nevermind

[northstar3184]

Totally adorable!

[HavACrumpet452]

So cute. They look just under 2 weeks so they should be able to start nibbling on food any time now so keep some solid food in with them. I like to have lab blocks for babies since they are easy to chew. Also you can get them a water bottle and lower it to their height and hopefully catch them getting a drink from it within a week or so. Believe it or not, they can survive on their own once they open their eyes provided food is plentiful wherever they are.

[NovelNerd]

Well an update for today.

Last night (still today as well) I was dealing with a horrible stomach virus and sadly I was unable to check on the babies as per my normal schedule since I was puking most of the time. This morning one of the poor babies had passed away. I had expected since it was the runt and half the size of the other baby, but I had hoped that wouldn't happen. I feel a bit guilty (even though I expected it to happen) since I was off sick and didn't get to check on them as much.

On the good side of things the one that has been more healthy has one eye open today. It's sort of weird since this baby has been stronger and more of a fighter towards me. I always had to put it's food in the syringe and let it lap it up from my hand without touching it as much, because it would freak. I've pegged it for the candidate that is most suited to go back out to it's home.

This morning when I took it out for feeding, it ate and then stared at me with it's one little open eye. When I went to put it away back to where I've kept them it fought me and clung to my hand. I ended up letting it go to sleep in my hand, and it's now laying against me asleep. I don't know if it's realizing it's alone (they always slept together, but when I found the dead baby this one had moved away), or in some way because it can see me it's more at ease. Maybe it knows I've cared for it and is being appreciative? Who knows, either way today we're going to try a bit of food and see how that works. Hopefully this one will make it. If it doesn't it hasn't been from lack of trying!   It's a little saddening to have the other baby pass away, since I've grown somewhat attached by accident. I suppose that happens when you care for something on such an intimate level. I'm not saying it was to the point I would have kept them as pets (since the goal has always been to release), but attachment in rooting for the tiny things to survive. Such is life I suppose.

[mlp4me]

So sorry Maddie.

[brightberry]

Aww... poor little guy.  So sorry you lost one.  You tried your best, that's for sure.

[kaoskat]

I'm sorry you lost one, but you really did do your best. I've noticed when my bottle baby puppies open their eyes they start getting more clingy too. I think it might because because they can see what's happening to them so the moving them around doesn't seem so scary as it does when they can't see.

[NovelNerd]

Oh they are both gone now, the other passed away this morning sadly. I've been sitting here today deciding what type of classroom pet I might need to get my students since they kinda fell in love with the mice being there. They would all run up to me everyday to watch me feed them, even the older boys that "had no interest" would just huddle around and stare at them. One of the teachers I work with has classroom pet rats. I've been debating having some in my classroom since the start of the year. I just keep going back and forth with the if I want to do that or not since the rats I keep at home I have a crazy high standard of maintenance and how I take care of them. While I would still care for those at school of course they would be exposed to more things ect ect than the ones I have at my house.

I was pretty upset about t heir passing this morning, but I'm feeling a little better. I knew it was a long shot to start with, and I did try my best (going sooo many nights without sleep and adding up the cost of items I bought just to care for them) so I'm not going to make myself feel awful over it. They were cared for, fed and kept somewhere warm so at least they didn't die out in the cold on the ground like they would have.

[Rosencrantz]

I'm sorry, Maddie. But at least they had a better existence than otherwise.

[HelloGoodbye]

I'm so sorry to hear that they passed!  It was really wonderful that you gave them such a good chance and worked so hard to save them because not everyone would have done that for them.

[Teddy]

I'm so sorry you lost them, but you still did a great thing working so hard to try and save them! *hugs*

Rats would be great classroom pets I think, but you'd just have to be careful in regards to allergies among the children. I got two pet rats years ago and they were awesome! Until I realized I was highly allergic to them. I couldn't even touch them without breaking out in a rash, and cleaning their cage gave me huge allergy attacks every time where it was even hard to breath. Fortunately, I was able to find them a great new home, but I was very sad to see them go. Anyway, just thought I'd give a friendly warning about that.

[Whippycorn]

Sorry the baby mice died Maddie, but well done for trying so hard to save them.

[Mkia]

Awww I'm sorry they passed Maddie. I'm sure you took great care of them and they at least had a warm place to live.

[NovelNerd]

I'm so sorry you lost them, but you still did a great thing working so hard to try and save them! *hugs*

Rats would be great classroom pets I think, but you'd just have to be careful in regards to allergies among the children. I got two pet rats years ago and they were awesome! Until I realized I was highly allergic to them. I couldn't even touch them without breaking out in a rash, and cleaning their cage gave me huge allergy attacks every time where it was even hard to breath. Fortunately, I was able to find them a great new home, but I was very sad to see them go. Anyway, just thought I'd give a friendly warning about that.

I have seven as pets currently. I'm actually allergic to them as well, but I take treatments and medication. My wife says I'm way hardcore about the animals. Were you tested? You might have been having a reaction to the urine and not the rats themselves. It happens a lot! I actually wipe off my guys/girls feet before play time.

Where I work parents have to sign documentation before a child can handle classroom pets. Hopefully most would sort of know at least if they had animal allergies. Actually my big concern is the rats themselves. If you were able to ask my real life friends they would tell you how spoiled m pets are.   my rats even have their own room. It would be hard for me to keep up the standard of what I think is acceptable living for any creature that lived at school and rats take so much care.


Thank you everyone

[Artemesia's Garden]

You probably don't have a lot of hope.  But maybe, and it's a massive long shot, if you can get them under a heat lamp with lots of warm bedding.  You'll need to try and feed them every half hour.  You can go for longer sometimes, but as a rule they'd be eating almost constantly at their size.  To feed them use a kitten formula.  That's probably the closest you can easily buy.  Warm it up and you can try just resting their faces in a tiny bit and if it disappears they're drinking it.  If it isn't, then you may need a little eye dropper or syringe and force it into their mouths.  Try a pharmacy to get one. 

Good luck.

Eep this reminds me of baby field mouse I tried to save. I think I drowned it? My Dad said it was probably for the best!

[Marlin]

Sorry to hear of their passing. Poor little things. You gave them a shot though (and what an admirable effort!), and that's a lot more than the average person would do so well done