How to Raise a Newborn Rat

You need skill to raise a newborn rat, especially one that is less than one week old. The rat will need a warm and clean area to grow up in. Paying close attention to diet will help you raise a healthy rat. A rat that doesn't have hair is prone to being cold. After three weeks, it will be better equipped to cope with a cooler environment.

Things You'll Need

  • Small box, at least 6 inches high
  • Weather thermometer
  • Hot water bottle
  • Toilet paper
  • Small rubber feeding tube
  • Syringe
  • Gram scale
  • Infant soy milk
  • 2-liter milk jug lid
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place your baby rat in a box that is at least six inches deep so it can't climb out. Cover it with a small cloth blanket, or other soft insulation.

    • 2

      Put a thermometer and heating device, such as a hot water bottle, next to the rat. Ensure the temperature is between 100 and 102 degrees Fahrenheit. Ensure your rat can't touch the hot water bottle. You may want to put a cloth between it and the bottle. Decrease the temperature by one degree for every three days after your rat is two weeks old.

    • 3

      Flick the rats genitals gently with a piece of toilet paper to get it to poop and pee. Mothers usually do this so they can swallow the excrement and keep the nest clean. The baby can't go to the bathroom by itself. Induce urination every time it eats. Make it poop every three times it eats.

    • 4

      Weigh the baby and take note. Pick the baby up and grasp its neck firmly so the head doesn't move too much. Suck up some of the milk into a syringe. Insert the tube into the tip of the syringe. Insert the tube into the rat's mouth. Squirt the formula slowly into the baby's mouth. Feed it about 5 percent of its body weight per serving. Ensure the formula's temperature is 100 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 5

      Place formula into a small dish if your baby's eyes are open for three days or more. It will be able to feed out of the dish. Its eyes will start to open in about two weeks. A two-liter milk jug lid will suffice. At this stage, the rat should be able to defecate by itself.

    • 6

      After about 17 days, offer the rat grains. Pieces of fruit and veggies are also ideal.