How to Care for Orphaned Rats

Make a nest. Find a place to keep the rats. When they are very tiny, it is easiest to keep them in a box rather than a cage. An old shoe box is perfect as the sides are high enough to keep your rats safe but small enough that they are confined and able to snuggle together.

Keep them warm. Newborn rats do not have fur. Their coats develop over the first few weeks of life. Use a heating pad that is turned on to the lowest setting. Line the nest with the heating pad on the bottom. Place a soft blanket on top of the heating pad and put your rats on top of the blanket. Place a soft, light blanket on top of the babies to cover them while they sleep.

Feed the rats. Baby rats need constant nutrition and hydration. You will know they are hungry because they wake up, squirm, and cry. Just like a human infant, baby rats will want to nurse every two to three hours. Using infant formula, mix it with water according to the package directions. Warm it slightly, just as you would for your own baby. Test the formula's warmth by squirting a few drops on the inside of your wrist. The temperature should be the same as your body. Pick up a baby rat, cupping it gently in the palm of your hand. Make sure the baby rat's head and neck are held upwards. Take the eyedropper and fill it with formula. Squeeze a few drops into the rat's mouth. Go slowly and do not overfeed. When the rat is very young, it will not require as much formula, but will want to suckle more often. As the rats develop and grow, they will consume more formula and feed less often.

Rub their bottoms. All baby mammals utilize their mother's instincts to use the bathroom. Your baby rat must have her genitals and anus rubbed with a damp cotton ball. This simulates her mother's tongue as she licks the baby. The licking makes the baby urinate and defecate. Since you are the surrogate mom, wet the cotton ball with warm water, and after feeding the rat, gently wipe and rub her genitals and anus. This takes fifteen seconds, at the most. Sometimes the babies will pee or poop immediately. Just keep gently rubbing the area until the baby urinates. She will do this after every feeding, and will poop several times a day.

Wean the babies. Rats develop quickly and by the time they are four weeks old, they can be weaned. Their eyes are open, they have fur, and you will find them eager to explore. Now you can introduce soft foods such as baby cereal and the rat food you buy from the pet store. It is also time to move the youngsters into a cage.