[fireeyes2899]

My bf was cleaning out his shed when he found a baby rodent. I am not experienced with babies and I was hoping someone here could help. Is it a rat or a mouse and what age? Here is a link to the pictures in case it doesn't show here. I have not seen the little guy in person yet. So these are the best pictured I received.
http://smg.photobucket.com/user/fireeyes2899/slideshow/Mobile Uploads

Thanks so much!!

 

[edajade]

Looks like a baby mouse.... I dont know, im not very experienced either. Its hard to tell, is so tiny. So beautiful though, awh.

 

[fireeyes2899]

Ya, its size says mouse but to me it has rat features.

 

[edajade]

Yeah i know what you mean... the big feet and all

 

[Rat Daddy]

Baby rats and baby mice look pretty much alike except rats are bigger and I can't make out a good frame of reference. If it isn't eating solid foods yet, feed with KMR about every few hours. In a week or so you will know for sure what you have.

If it's a rat and you found it wild, give it constant love and attention to socialize it. Once it gets mobile and agile, it may be too hostile to work with. Wild rats can make great pets if they are properly socialized from a very young age, but once they get too big they quickly become too dangerous to handle, much less socialize.

I also might add that wild rats pretty much become one owner or one family pets, keep strangers hands away until you know for sure your animal can cope with people he or she doesn't know.

 

[Korra]

Its a mouse. A very healthy looking one at that

 

[Amph]

Pretty sure its a baby mouse, rats tails taper much more towards the base than that. ;D

 

[Rat Daddy]

Actually, there are a couple of other native rodent species that are neither rat nor mouse that might fit the color and body shape profile i.e certain wood rats or some off the off brands of 'mouse'.

Usually a baby mouse isn't over an inch long while a baby rat is both thicker bodied and over an inche when it's already fuzzy. I've had old baby mice and baby rats together and they are completely impossible to confuse. But photos can be deceiving... In about a week or so you will know for sure and either way you may have and interesting pet if it's either a rat or a mouse. Unfortunately, some of the 'off brand' native rodents aren't known to socialize easily and there's debate whether some can be socialized at all.

 

[fireeyes2899]

My bf has handled it some and he says its pretty friendly. I will get to look at it today after work. I was hoping it would be a rat so I wouldnt have to worry about separate cages.

 

[Rat Daddy]

What ever it is, handle it, and keep handling it a lot. If you don't get any wild rodent used to being handled and bonded to you when it's very young it won't be manageable later.

 

[fireeyes2899]

I told my bf to start handling him. I dont think he wants me to raise it anymore after I told him they usually only bond to one person. Lol

 

[Rat Daddy]

It's one person or one family... you become the "pack". Wild rats see their pack as " safe family" and everyone else as "enemy or danger" It's just the way they are wired.

We could introduce new people to our wild child.... very carefully... while we were holding her... She had to hear their voice, sniff them, see it was OK by me... then she would allow herself to be petted or even sometimes give the new person a kiss. And NO, I never was crazy enough to let anyone else hold her to see what would have happened after "the incident".

But when someone she didn't know grabbed her when I wasn't around.... there was blood all over the place and none of it was hers.

 

[Michaela]

Most need to be re-released as they don't do well in captivity at all. Depending on the species, It might not be possible to keep it.... Here in Australia most rat/mouse species need to be re-released once old enough as they are depressed in captivity & will also be unhand able regardless of how much they are handled. In a few weeks you should be able to tell if it is a rat or mouse & there should be more prominent features that will let you narrow the species & type down. Good luck!