A friend found a litter of baby rats in her backyard this morning. The mother appears to have died, or abandoned them. They have hair, about 1 inch long, and appear to be at least a week or so old. They roamed around the yard all day looking for food, water, their mother. Most have since died from heat exposure, dehydration, but two remain. Does anyone have any tips on how to keep the remaining two alive until they can find someone to remove them from the backyard? They definitely don't plan on keeping them around, but they don't want to kill them either.
Answers:
What a shame =( The mother must have died because usually they don't leave their youngens til they can survive on their own.
Your friend can put them in a box and hand feed them every few hours until their eyes are open and they are healthy looking(able to fend for themselves.)
At the very least have them put the Rats somewhere shaded and leave some little bits of food and water for them.
Below is a link to the proper way to care for Rats if you or anyone else is interested.
One by one. Hold it over the toilet bowl and drop one in.
After it drowns, flush it down, and repeat until their all gone.
Problem solved. :-})
Housing Your Rat
Cages for Rats
A large wire cage is best, especially one with horizontal bars that allow the rat to climb on the sides if they wish. A tall cage with ramps and platforms is ideal for providing room for multiple rats. As minimum, a cage with 12 by 24 inches (2 square feet) of floor space is okay for two smaller rats, as long as the cage is tall and you provide shelves and/or hammocks for extra space. Larger is always better. Large aquariums are okay, but do not provide good ventilation (and must be cleaned more often).
Avoid cages with wire flooring as spending time on wire flooring has been linked to bumblefoot. Many cages have wire balconies and shelves, which are not ideal. However, you can modify wire balconies by covering them with a thin sheet of wood or other solid material (fix to the cage with wire ties).
Also look for wire that is a fine grid (1/2 inch by 1/2 inch maximum). Your best bet is to look for cages that have plastic or wood shelving, or you can modify cages using melamine covered boards to make your own shelves (easy to clean). Many enterprising rat owners have built their owne large cages. See the Dapper Rat's Grotto and their pages of other ideas for inspiration.
Bedding
For bedding, avoid cedar and pine wood shavings (see "The Problem with Cedar and Pine Shavings" for more information), but aspen (or other hardwood) shavings are fine. There are many other good pet bedding and litter options available these days that are very absorbent, not dusty and safe for small pets. Some are pelleted so might not be all that comfortable for rats to play and sleep in, so some people use the pelleted products (which are usually very absorbent) under a layer of softer loose bedding. For a sampling of the newer alternative pet bedding products, see "Top Ten Alternatives to Cedar and Pine."
You will also want to provide some nesting material which the rats can shred and use to line their nest box - paper (no ink), tissues, or paper towels work well.
Usually, the rats will chose a bathroom location in one area of the cage. Heavily soiled litter should be scooped out daily, and more litter added if needed. The whole cage should be cleaned and new liter and bedding provided once a week or so.
Nest Box
A nest box should be provided - and can be store-bought or home made. A cardboard box makes a perfectly acceptable nest box, although it may need to be replaced often. Other possibilities include a flowerpot or jar turned on its side, or a section of PVC drain pipe (perhaps cover one end). Store box boxes are good too, but keep in mind that wooden ones can be hard to clean if they get urine on them, and the plastic ones might get chewed up fairly quickly.
Toys and Accessories
Rats love to climb, and will make good use of ladders, ropes, hammocks, tunnels, and platforms. Toys should be provided as well - blocks of wood for chewing, cardboard tubes, and toys designed for ferrets or parrots are good choices. Look for rope and wood toys as many plastic toys can't stand up to chewing by a determined rat. Simple items like large cardboard mailing tubes, crumpled paper, paper bags, and cardboard boxes can also make wonderful toys. Remember that rats are very intelligent and need to be challenged, so rotate the toys on a regular basis so the rats do not become bored. For more ideas, see "Homemade Rat Toys" and "Top Rat Toys Online".
Some rats like to run on exercise wheels (and some will never try!), but the wire type commonly found in pet stores isn't very safe for rats as their feet or tail can get caught in the rungs or the supports on which the wheel is suspended. A solid surface wheel is preferred, for example something like the Wodent Wheel.
Heavy ceramic food dishes are probably easiest to use as they are sturdy, don't tip over too easily, and they are easy to clean. A water bottle with a sipper tube can be used for water. Make sure a supply of fresh clean water is always available.
Where to put the Cage
The cage should ideally be placed in a relatively quiet location but still near the social activity in the home. Rats are nocturnal so should be located where it is fairly quiet during the day. Placing the cage on a table or stand will help the rats feel more secure. The cage should not be placed in direct sunlight or in drafty locations. Limit access to the cage by other household pets, as a rat will understandably feel threatened by a cat or dog hovering outside the cage. Pelleted or block type diets are available for rats, and are formulated to be nutritionally complete. Choose a rat block that is low in fat and calories, and has soy meal high on the ingredient list rather than corn. While rat blocks should make the basic diet, a variety of fresh foods can be used to supplement the diet, which will aid in keeping rats healthy and prevent boredom with the pelleted diet. Packaged loose mixes are also available, but rats tend to pick out their favorite bits from the mix, which may mean they are not eating a balanced diet. Try small amounts of fruits and vegetables, whole grain pastas and bread, brown rice, yogurt, and occasionally low fat cooked meat, mealworms, cheese, seeds and nuts. In addition, treats such as dog biscuits can be given.
It is important to keep rats on a high fiber and low fat diet though, so limit higher fat foods such as cheese, seeds, and nuts. Rats have a bit of a sweet tooth, but resist the temptation to feed sugary foods or junk food, including chocolate.
Beyond providing the basics in food and housing, rats do not require much else except your attention and free time outside of the cage. Make sure that the area you allow your rats out in is rat-proofed since rats will chew on just about anything they can get their teeth on. Most importantly, make sure electrical wires are out or reach or encased in plastic tubing. Also make sure the rats cannot access anything that is toxic, including poisonous plants. Make sure anything you don't want your rats to chew is out of reach. Rats also tend to scent mark as they roam, leaving little drops of urine. The odor is not offensive, but you may want to cover furniture with a throw while they are out. They will also do this to their owners, so be prepared!
Nail Trimming
Rats have sharp little nails, and for your comfort when playing with your rats you may need to trim their nails. Check them every one to two months. Nail trimming is not difficult, escept that your rat will probably object and try to squirm away. You can use a pair of human nail clippers and trim a little off the tip if needed. Just take a tiny bit off the tip and avoid the pink part (quick) that may be visible inside the nail, as this is a blood vessel and nerve. If you do happen to nick the blood vessel, a little cornstarch applied to the nail tip should stop any bleeding (or you can by a product at the pet store called Kwik Stop that is used the same way).
At the same time you check the nails, try to get a glimpse of the teeth to make sure they are not getting overgrown. Make sure you provide lots of opportunity (through wood blocks and toys) for your rats to chew and keep their teeth healthy.
This doesn't sound like rats. This sounds like Opossums. Look up a picture online and see it's a match. Call your local Animal Control Agency. Good luck.
Call them Animal Control peoples, you pay there salary every time you pay a tax.
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