9/27/2023 0 Comments Pinky rats![]() They can then invest this energy in other things instead (like growing!). In fact, in 1978, animal behavior expert Dr Jeffery Alberts at Indiana University discovered that a litter of rat pups will expand and contract the size of their huddle depending on the ambient temperature, to make sure they always feel just right! And by doing this, they use up less energy keeping warm. This is because huddling reduces how much of their surface area is exposed to the air. So by clumping together in a rat pile with their brothers and sisters, they can prevent heat loss. ![]() Without fur, baby rats quickly lose heat from their skin when it’s exposed to the air. This huddling is adorable sight, and it serves an important purpose too. Peek inside a nest of baby rats, and you’re unlikely to be able to tell where one pup ends, and the next begins. Huddling – the Classic Image of Cute Baby Rats Still, without sight or hearing to guide them, newborn baby rats can already use their whiskers to find their mother’s nipple, and form a huddle with their littermates. They’re limited to lifting their head and wriggling back back onto their tummy if they find themselves the wrong way up. And until they’re four or five days old, a rat pup is pretty much immobile. But it won’t be until day five that they begin to get their first peachy fuzz of hair. Pigment starts to accumulate in their skin almost immediately after birth. It’s a fascinating journey from helpless newborn to self-sufficient grown up, so let’s take a look at it - baby rats week by week. They experience rapid physical development and break-neck learning curves. Unsurprisingly then, the first weeks of life are packed full of big changes. You can even see the milk in their tummies after they’ve fed from mother!Īs you can tell, newborn baby rats have a lot of catching up to do before they’re ready to leave their Mom. And their skin is so thin and translucent that you can see the shape of their eyeballs behind the lids. They have baby teeth and whiskers, but no fur or pigment in their skin, so they appear bright pink. Their tail is much shorter relative to their overall body length than that of a full-grown rat. Their eyes are tightly sealed, and their ears are stuck flat against the side of their head. ![]() On the day they’re born, rat pups are small enough to fit on a teaspoon. Amazingly, rats only need to gestate for 21-23 days before they’re ready to birth 6-12 newborn baby rats.Īs they get older, breeding does slow down. Female rats produce up to 12 litters per year! Plus, these females can begin to bear children as early as when they’re 5 weeks old. Rats’ ability to procreate and proliferate is legendary. Mother rats have 12 nipples (more than dogs, cats or mice), so they’re well equipped to juggle lots of newborn baby rats! At least you don’t have to worry what to feed pups. Healthy, well cared-for pet rats usually have litter sizes at the top end of this range, or even higher. The average rat litter size for wild baby rats is four to eight pups. But here’s another popular question about these rats. Then their babyhood ends and they’re ready for adult life in a new home! We’ll find out what age they usually reach that point a bit later on. ![]() You can use whichever name you prefer, or both interchangeably if you’re as indecisive as me!Īs a general rule of thumb, a rat is a pup (or kitten) until they have finished weaning. What Is a Baby Rat Called?Ī baby rat is called a kitten or a pup. So, if you’re a new rat owner, welcome on board! Let’s start right at the beginning. By the end of this article, you should know how to care for baby rats.Īlso, we’ll answer questions such as “when do baby rats open their eyes?” and “what do baby rats eat?” Most importantly, though, we find out what it takes to turn a baby rat into a happy, friendly pet when they’re grown up. We’ll find out what newborn baby rats are like and trace the milestones of their first weeks. We’re covering the time right from the day they’re born until they’re ready to come home and start a new life in your family. In this article we chart baby rat care and development.
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