Rescuing Ratticus: A Bond Beyond Species
When I first saw these tiny, wriggly, furry creatures, my heart melted and was filled with an overwhelming need to care for them. There were 6 baby rats no more than one week old, they had a small amount of fur and their eyes had not even opened yet. Attempts to reunite with the mother had failed, so I knew I needed to act quickly to save these precious little lives.
Once they were safe and warm my mind started to worry. I had saved one rat before when my landlord's cat came to me with a baby rat in its mouth, luckily he was unharmed, but he was too young to be released, so i took him in and cared for him, he lived for almost 4 years, which for a rat is pretty impressive. Remy, I named him, but he was older when I found him than these 6 new babies that came to me. I began my research on baby rat care and realised I had taken on more than I bargained for. Rats that are only 7 days old require feeding every 3-4 hours, with two night feedings.
I went out and got kitten milk, and started offering it to the babies through a tiny syringe with a rubber tubing attachment to imitate the mothers nipple. 4 out of the 6 babies were taking the milk relatively well, there was a clear difference in size between them. One was double the size of all the others, he guzzled up the milk and seemed very strong. The others seemed weaker but they were drinking so I hoped they would gain strength in time. 2 out of the 6 babies refused the milk. It was hard to feel helpless in giving these rats what they needed, what they needed was their mother.
Female rats are very devoted to their young, they make a remarkable nest, provide nutritious milk, clean them and snuggle up with them to keep them warm and to feel loved and safe. I did my best to fulfil their mothers duties but nature does it best. I lost 4 out of the 6 babies over the next couple days. It was heartbreaking and I felt like I had failed, but seeing the two strong thriving babies quickly turned my thoughts.
Dobby a male and Luna a female, named after Harry Potter characters. Both were strong, playful and full of life! Dobby was the largest baby from the beginning and Luna was one of the smaller ones but she grew into a sweet and bouncy adult! Luna gave me a scare when she was about two weeks old. She had contracted an ear infection, however, with medication and proper care she recovered. They both have such different personalities, Luna is delicate, curious and wary whereas Dobby is boisterous, adventurous and cheeky.
Now they are 4 months old, they have bonded with me as they would have their own mother. When they are scared they come to me for safety, when they need affection they come to me, when they are hungry, they come to me. Seeing them grow, learning how to climb, forage and groom themselves, simply learning to be rats was such a rewarding experience. They have given me so much, they have taught me patience, perseverance and trust. Even though their life span is short, the lessons they have taught me will be with me for the rest of my life.
