# Newborn rat diseased?!



## PrincessRat (Aug 22, 2012)

The mother rat in my yard came back and the babies are all fine, but she kicked out one of the babies..possibly the runt I think?
I thought he may have just wandered from the nest so I left him but she never got him back, so I got a little tissue and moved him back to the nest but I tried doing this a couple times and she kept picking him up and carrying him away from the nest and she wouldn't take him. Finally I brought him inside because I couldn't stand to let him die out there without doing anything. I know there's a good chance that he won't survive, but I'm making an attempt. I did a lot of research on how to take care of a newborn pup and he is doing a lot better. He seems pretty healthy and alert and I think he is doing well. But my mom freaked out when I told her. She said he probably has a bunch of diseases and that he will escape in her house and pee and poop everywhere. I asked my friend who also has rats and she said that if the mother had passed any diseases to him he would have already died because his immune system wouldn't be able to handle it and I also read that a few places on the internet. But I also read on other sites that he probably has diseases and stuff. Those seemed to be more anti-rat sites, but I'm not sure what to believe. I was told that if he survives to be a couple weeks old, I could put him with my female and see if she would like to give him a rat motherly figure. But my mum said if I put him anywhere near her she will get a disease from him. My mum always says things like that because she says we have too many animals and doesn't want any more, so I don't know for sure if she actually knows that because she doesn't really know a lot about rats. She just says what she thinks but I'm afraid if she's right I don't want to put him in with her. Also I don't know if I'm going to keep him or release him when he older. He is three days old right now, I brought him in yesterday. So what I want to know is 1) Would he have any diseases? and if so 2) Would a human be able to get these diseases from him? 3) Would my other rat be able to get these diseases from him? 4) Would you recommend keeping him and raising him as pet (I do have experience keeping wild MICE as pets) or releasing him????


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## Kaliloca (Jan 24, 2013)

I have no idea if wild rats are "diseased".... Even back when people got the "plague"..... It wasn't the rat, but the fleas they carried. 

I guess if the parents of this baby looked "sickly".... It could be "possible" that this baby isn't exact healthy.... 

I wouldn't never put it in with your other rat. It wouldn't be from fear of diseases. It's a wild animal and if/when it's wild instincts kick in... It could go badly if a wild rat was in with a domestic rat. 

As far as keeping it as a pet... It was born wild and it, if it survives, it deserves a life that's "not behind bars". 

There's a few reasons that the mom might have put it out. Could be the runt or maybe she's just got too many and only kept the largest/strongest ones. 

Maybe you got a little too close and she freaked.

When you put it back, no matter how careful you were, your scent or a "new scent" could have gotten on to it. 

Did you actually "see" her put the baby out? If not, it could have gotten out accidentally. Even a wild rat can "accidentally" misplace one of their children. 

Then there's the possibility it's "imperfect". I'm sure there's other reasons, but these are the first to come to mind. 

For such a young rat, the chances of survival are slim. If it does survive, then it beat the odds. If not, it would have died anyway, since it's mother wouldn't take it back. 

The problem is, "you keep getting close to the babies". The mom is a "wild rat" and really does "need her privacy and space". 

Anyway, if it were me and the baby managed to survive, I'd set it free. 

You can do what you feel is best, but that's what I'd do.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

The kind of things that humans can catch from rats would be very unlikley to make him or his mum ill as the common zoonosis rats carry dont effect them in any way but can make a humn sick. Theres no guarantee hes carrying anything, but unfortunatly some things are comon like leptospirosis. This doesnt mean by being near him you or your mum will get sick. If you take sensible precautions such as washing your hands after handeling him, not having any open wounds near him and if he makes it treating him for internal and external parasites and giving him a course of antibiotics when hes old enough. 

