# Caring for orphan baby rat -- some general questions



## DanielD (Sep 18, 2010)

Found a baby rat (believe it to be a tree-rat) squeaking in a drive-way, trying to nurse it back to health.

Found last Tuesday, had all it's hair and it's eyes closed. Now (Friday), it's eyes are still closed, and when I put it down from my hand to let it walk around, it shakily stumbles a few steps and falls over or rests before continuing. Should it be able to walk more steadily by now? It is equally inactive in my hand, moving around a lot only when eating or if turned upside down to be cleaned/stimulated. 

Wondering if the docile behavior is normal, and additionally if the still-closed eyes are normal at this stage.

Thanks!


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

What exactly are you doing to "nurse it back to health"? We need to know more details about what you're doing before we can say it's lack of proper care or just normal


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## DanielD (Sep 18, 2010)

Feeding it 5% of it's body weight in baby formula (at half strength atm due to the feces being runny) 4-5 times a day + at night (every 4 hours aprox), hanging out with/petting it for an hour or so after most feedings, stimulating the genitals to get it to use the bathroom. Cleaning it with a warm damp cotton ball after every feeding. I've got it in a box with some torn up newspaper and an old t-shirt, with a heating pad underneath the box.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Babies need to be fed every 2 hours, even throughout the night. Its normal for their feces to be runny, no need to give them half strength formula... he/she needs all the nutrients it can get. Their eyes open at approx the two week mark, after that they will crawl around more... then by the 3rd week it should be moving around lots. 

Can you get a picture of the baby? That would be the best way to judge what condition its in. And if its even a rat or not.


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