DEVASTATED AND EXTEMELY PI**ED OFF!! (Rats)

Hello everyone,
My name is Yesi and I am brand new to this forum. I found it while searching for solutions to my current problem. Long story short, I have three escaped "pet" hooded rats whom last night attacked one of my baby bantams and ripped its wing off completely!!

I am at a loss for words and have no idea what to do to help the poor thing. I brought him inside and made sure he wast still bleeding. Got him situated and warm. I had to leave to work and I'm beside myself worrying about it.

I'm new to the "chicken mommy" life. My husband and I are from the city and moved a few months ago to a beautiful home in farm country with 2 acres. We purchased our first 6 hen chicks in February and we were successful in keeping them alive and healthy and now enjoy their company and their tasty eggs lol. We then proceeded to get some roosters who have also grown and matured nicely. ( I love to hear them crow). 2 weeks ago I decided to get some silkies and a bantam chick. I bought 3 babies and I've been doing pretty good with them. Up until now.

My son (snake enthusiast) decided that he wants to breed snakes. So he has been working on that project for a few months and came into some rats which he decided to breed for feeders. WELL hes 18 and not ready for that type of commitment. So I started caring for the rats. I REALLY disliked rats but I love all animals and believe in the fair treatment of such. So within a few weeks I got attached to them and couldn't allow them to be used for feeding purposes but am not too fond of owning any rats either.
Yesterday, I re-homed the rats to a great family who LOVES them and wants them as pets. I felt relived to have them gone and proud of myself because they didn't end up being snake food.
WELL..............

when the family picked the rats up, I counted them and realized that 3 have escaped over night and are in my lanai under my outside fridge.
I thought no big deal, Ill catch them and re-home them as well. The family stated that they would pick them up as soon as I caught em.
I didn't pay much mind to it. Feeling accomplished (silly me) I even set up a humane trap last night in hopes of getting them to their "forever home".

WELL..... when I checked the trap this morning at 5:30 am. Its empty. & I notice that my chicks cage seems to be moved. I go to the cage and one of my baby chicks is missing its WHOLE wing, Its completely ripped off!!!

UGH....... I NOW HATE THESE RATS. I'm a super animal lover and don't believe in inhumane practices at all. BUT I cannot have these vermin killing my babies.
I'm lost. I don't know how to help the hurt chick, nor do I know what to do about the rats. Part of me wants to KILL them dead! But I feel guilty for feeling that way.

PLEASE ADVISE.
ALL SUGGESTIONS AND IDEAS ARE WELCOMED.
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Pick up a few snap rat traps, when you catch the rats, they will be dead, but the snake should still eat it!

If the bleeding on the chick has stopped, it has a chance to live ... if it hasn't stopped by now, it is probably already dead ... if it is still alive, and bleeding just a little, put some pressure on the bleeding spot(s), then bandage the best you can with a cream like neosporin under it, change at least twice a day ... make sure chick has food and water ... maybe tempt it to eat with offering it scrambled eggs, or yogurt ... cheese ...

Use plain neosporin, not the kind with pain killer in it. If the bleeding stopped and the chick is still alive, I agree, it can survive. Keep clean and treat as any wound, you have an 18yo son, I'm sure you've treated wounds before! Keep warm and calm and offer it the things mentioned above.

In my opinion part of owning a farm is being to put down any animals that are injured or troublesome. I would put down the chick if it looks like it's suffering, or not eating or drinking.

I also have snakes and rats. You have to tell yourself those rats are food not pets. It is difficult but it is part of the hobby. Rats are very smart. Now they've tasted flesh they will most likely look for it again. I would catch the rats and feed them to the snakes asap.

So sorry for your loss If you can keep the chick from going into shock or get it out of it, it can live!
Our family GSD got lose a couple months ago and killed 4 of our babies (two 3 month old white rocks and two seven week old Rouen ducklings) and it was so hard.
You can trap the rats in a humane trap. Rats love peanut butter crackers in my experience, I found that to be good bait. Place the trap in the path of the rats, so against a wall, and they will run right in!
Is your son still breeding the snakes? And what species is he breeding? In my experience with pet snakes, they are escape artists. I had a corn snake that was about 2 feet long that never returned. We had a snake topper on it's tank with the edges taped, I have no idea how it got out! Those guys will eat chicks, too. If you continue to allow him to breed the snakes, make sure he knows how to keep the cages secure.

Thank you so much!!
It wasn't bleeding when i found it and there really wasn't blood at all just the feathers and some of the wing. He has a nasty wound where the wing was. I cleaned it with a warm cloth. He was moving around fine and chirping a lot. I made sure he had food and water and that he was in a clean cage and warm.
I am leaving work early, well earlier than usual at least, to go home and check on him. Ill pick up some neosporin without the pain meds and I have normal saline solution, dry gauze, kerlix and paper tape. So ill clean it up again and apply some ointment and cover it. I feel so bad for him.
I could not believe that the rats did this. =(

The Grove said:

In my opinion part of owning a farm is being to put down any animals that are injured or troublesome. I would put down the chick if it looks like it's suffering, or not eating or drinking.

I also have snakes and rats. You have to tell yourself those rats are food not pets. It is difficult but it is part of the hobby. Rats are very smart. Now they've tasted flesh they will most likely look for it again. I would catch the rats and feed them to the snakes asap.

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thank you!! I guess I was just not prepared for that! I was in shock lol

torilovessmiles said:

So sorry for your loss

If you can keep the chick from going into shock or get it out of it, it can live!
Our family GSD got lose a couple months ago and killed 4 of our babies (two 3 month old white rocks and two seven week old Rouen ducklings) and it was so hard.
You can trap the rats in a humane trap. Rats love peanut butter crackers in my experience, I found that to be good bait. Place the trap in the path of the rats, so against a wall, and they will run right in!
Is your son still breeding the snakes? And what species is he breeding? In my experience with pet snakes, they are escape artists. I had a corn snake that was about 2 feet long that never returned. We had a snake topper on it's tank with the edges taped, I have no idea how it got out! Those guys will eat chicks, too. If you continue to allow him to breed the snakes, make sure he knows how to keep the cages secure.

Click to expand...

Im sorry for your loss. Thank you for your support. I was in shock all morning.
I had set a trap last night with peanut butter but they went after the chicks instead =( im going to try a different type of trap. Im going to hit up the hardware store and see what they have that might trap them better.
Yeah he still owns them. But he wont be breeding anytime soon. He needs to wait until he is able and willing to properly go about the whole thing. Breeding any animal requires money, dedication, commitment and preparation. He cant rely on good ol' mom to take care of it. Weve had snakes our whole lives. I own 2 myself. But ive never actually had to care for the rats I feed them. I usually go buy them. They come in a paper bag, and I drop them into the feeding tub and thats it. No time to bond.
I guess actually having to feed them, clean their cage up and handle them caused me to care. Now they have become too big to feed to the snakes regardless. if im able to catch them ill give them away to someone who has use for them. If not then I will be forced to set poison out. I cant have them running around eating my animals and nor do I want them to have a chance at reproducing. This forum has helped me alot, ive been surfing the posts for hoursssssss and now feel better about how to handle it all.

Update**Graphic pictures **

So my little one seems to be doing very well. It's alert, active, eating, drinking and loud lol.
I cleansed his wounds as suggested and applied triple antibiotic ointment. He's nice and warm and doing good.
His injury looks clean. The wing was straight ripped off clean. It's sad but he doesn't have any other injuries nor any open wounds thank god. He is a strong little guy. Contacted a local vet and taking him in the am.