Hand Raise Rat Babies - Keep the babies warm. Make a nest for the babies out of a small box that is at least 6 inches deep and place a soft towel or blanket in it. Then wrap a towel around a hot water bottle and place it in their box making sure there is enough room for the babies to crawl away from it if they get too warm. You will need to cover the babies with a towel as well to make sure that they stay warm enough.
Assist the babies with toileting because it's essential when you hand raise rat babies. They are unable to go to the bathroom by themselves so you will have to help them with this. Use a cotton ball or small piece of toilet paper that has been dipped in warm water and wipe their bottom and genitals to stimulate elimination.
Hand Raise Rat Babies
Feed the babies using an eyedropper filled with warm soy baby formula. Put the dropper in the baby's mouth and let them lick at it. If the baby is unable to lick then place a small drop in its mouth and wait for him to swallow it before you add another drop. If you notice milk coming out of the baby's nose you will know you put too much in his mouth. If the baby is very young his belly will be transparent and you can see when his stomach is getting full. Older babies will turn their heads or stop licking when they are finished. This will need to be done every two to three hours.
Repeat Step 2.
Massage the baby's entire body. This will help with digestion and get the rat used to being handled.
The best thing to do for an orphaned rat or litter of rats is to find them a foster nursing rat to raise them. If you can't find a foster rat then you will have to become the mother. Hand raising rat babies is a big commitment, but the rewards of watching your baby rats grow and develop make it worth the time and energy. Read on to learn how to hand raise rat babies. - by eHow
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