Hi there. Im hoping somone can give me some advice.
My dog found 3 adult rats today while I was walking her. They must have been dumped by someone. So I went home to get a box and went back to pick them up. When I got back to them 1 of them had gone, I had a look around for him but couldnt find him so I took the other 2 home and then went back to have another look for the 3rd one.
Well after looking for a while I thought saw him in a hole in the wall just above where the other 2 were, so I looked in there but it wasnt him, there were 3 baby rats in there! It took me ages but I finally managed 2 catch all 3 babies and get them in the box but sadly couldnt find the other adult.
So anyway now I have 5 rats at my house! I have the babies in a seperate cage from the adults at the moment as I am worried about the babies getting attacked if I put them together. I dont even know if the adults are the parents, although I think 1 is male and 1 is female. Should I try and put the babies in with the female in case she is the mother? Will they need to be with their mother? The babies are not tiny, I dont know much about rats but I think they might be about 4-5 weeks old maybe. They have eaten some of the food I have given them.
I contacted my vet and they gave me a number for a small animal sanctuary nearby which I will call in the morning and hopefully they will take the rats in.
I wish I could keep them myself as I love rats but I am living with my parents at the moment and my father has a phobia, he really hates them. he doesnt know that I have these rats at the moment! If he knew he would be really freaked out and wouldnt want them in the house.
So I will probably only have them for tonight.I really need to know whether it is best to keep them seperated or put them together.
Can someone please help?
My dog found 3 adult rats today while I was walking her. They must have been dumped by someone. So I went home to get a box and went back to pick them up. When I got back to them 1 of them had gone, I had a look around for him but couldnt find him so I took the other 2 home and then went back to have another look for the 3rd one.
Well after looking for a while I thought saw him in a hole in the wall just above where the other 2 were, so I looked in there but it wasnt him, there were 3 baby rats in there! It took me ages but I finally managed 2 catch all 3 babies and get them in the box but sadly couldnt find the other adult.
So anyway now I have 5 rats at my house! I have the babies in a seperate cage from the adults at the moment as I am worried about the babies getting attacked if I put them together. I dont even know if the adults are the parents, although I think 1 is male and 1 is female. Should I try and put the babies in with the female in case she is the mother? Will they need to be with their mother? The babies are not tiny, I dont know much about rats but I think they might be about 4-5 weeks old maybe. They have eaten some of the food I have given them.
I contacted my vet and they gave me a number for a small animal sanctuary nearby which I will call in the morning and hopefully they will take the rats in.
I wish I could keep them myself as I love rats but I am living with my parents at the moment and my father has a phobia, he really hates them. he doesnt know that I have these rats at the moment! If he knew he would be really freaked out and wouldnt want them in the house.
So I will probably only have them for tonight.I really need to know whether it is best to keep them seperated or put them together.
Can someone please help?