help rat just had babies?

Question

my rat emily just had babies wat do i do my mom and dad r gone and wont get back for three days wat do i do ?

Answer 1

WELL MY HAMSTER JUST HAD 11 BABIES, WE JUST REMOVED THE FATHER FROM THE CAGE AND BOUGHT A SEPARATE CAGE FOR HIM..THIS IS BECAUSE HE MAY EAT THE BABIES...BUT KEEP THE BABIES WITH THEIR MOTHER AND SHE'LL HANDLE EVERYTHING. IF THERE'S A RUNT IN THE LITTLE YOU MIGHT HAVE TO GIVE IT MILK YOURSELF THOUGH BECAUSE BEING THE SMALLEST SIBLING...IT'S HARD FOR THEM TO GET MILK FROM THE MOTHER BECAUSE THE BIGGER ONES JUST SHOVE THE RUNT OUT OF THE WAY. IT MAY BE DIFFERENT WITH RATS BUT I HOPE I HELPED JUST ALITTLE.

Answer 2

If your female refuses to care for and feed her babies you will need to step in or all of the babies will die.
On occasion some females, especially hairless females have had problems lactating and are unable to produce milk.
If possible try to find another lactating female that could nurse the babies, if one is not available then you will need to hand feed the babies.
Babies can be nursed with puppy milk, goats milk, kittens milk, baby formula and soy milk.
Baby formula should contain the least amount of iron you can find.
Fill a needleless syringe or eye dropper with the milk and insert the syringe into the babies mouth -they will wiggle and squeak and probably drool some milk out of their mouths. Slowly feed the baby the milk. After the baby has had some milk make sure to rub the babies belly/abdomen to help the baby digest the milk and go to the bathroom.
Babies should be fed every two hours for the first week, after the first week feeding can take place with a little more time in between feedings, such as every 3-4 hours.
If you are hand feeding babies leave food out at all times, to encourage them to eat dry food.
After the babies open their eyes they will start eating a lot more dry food and you can put a small dish of milk in the cage and let them drink that way rather than syringe feeding them. (Be sure to have water available as well.)


hope this helps!!

Answer 3

Congratulations. Avoid making any changes in the cage. Leave them alone so Emily won't get to nervous and not take care of them. Don't take Emily out of the cage for now. Keep the cage in a quiet place, make sure there is bedding for the nest (tissues will do; just put some in the cage and let Emily do the rest) and give her food and water as usual.
In a few days, if Emily seems comfortable with the idea, you can touch the babies. (You could touch them now if Emily is very tame and used to you, and if she doesn't mind; but I'd be very careful about this.)
Emily can take care of them by herself.
At 2 weeks their eyes and ears open, and they start running around. You can start handling them a little to make sure they are used to it at a young age.
In 3 weeks they can be weaned (taken away from their mother), but you can leave them 4 weeks.

Answer 4

just let them be .. my rat had 15 babies 3 months ago!! i didnt tell my parents but they found out in the end !! rats are claver and make great mums , i have kept 4 babies and even when they are jumping all over har and pulling her ears she is patient , the only thing you should never do is try to pick them up because if she feels threatened she will eat them !!! hope this helps :)

Answer 5

Separate the male rat into another cage.

Do not handle the babies or the mother may kill them.

Put out food and water close to the female.

Answer 6

first dont panic mummy rats know what to do

secondly if the male is with the female still take him out and put him in another cage, this is not because he will eat the babies, he wont, but because the female comes in heat again hours after giving birth and you dont want another litter in three weeks time

mum will look after them themselves, but if she will let you, when she comes out of the nest just have a quick check to see that all the babies have white 'belts' around their tummies, this is called the milk band and means she is feeding them well
she wont desert the nest but try not to disturb it too musch

milk band picture 2nd down
http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/community/viewtopic.php?t=70483&highlight=milk+bands

she now needs plenty of protein in her food, she has loads of milk to produce, so pouches of kitten food are good, jars of meat based baby food, scrambled egg, chicken, fish, porridge made with lactol,soya milk or goats milk NEVER cows milk,NEVER human baby milk nuggets or lab blocks soaked in the same, curly kale,spinach,broccoli and plenty of it all AS WELL AS her dried food
make sure she has plenty of water, pop an additional water bottle in if youre able too

move any hammocks and block access to high shelves as mummy rats can sometimes be stupid and take the babies up or not realise that she has one still attached when she comes out

try asking here
http://www.goosemoose.com/
if in US
or here
http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/home/
if in UK
there are loads of people who have been through the same thing youre going through right now and will be willing to help you dont think you are alone ok

good luck to you all

Answer 7

ok go to my profile and if you can see spazrats under my friends click on her and e-mail her. she'll give you all the information that you need.