# Small baby in big litter



## katelyndm (Mar 21, 2021)

Ive contacted rescues for info, tried reaching out or researching online.

My girl I adopted ended up having babies... That was a first for me, didnt expect it. Especially didnt expect 14 babies!!

They are 10 days old now, their is quite the size difference. Mama does supply him too, however Ive been also told by the rescue to supplement with formula.

So i check every 2hrs the band. Been doing so all weekend up to now and will still continue. Im just worried about failure to thrive. I dont want him to suffer, and I am very stubborn and dont want to give up on him.

I have videos and pictures to show size difference, how he eats and how perky he gets, he does have hair growing!! just not plumping up yet like the others. Would also help knowing what is normal looking when can clearly see through their skin as pinkies.

realizing files are too big, idk if its ok or not but i can post a link for them via instagram for a better visual. 

Purely just needing help and peace of mind.


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## lfraser06 (Aug 5, 2020)

Without seeing, it''s hard to say - but follow the vet's advice.
I understand feeling stubborn about it - but sometimes it's helpful to remember, all you can do is all you can do. Beyond that, it's out of your hands.


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## katelyndm (Mar 21, 2021)




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## _dizzy_ (Mar 28, 2018)

You can try taking most of the litter out every few hours to let the baby have more time with more space to reach the nipples. If this stresses out mom too much then don't do it.
Based on the pic though it looks like you should do formula feeding. I personally would pull the baby out of the litter completely for formula feeding.
I have hand raised babies before, so if you want I can give you some of my advice that isn't heavily touched up on in care guides.


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## katelyndm (Mar 21, 2021)

has been having bowel movements and pees, perky and eager at feeding time as well. just so small. i check on them every couple hours and if she is lacking a milk band I feed more. mama has been doing well them


_dizzy_ said:


> You can try taking most of the litter out every few hours to let the baby have more time with more space to reach the nipples. If this stresses out mom too much then don't do it.
> Based on the pic though it looks like you should do formula feeding. I personally would pull the baby out of the litter completely for formula feeding.
> I have hand raised babies before, so if you want I can give you some of my advice that isn't heavily touched up on in care guides.


i would very much appreciate any advice. i have a 10ml oral dropper and formula atm ive been using since Saturday. i have toddlers so when it comes to feeding babies i think it was safe to assume of newborn babies eat every 2 and a half 3hrs at birth then so do most mamals at birth. I have also done some rotations since day 3. milk bands def show up on him. but i def understand the need for separating as she cant squirm past the heavier ones. but he is stubborn !

the dropper i use with my finger to allow a small drop between my finger and his mouth. sometimes he just wants the whole drop im the mouth and guzzle lol. i am constantly wiping his face too to make sure none gets over the nose .


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## lfraser06 (Aug 5, 2020)

katelyndm said:


> has been having bowel movements and pees, perky and eager at feeding time as well. just so small. i check on them every couple hours and if she is lacking a milk band I feed more. mama has been doing well them
> 
> i would very much appreciate any advice. i have a 10ml oral dropper and formula atm ive been using since Saturday. i have toddlers so when it comes to feeding babies i think it was safe to assume of newborn babies eat every 2 and a half 3hrs at birth then so do most mamals at birth. I have also done some rotations since day 3. milk bands def show up on him. but i def understand the need for separating as she cant squirm past the heavier ones. but he is stubborn !
> 
> the dropper i use with my finger to allow a small drop between my finger and his mouth. sometimes he just wants the whole drop im the mouth and guzzle lol. i am constantly wiping his face too to make sure none gets over the nose .


Wow - that's a marked difference. It's almost as if they're from different litters.
It sounds like you're doing an awesome job - but I do recommend trying _dizzy's_ suggestion. If the mom can handle the other babies being away from her for a short bit - giving the little one some one-on-one time with mom would probably help. Not only for him to nurse but also just normal development. I would watch them closely the first time, to make sure the mom doesn't lash out at the little one. Good luck with them all.


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## _dizzy_ (Mar 28, 2018)

Rat & Mouse Gazette: Caring for Orphaned Baby Rats





the Rat Report





AFRMA - Caring for Rat & Mouse Orphans











Baby Rats - A Guide To Baby Rat Care, Behavior and Development


A guide to life with baby rats. Discover how newborn rats develop week by week and how to look after them. A complete guide to baby rat care and behavior.



squeaksandnibbles.com





Here are some sites I used when hand raising babies. I suggest you read all of them thoroughly and refer to the multiple times during the growth of the young rat. I found it was easier to use a new paintbrush made from hair to feed the babies. I would poop the babies and weigh them before feeding and weigh them after feeding. 0.1 CC is equal to 0.1 g in weight which is very useful to me since I can't measure out how much I'm feeding with a paintbrush.
Of course that was the way of kitten milk, which is what I used. I found bloating was common in the baby rats so I had to poop them more often. If you have problems with that just lay the on a heating pad and gently stroke the stomach from the bottom of the chest down. After a couple strokes poop the baby and repeat about two more times then see if bloating goes away. keeping the formula warm during feeding is very important. I had the formula in a small bowl and would put the small bowl in a bigger bowl of warm water.
The amount of times you feed per day varies on the age of the rat, so just refer to those articles I sent.
If you have any questions on specific things, just let me know.


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## Tinytoes (Dec 23, 2020)

How is your tiny baby doing?


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