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

[miss_jayne]

i think the best option would be to call a veterinarian and ask what the proper nutrition should be.

seems like most of the answers here are NOT answering the question, rather telling the OP to get rid of the rat, disease issues etc. we might want to stick to the topic and assist if we have a suitable suggestion.

 

[KittyKelly]

Rats are really smart. I just recently acquired a rat from the pet store that I couldn't pass up! She is so so sweet and never bites. I feed her corn and a bag of rat food from the pet store. They love to play with things so she has a little stuffed animal, some ramps, a loft, a wheel, a little strand of garland and some straw to make a nest with. She sits on my shoulder and is really good at holding on while I wander around the house doing chores or if I'm just sitting at my computer reading my mail. If you raise this little rat and give it lots of attention when it's young, it will grow into a very loyal pet. I wouldn't worry about it being "wild" so long as you are very gentle and never hurt him/her. You could probly even teach it some tricks. Like I said....rats are really smart.

Oh yeah....they are escape artists so make sure their cage is secure!

 

[KittyKelly]

right on Miss Jayne! I agree with you.

About your rat being a wild animal......everything was once wild and all animals are born with instincts. There are some animals....like zebra finches...that you can never tame but thats not true for rats. Its not like you have a baby grizzly or a baby tiger cub.

 

[thebritt]

Quote:
Since it's eyes are open, it may be close to being done nursing. Mom rat would be bringing food back to the nest for it, so soft foods, like oatmeal, softened puppy crunchies (soak in warm water or milk replacement), etc should be good. Can it hold food in it's hands? Does it have any teeth? Those would be good indicators of it's readiness for different foods.
Good luck! (And tell your dad he's got at least a couple supporters out here!)

 

[citalk2much]

Quote:
Since it's eyes are open, it may be close to being done nursing. Mom rat would be bringing food back to the nest for it, so soft foods, like oatmeal, softened puppy crunchies (soak in warm water or milk replacement), etc should be good. Can it hold food in it's hands? Does it have any teeth? Those would be good indicators of it's readiness for different foods.
Good luck! (And tell your dad he's got at least a couple supporters out here!)

Oh I am so glad someone was able to offer the OP some good help thank you!

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

Pet stores carry rat food...
They will eat almost anything, (bird food, hamster/gerbil food) but you want them to be healthy. They can eat UN-sweetened cereal, and dog food, preferably low fat senior, not cat food as cat food has too much protein. Lots of grains, dry pasta, fruits and veggies.....


Just remember to read labels!!
Rats only need about 5 percent fat --this means pick out the sunflower seeds
and about 14 percent protein from what I remember....you may look it up.


MORE DIETS HERE:
http://www.ratsrule.com/diet.html

http://www.dapper.com.au/articles.htm
Here is more info from:
http://www.wikihow.com/Care-for-a-Pet-Rat

# The staple diet of your rat should consist of lab blocks or a homemade grain mix called "Suebee's Diet" and dog food. The recipe can be found online..

The rest should be supplemented with fresh and frozen fruits, veggies, cooked beans, seeds etc. Avoid giving citrus juices to male rats, as a chemical in the peel (which is usually in commercial citrus juices) binds with a protein in their kidneys, and causes cancer. Fresh citrus is fine, as long as you remove any skin and pith (the white stuff) before feeding male rats. Females do not have this problem.

If you must purchase commercial rat food be aware that the corn and alfalfa pellets are undigestable and small seeds will likely go uneaten. Many vets recommend Oxbow Regal Rat, Mazuri, or Harlan Teklad lab blocks.
# Make food readily available. Rats will stop eating when they are full. Buying pre-made "rat mixes" isn't necessarily the best choice as some rats will eat only the pieces they enjoy and leave the rest. Some recommend buying "lab blocks" which are "nutritionally complete" and supplementing with fresh fruits, veggies, dry bread, yogurt. Rats may become bored eating the same thing every single meal, and can stop eating. Dog food made for Seniors (which has a lower fat content) can be a good supplement to their regular diet.
# When buying rat food, ensure that it is not just seeds and nuts! These mixes contain too much protein and fat for rats. Also ensure that corn is not the number one ingredient in the mix as too much may contribute to cancer. Instead of searching for a good rat mix, you can choose to make a homemade mix such as Suebee's (see external links).

Best of luck--Rats Rock!

 

[sunnibunny99]

Thanks!!

 

[taraann81]

how big is the rat? I used to breed hairless rats and when they are about the size of a mouse( a small mouse about the size you would see in a pet store) they should be able to eat food on their own. I would get a food specifically formulated for rodents. Get a pelleted diet like nutri block(very reasonably priced), if you buy the seed mixture rats will pick out only their favorite pieces and not get the proper nutrients.

Rats make excellent pets, I personally do not have experience with wild rats but I am sure if treated with kindness you will have a wonderful little pet.

Like mentioned in a previous thread the diseases rats carry are most often carried by the fleas which reside on rats. Give him a flea bath or better yet rats can be treated with advantage(from your vet) but you would need to see a vet for dosing.

Good luck and post a picture. I bet she is adorable.

 

[BluegrassSeramas]

If you are worried about fleas, they make a frontline spray also..Like 1 squirt per so many ounces...ask your vet!

 

[raroo]

Quote:
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!

This is not true. Wild and domesticated rats are as different as wild wolves and domesticated dogs. I knew someone who raised a litter of baby wild rats that were born to a domestic female who had escaped. These babies were not friendly, and this woman is a very experienced rat person. She tried to hand raised them and they were always wild, always fearful, and always tried to bite. Wild animals, especially rodents, never lose their fear! Baby rats are independent and ready to breed at 5 weeks of age. They are still tiny, and look like helpless babies, but they aren't.
I would say let the rat go.