Umm... So my dad found this baby Rat.......

sunnibunny99

Songster
10 Years
Mar 19, 2009
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East Texas! :)
He wants to keep it till its older
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Still... Does anyone know what to feed and how to care for a tiny baby rat?


Its not newborn.... its got fur and its eyes are open...
 
eek, I'd never keep a wild rat. That's just me though. My birds got Marek's Disease from wild rats... so i hold a personal grudge. They eat anything though. Heck, give em your chicken feed and he'll do fine.
 
Another thing with wild animals - it will always be wild. it doesn matter when you got it, how long youve had it, there is always part of the brain that has its ancestory and instinct put away. And rat bites hurt. They go deep and can take a chunk out of your finger.
 
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The only way the birds could have contracted Marek's from the rats was by moving to and from another farm that actually had the Marek's. Rats didn't give the disease to your birds...merely moved it to your flock from another one.
 
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The only way the birds could have contracted Marek's from the rats was by moving to and from another farm that actually had the Marek's. Rats didn't give the disease to your birds...merely moved it to your flock from another one.

My neighbors who kindly "gave" me a ton of wild rats never had chickens. I think they're demon rats conspiring against me.
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No, I understand how it transmits. Either way, they do spread a ton of diseases.
 
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With most species of wild animals, this is true. However, pet rats and wild rats (not talking about the wood rats in the forests we have out here in the West, but Norway rats) are the exact same species. They are notorious for their adaptability. If this young one is treated with kindness as one would a pet, it will become a pet! As for diseases, the diseases they carry are due to any parasite load (esp. FLEAS, etc), and if given a flea bath and kept in a clean environment, disease is not an issue any more than pet store rats. I think it's pretty cool that your dad would even think of giving the critter a good life!
 
I am unsure how to age Gage a rat I would try to offer it puppy replacement in a one cc surge if it takes it I would give it that 4 times a day along with soft foods like grapes apples melon Roman dandelion greens. Then move it to rat food.
That is my best guess I hope it helps
 

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