Does anyone know how many babies wild rats have in a litter? I found a big dead rat in my heater vent the other day and now i,m finding newborn rats scaterred everywhere in house i found 6 so far within 2 days. the rats have fur and eyes still shut i,m nursing them i read up on internet on how to care for them their doing good.I wonder how many more to look for.
2006-08-04 16:16:46 · 14 answers · asked by lizardlover42000 4 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
and i wash hand after touching the cute little babies. I will try to keep one and get rid of the rest to someone or let them free.
2006-08-04 17:40:59 · update #1
They can have many babies, 6 is not unusual. They can have 12 or more though, it often depends on many things. Sometimes it's genetic, whereas it can also depend on how well fed and sheltered the mother rat has been.
It is true that wild rats are very far removed from pet store rats, but at their age if they're raised by humans I can't imagine them being aggressive. However I would also call a vet and an animal shelter for advice. I certainly don't condone the idea of killing rats (I have two pet rats) but I would also make sure that there haven't been any outbreaks of any diseases in your area just in case.
Also, you should wash your hands after handeling any animal- wild or not- so just make sure that you do that. I also wouldn't keep them anywhere near a bedroom or kitchen.
Good luck with the babies!
2006-08-04 17:38:58 · answer #1 · answered by Right On 4 · 1⤊ 2⤋
i wouldnt keep a baby if you want pet rats get them from a breeder of Fancy Rats or from a pet store. Do not only get 1 rats are sociable creatures and need a friend to be happy it doesnt matter how much time you spend with it, it would be 1 unhappy rat. Before you go out and buy a rat research nthem first if you havnt already (as pets) you might find you adore them or you dont.
Rats usually have about 6-10 in a litter so you could find baby rats popping up everywhere.
2006-08-04 22:22:42 · answer #2 · answered by ♥_Anya_♥ 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
6 or 10
2006-08-04 16:21:32 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Aside from the issues to do with disease (even if the wild rat isn't showing any symptoms, it could still be carrying due to wild animals tending to have a better immune system than domesticated due to them being less pampered), wild rats also tend to be more aggressive and so a fight could easily start. It's never a good idea to introduce any stranger rats to each other anyway, some form of introduction should be done beforehand even if it's just something to let them get each others scents.
2016-03-26 23:40:09 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Wild rats are the same species as pet rats, so the same rules apply most of the time. A litter can vary in size up to 20. I've had litters of 4, and litters of 18. Above 12 is unusual. Averags is between 6 and 8.
If they have fur and their eyes are open, then they are not new born. Rat's eyes open at about 10 days of age. I'm hoping from your pet store experience that you know what to nurse them with, and have the relevant equipment available. If you don't, please seek help from a breeder or rescue near you. It's best to contact someone experienced, even if you intend to do it yourself, so that you have help immediately available. At 10 days of age they still need to be fed at least every three to four hours.
If you have pet rats of your own, you need to quarantine these little ones properly. They need to be in a completely different air supply from your pet rats (not just a different room). Washing your hands in between handling is good, but you also need to wear different clothing.
One of the differences between pet rats and wildies, is that wildies have a much higher tolerance to disease. If the little ones are carrying anything, it could cause your pet rats severe problems (or death).
Usually quarantine is observed for three weeks. You would need to enquire with a local rescue or vet as to whether you have any reason to quarantine for longer than that.
I am thrilled for you, but at the same time don't envy you. Hand raising rats can be exhausting, and very very hard work. But it's amazingly rewarding when it works.
2014-07-14 06:01:54 · answer #5 · answered by ratscallions 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Rats are good at several things, and the thing they're best at doing is breeeeeeeeding. Wild rats tend to have smaller litters than their domestic cousins, but can have upward of 20 babies. The average is between 8 and 12.
Wild rats can be excellent pets when hand raised as babies. Just be warned that they're very jumpy and will freak at the slightest noise. They can also be more aggressive than domesticated rats. I know someone who had a pair of wild roof rats. She said that if they don't want to be caught, they can't be caught, LOL!
Good luck to you!
2006-08-04 23:08:31 · answer #6 · answered by white_ravens_white_crows 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Once, I walked into a pet store and a rat was giving birth and they were falling through the wire cage bottom so I got them out and into a box with the mama rat. there were 12 live ones and 3 dead ones, so it was a huge 15 member litter!
2006-08-04 16:23:58 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
8-10
2006-08-04 17:10:20 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Oh no honey KILL THEM KILL THEM ALL AND FAST! these are considered vermin they can carry disease and they do bite these are not the pet store kind Oh you have made a terrible mistake Kill them and disinfect everthing you touched and throw away what they have touched I know you mean well but these are not the animals to show kindness to Ok I know it sounds mean but you can't raise these rats dear so sorry
2006-08-04 16:29:12 · answer #9 · answered by Monte 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
9-12 but it depends a bit on the age and size of the mama, my female rat only had 5 but she was real young
2006-08-04 16:51:47 · answer #10 · answered by Taldeara 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