeping her. Don't worry about the wheel...in fact, remove it, it will give her more room but she will eventually need another cage because she needs some room to roam. Nothing huge, mind you, but I am assuming when you say she is in a small cage that its pretty small.
Next up, litter. She should NOT be on pine or cedar and I know thats a big seller at pet stores so chances are you may have purchased it unless someone warned you that the phenol oils in these two litters are deadly when the rat gets old...causing liver disease and lung disease.  Aspen, care fresh or yesterdays news is fine and you can litter train her by putting in a small shallow container full of litter and do not put litter anywhere else in the cage and she should use it once she isn't so shy. This saves money and is alot cleaner in the long run.
Second, diet: Mazuri rat blocks to start although they are high in protein than I prefer but its better than seed mixes that pet stores sell. Rats aren't birds for pete sake and the seed mixes are LOADED with fats and proteins that again, cause early death from kidney disease (protein is one thing rats do not need extra) You can give her peas, frozen or canned, carrots, canned or fresh, and just about most veggies and apples are a big hit along with various melons and strawberries. I would hold off on avocados, citrus of any kind, grapes or raisin.
You can do this to start her on a healthy diet:
Buy a bag of nutro lite dog food at the pet store
box of cheerios
box of rice chex
box of Total cereal
bag of puffed rice and puffed wheat
Oat meal flakes prefer old fashioned instead of instant
pack of crazy mac pasta, the green and red colored curly pasta that is spinach and tomato, feed raw and not cooked.

Rats cannot vomit btw so I thought I would throw that in just in case you wondered.

Fresh water daily of course as you know.

As for getting more social...yes she will, with time she will come to trust and love you more than you could ever imagine a tiny rat is capable of doing. Rats are so loving and smart too...its amazing. Continue to spend time with her, allowing her to come out of the cage and climb on you but of course do it in a room where she cannot escape. Rats can find the smallest hole and squeeze in it as you also know.  LOL   
Depending on her size, you can buy a fence about 4 foot high for small animals and its a nice play pen type set up where you can make a big circle, put her cage in it, open the door and let her come out to roam.  You can put down cardboard boxes and stuff for her to climb on too. For the cage, you can go crazy buying fuzzy hammocks that rats LOVE to snuggle  in or you can offer her a cardboard box with doors cut open and give her wads of white paper towels and she will build an amazing nest.
Next up, another thing you should know many novice rat owners are unaware of is that when rats are stressed from illness, they secrete a discharge from the nose and eyes that looks like blood.  Its actually not blood but it is a reddish brown pigmented fluid coming from the harderian gland found behind the eyes. Its normal for a little bit to be found around the nose but alot of it around both eyes and nose is not a good thing.
What color is the rat?  White with red eyes or does she have coloring to her?
Rats have lousy vision too, btw, another tidbit of info that many novice rat owners do not know. She sees nothing but blur and depends on her keen hearing and her whiskers as well to feel her way through things, esp tunnels and walls.
About the wild rats around her:  I doubt it.  Domestic and wild rats are mortal enemies. The male probably would have hurt her or killed her but it is NOT impossible either so there is a slight chance of pregnancy.  Rats go in heat every 5 days and believe it or not, they start going in heat as young as 5 weeks old so they can get pregnant very young which is also dangerous for the poor baby. They do not bleed during their heat so its not easy to tell when they are in heat. Gestation is 21 days usually. If your rats nipples are huge and her belly is lumpy and fat, feel for babies...you may even feel them squirm.  If she is indeed pregnant, I can help you find a rescue group to take them when they are weaned but it would be a nice idea to keep one female for her since rats by nature are social animals and prefer a cagemate.
WOW did I ever blab on. I will make this easier and send you to my website where you will see tons of stuff on keeping rats. The home page is the place to start but the most important part of the website is the RAT CARE page which is where I have the link set. There you will find the recipes for good food and see cages etc...on these two pages, the home page and the rat care page.

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/allaboutratcare.htm


I hope I helped. What a story this was....I am so happy she is ok and in good hands!!  Please keep me posted and you can also reach me at Sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com

Oh btw, if her food seems raw you can purchase some neosporin ointment and apply it, rubbing in very well....and I almost forgot....you should look for a vet for future use. I can help locate an exotic vet for you if I know your area. Its best to know where one is before the rat needs one so time is not wasted searching for one...they are not easy to come by...having just 135 of real exotic world wide.
Anyhow please let me know how it goes!!!!!


FOLLOW UP

Hi Linda

I hope you see this, so please answer me if you do. You asked a question on a comment section so I couldnt answer you any other way but this way.

Anyhow, you asked if your new rat and your dog could adjust to the smell of each other and the answer is yes. I know of people that even have PIT BULLS and the rats climb all over them.  However I wouldnt suggest you even allow the dog near the rat without the cage between them since the rat is older and not a young baby and of course the dog isnt a puppy, but they can adjust to the smell. Your dog may be nosey and want to sniff and the rat may either hide for a while in a little hidey house you provide her or she may be brave and come out to sniff the dog. SHe may even nip the dogs nose or swat the dog with her paws like mine have done to my big 80 lb mutt sending the dog running with his tail between his legs. Its pretty comical actually. If only the rat knew the danger that he could have been in providing the cage bars were not there! LOL
I have cats too and although the cats do not have access to the rats, they do sneak in the rat room when I go in and run to the cage. THe rats are terrified of the cats and they hide in the hidey box but again, I know brave souls that have trained the rat and cat to be out together. I just dont tempt nature that way...one wrong move and the rat is history so I dont suggest anyone try it but ......to each his own.

Hopefully this helps. I would just watch to make sure the rats tail doesnt hang out of the cage if you think your dog may try to get at her. You can solve that by keeping the cage inside a box so that only half the cage is exposed where the dog can look in from the top but cant get to the rat from the side.

Keep me posted and please let me know that you got this message

best wishes

Sandy