# Help sick babies!



## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

So, our rat blueberry was unexpectedly pregnant when we got her. She had 14 little babies 9 days ago. They all seemed very healthy and blueberry was being a very good mom, but was aggressive so I only handled the babies once daily. I noticed yesterday while handling them that there are 3 very small babies. One of them is all skin and bones; I am completely distraught over it. I got some soy baby formula but the 3 really donâ€™t want to eat. Today I cleaned the cages, and moved mom and babied into a bigger area and I found a dead baby! It was also very tiny. So I tried to feed the small ones again this morning but still no luck, and one of the bigger ones had build up in its nose that I had to clean out because I donâ€™t think it could breathe well.

I donâ€™t really know what to do, I know that the small ones may not make it because they seem to have failure to thrive, but I would really like to save them.  

Any help would really be appreciated.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

there really isn't much to go on here... not sure if I can offer anything to help

Maybe go with a different formula... I know some babies will reject the soy 

If you can, try to get the puppy (Esbilac) or kitten (KMR) formula

If you can you want pour it off into small "half-cubes" an ice tray & freeze what you don't immediately use. Mix the formula 50/50 with water & warm it ever so slightly (take the chill off) 

Use a very small eye dropper rather than a syringe because pushing the liquid with a syringe could choke the baby & cause them to breath in the liquid.

If you can, get them to a rat friendly vet.

In the end, you may need to let nature runs it course. It isn't always pretty but often nature knows best. I lost an entire litter one by one last year... I know who heartbreaking it can be.


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## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

The one that was having trouble breathing passed last night. It was really sad, blueberry didn't move it out of the nest, and she kept poking it with her nose. So shes down to 12 now.


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