# Day old rat with paper stuck to it and it isn't getting fed!



## Aria.therat (Feb 22, 2010)

Adopted rat just had 11 babies (i thought 9 but just did check there IS 11) Anyway one of the babies is a lot smaller than the rest it looks like it hasn't been fed no milk belly or anything. The mother put it outside of the nest and it was crying i don't want it to die! Please give advice! I read other posts and didnt get any answers. ???


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## AvaAdoreSmashing (Dec 31, 2009)

Sad :-\ I hope someone can offer some help with hand feeding a new born. 
All I really know about that situation is it's important how you old the baby while feeding it. Hopefully someone can explain all of this for you soon. Wish I knew more on this topic. I'll search through some threads for some info.


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## AvaAdoreSmashing (Dec 31, 2009)

I'm just going quote any good info I come across in hopes it helps you. 
It would be a really good idea for a sticky on how to take care of situations like this.



lilspaz68 said:


> the milk band only shows up after nursing, then its slowly absorbed so sometimes you just don't see it all the time. Do the bubs look chubby and pink and healthy? If they look pale and scrawny or have big black streaks on their belly then there may be a problem.
> 
> See how some have milk bellies and others don't? All 8 boys lived and are now 18 days old


This thread has some info http://www.ratforum.com/index.php/topic,21364.0.html This one has the picture of how to hold them while feeding


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## AvaAdoreSmashing (Dec 31, 2009)

To help with the paper stuck to him 



Sorraia said:


> Unfortunately some types of bedding stick to newborn babies. I'm glad to hear it's been taken care of!
> For future reference: I would be very hesitant to try to pull it off, because the baby can be damaged. I would also be hesitant to apply water to the baby - they are unable to thermoregulate on their own, and can easily catch a chill or get too hot. For the time being, I would leave the baby with the mother and let her take care of it. She knows what should or shouldn't be on the baby and will do what she can to keep them clean. The mother rat can also be more resourceful and "forceful" than we can because she has better dexterity with her tiny hands than we do with our big chubby fingers.
> 
> As for why the one baby would be different colored than the others - it could have to do with skin pigments, or the baby might not be as healthy as the others. Keep an eye on it, though unfortunately there isn't a whole lot we can do about it at this age.


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## Aria.therat (Feb 22, 2010)

The baby seems to be doing a little better, he got fed today after the momma kicked him out again I had to put him back in the nest but he's been doing better since being back with his siblings. Hopefully he'll contiinue to catch up to the rest of them. We got soy milk formula just incase though.


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## AvaAdoreSmashing (Dec 31, 2009)

Is the mother ok with you touching the babies? It might help if you put mom and the little baby in a separate cage together for 15 minutes. Might give him a chance to eat. dont keep mom from the other babies too long. no more then 30min. If he looks like he isn't getting fed it would be worth a shot.


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

Ive also heard that placing the mother and the baby in a small container together will force her to feed the baby.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

I had to do this when my girl had a litter.
I placed her in a very small travel cage and she lay down and fed the ignored baby.
it's just so she cant wander to far and ignore it still


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## [x]RaeLovesRats[x] (Feb 7, 2008)

AMJ that could also make things a lot worse.... 
My girls put babies outside the nest more than once. I just quietly put them back in, and they survied. I still have one boy that was put out a few times.


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

Why would it makes things worse? Many people have used this techniwue and I have not heard any negatives yet.


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