Rescued Baby Rat

[steelshell]

We recently rescued a baby rat that was living under our house. I believe it is a Cotton Rat, as I've seen the mother or father, who died. It's the cutest thing, very tiny. I've read various sites with tips on diet, care, etc. He's doing very well, NEVER shows any aggression, easily allows me to pick him up from his cage. When I hold him in my hand, he sits nicely, and enjoys me and the rest of our family petting him. He especially likes to be stroked along his jawline, he tilts his head to the side to allow more access when I stroke him there.
We've had him two or three weeks, and my concern is whether he is adapting. Like I said, he likes to be held, but if we're not on our guard, he will take off, and we have to chase him around to recapture him. I don't want to scare him, and I talk to him, try to coax him, but he just seems terrified, when he's escaped the palm of my hand. He's very content in the hand, but freaks when he is out of the hand.
So, how can I help him to adjust? We take him out at least twice a day, and spend a good deal of time talking to him and petting him. He rarely eats from our hands, but eats what I've provided for him in the cage. I am hoping that, since we got him at such a young stage, that he will become tame and learn to trust us. I also understand and respect the fact that he is a wild animal, brought into our home, and just may not become domesticated.
Any advice would be appreciated

[Ophelia]

Do you have pet rats? If so, you need to be insanely careful as wild rats can be packed with disease. Even if you don't own other rats I think you need to be careful. Bringing a wild animal into your house is often cause for trouble. At the very least he probably has some sort of mites and worms.

[ration1802]

It sounds as though the milestone of human/rat trust has already been reached. It took me a long time to get my wild rat, Max, to the stage that she would sit on my hand and allow other people to touch her.

There's only so much, however, that human's can teach wild rats to do. Have you considered getting some pet rats (if you don't already have some) to keep him with? You should find that their personalities will rub off on him, they have a way of teaching the wildlings what to be afraid of, what not to be afraid of etc. And as rats can learn through the experience of other rats - that may be the way to go, as far as calming down his senses go. It helped Max no end, and now she's an almost regular pet rat.

[Ophelia]

Ration, you advocate mixing a wild rat with pets? It just seems so...irresponsible to me. I mean, I am not being rude...
I know more about birds than rats and I know for a fact that you are not supposed to let a wild bird come in contact with your cagebird because they have all sorts of parasites and there are a hundred different diseases they can catch.
I know that the same is true for rats. There is a 99.99 percent chance that this wild rat has parasites, both mites and worms, and a QT would not get rid of them. She handles him and then her pets, now her pets have mites.
Just seems really weird to me....

[ration1802]

You can treat parasites, you can treat mites etc. When you consider the long term quality of life of an animal, that would be far more beneficial with company, especially company that will allow it to learn what to fear and what not to fear, therefore lessening stress. The somewhat superficial problems shouldn't be the reason for housing it alone.

A lengthened QT should be done, perhaps a precautionary round of a broad spectrum antibiotic. You can give revolution if you want to, should the wild rat have mites.

My wild rat came to me at 2 weeks old, she became almost neurotic housed alone. Now she is with my domestic girls, she has absolutely thrived. So yes, I do condone housing wild and domestic, if one is willing to take the risk

Edit: Just a thought though, I would do some research beforehand should you decide to get this guy some company. If he is a cotton rat, I'm unsure what effect that may have on regular pet rats, if any.

[Ophelia]

Yeah. Like I said I was not arguing with you. I was just questioning the idea.
The OP has had the rat for 3+ weeks and didn't mention anything about vets or anything. Which isn't an insult to them as a lot of people wouldn't think of it, but I wouldn't recommend throwing the rat in with pets which is what it could sound like you were suggesting in your first post.
I am not insulting either you or her for taking one in, though. Just it's something that a newbie should do with extra caution.

[ration1802]

I'm not here to spoon feed. The OP sounds completely capable of putting two and two together and should the decision be made to introduce domestic rats to this wild child - I'm sure it would be done thoughtfully with the appropriate precautions taken. "Throwing" them together didn't come into the equation.

Why would the vets be mentioned if the rat is perfectly healthy? It depends entirely on how old this rat is and how much contact it has had with other wild rats. Many wild rats are healthy, it will depend on the area and conditions that they live in.

I'm not gonna argue this one, at the end of the day it's the OP's decision. So let's just leave it here

[Ophelia]

Vet? Um. Maybe because it's a wild rat...
Many wild rats are healthy. Most are not.
*shrug* No point getting yourself in a huff over it.

[BeanieBoo-Rattles]

Unless a problem arises there is no need to waste time and money , ( on both the owners and the vets part) . I think you should back off a bit and not give pointless advice. Like ration said if it has mites , it can be treated , blah blah ffin blah. So dont argue unless you seriously think you have more experience in this area. which as you said yourself you dont THANK YOU !

[steelshell]

I did consider taking it to the vet... I've inspected him pretty thoroughly, and haven't seen any sort of parasite at all. I've considered returning him to the wild, I almost feel a little guilty for keeping him. Anyone have thoughts on that one? He's so beautiful, really, but maybe it is selfish of me to keep him. But I also wonder how he'd fare, out on his own. I know they have instincts to care for themselves... but, now that I've had him caged for weeks, I don't know if I've stunted those instincts. I've always had such a tremendous love for animals, and usually have a small zoo in the family . Right now, we have two dogs and a goose - that's the smallest collection of animals I've ever had. Anyways, I just want to do right by the little fella...