To be honest though unless hes got fur and ideally eyes ooen he is unlkley to make it. Try and get hold of some puppy milk a d use a dropper to give him tiny amounts at a time, warmed up may nelp


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

So as to question one, rat moms usually kill and eat defective offspring, baby rats are protected by the antibodies in their mom's milk so they rarely have 'diseases', they also kill their babies if they have too many to feed... The fact that she didn't kill this one tells me there is hope. Check it closely for mites though. These won't harm you but they could kill a newborn rat or infect your current rat. Wash your hands after handling your new rat just in case.

Wild baby rats can make excellent pets, if they are hand raised from 3 days old. You can most certainly keep him if you work hard enough to bond with him while he is little. I had a part wild girl and she was loving and sweet, but she was a little pet wolf, she was vicious towards strangers and killed other small animals on sight. She did live with a domestic roommate and punctured her throat to prove a point but never was aggressive towards her otherwise. My domestic rat was never stupid enough to attack my wild-type again after that experience.

UnlikelyFather raised a wild boy and had great success with him. In fact the rat fancy was born when people adopted wild baby rats and raised them. The rats that people raised in the first many years of the hobby were actually all wild rats. So, not only has it been done, it's the way the entire fancy started.

Wild rats can jump vast distances, disappear into thin air, climb straight up walls, squish flat to go under doors and do things domestic rats can't even dream of. They will mock attack you when they reach a certain age which can be quite scary but they don't really bite. And if you raise your voice, or drop something you are not likely to see them for quite a while... they are wired super hot.

Like a pet wolf they are amazing and rewarding pets, but they are also very challenging and you need to provide them with very special care and constant attention when they are young. They also enjoy lots of free range time and roaming room when they get older. Not to worry, they never get lost and can take care of themselves.

If your adult girl rat is nursing, you can introduce him to her now... if not, don't introduce him to her at all if your wild child is a boy and until your wildling turns out to be a girl and then only when she's pretty much an adult. Non-maternal girl rats will often attack other rat's babies, a wild rat, even a small one can defend itself and your current pet rat can get badly hurt if she doesn't kill your baby.

If you wind up with two girls, wait until they are both bonded to you and love and trust you and your wild rat is pretty much an adult... only then manage the introductions carefully, with yourself firmly in the middle... your wild child won't kill your other rat if she realizes that your domestic rat belongs to your pack and is under your protection. Once your wild child is an adult, there isn't much a domestic rat can do to him or her even though domestics are larger. 

For now, keep your wild child warm and fed every 4 hours or so, watch for mites and stay as hands on as possible, make sure he smells you and knows your voice and touch. If he accepts you as his parent he will love you and bond with you. he will make an amazing companion. If he doesn't bond with you now he will be way too dangerous to keep in your home when he gets older. Please believe me when I say wild rats are very special, very loving and very protective towards their pack members and friends, and very dangerous to people and animals they don't like all at the same time. 

If you are up for a real animal challenge, this is the pet for you. If he survives the next week or two, message me and I'll help you raise him or her. BTW, this is the kind of rat you can install a doggie door for so he can go outside and come home and wild types are actually generally less destructive than pet rats in your home. And if you ever get mice in your house, consider them snacks for your wild type rat. As a matter of fact he'll likely hoover up any bugs or small living things he finds. You will also find he or she will learn commands and his or her name faster than a domestic rat. But if anyone grabs him without first speaking to him, then letting him sniff them he can tear up a human hand faster than someone can drop him. Its all about protocols and correct procedures with wild type rats.

We loved ours, and I know unlikelyfather loves his, and there are internet articles about other people who have raised wildlings, so not to worry, it's very doable. But check with your insurance carrier to see if it covers your rat biting strangers before you introduce your new pet to your friends. 

If you are the right family you guys are going to have some great fun with your new pet wolf.

Best luck!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

As to setting him free, at about two months old he or she will have the natural skills to survive on his or her own... then it's your call. If you set him lose in your yard, expect to see him around the breakfast table one chilly morning, just a heads up. Ours left and came home for winter after 5 months outdoors.


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