# Care of a baby questions?



## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

I have a hairless rat with one baby. Shes all alone in a cage with a blanket. hairless rats ussually are bad moms, i know. but any way i can help out and better the chances of the babys life. its about a week and 2 days old so far.

anything that'd help them?


----------



## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Is she nursing it and mindful of it? If not perhap you could supplement with formula?

Is this the same mother from your other post? Did she have any other babies or just two?


----------



## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

i believe it was 3... at first i didnt wanna bother her or them so i didnt get a full count. because the others didnt make it, it especially worried me so i took the momma and baby home to moniter them more closely. 
she seems to be good with it. 

she is nursing and cleaning the baby...i just want to make sure he makes it.

and thans for the responses/


----------



## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

If she is taking care of it, then I think the best thing to do would be to leave her to it. Also, you may want to provide her a nesting site. I've heard of rats who didn't want to care of their babies because they felt too exposed. Maybe give her an igloo. As long as you check the baby every day and he's got a milk band though, I'd leave them be.


----------



## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

what do you mean by milk band(im dumb haha) and she has a huge blanket that she burrowed in and seems content in. 

the baby seems to be a good weight, not too thin. which is good.


----------



## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

er... The milk band is a band of white that shows across a pinkie's tummy that shows that the mama is feeding them well.

Since you haven't already, you may want to read up on a bit of info about babies, and weaning and such.


----------



## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Is a milk band still visable day 9 (when they get fuzzy?) Though I suppose if the babe's a true hairless he won't get fuzzy...


----------



## chrisstrikeagain (Apr 10, 2007)

Yeah, i read up. Milk band is gone by his age. Plus hairless do get a bit of fuzz as babies but it goes away. Its not much...but i can see his little pattern. his pattern is a hood. =]

also, according to my readin, he'll be opening his eyes soon. =] hes a vocal one.


----------



## IceLore (May 13, 2007)

True hairless are hard to breed. Most hairless are really double rex, so they get patchy and bald and patchy and fuzzy. lol

The milk band is easy to see for the first week. For the week after that, I think you can still see it if the fur isn't too thick, and if you pull the skin taunt across the abdomen where their bellies would be.


----------



## dkirschling (Mar 20, 2007)

Why do hairless rats reject their babies? Is there a reason?


----------

