# Muskrat babies



## RodISHI (Jul 3, 2009)

Here are the Muskrat babies I got before the baler yesterday....Still no word back from animal rescue. Their eyes are starting to open. Reading up on them I read they can swim at two weeks old.


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## AllieBaba (Jul 3, 2009)

So what do you feed them?????

You do know there's a song called "Muskrat Love", right?


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## RodISHI (Jul 3, 2009)

AllieBaba said:


> So what do you feed them?????
> 
> You do know there's a song called "Muskrat Love", right?


Rod was teasing me about that song last night...

I made them a dry milk formula like I made for a kitten that Rod's sister had that was sick a few years back...worked for the kitten (It was almost dead when I brought it, took it back to her five days later healthy and leash trained). I took a half a multi-vitamin crushed it, an omega 3 fish oil tab, a tablespoon of dried milk and added distilled water. No antibiotics as they seem healthy enough, the kitten had severe eye infections when I took care of it last year so I added dried child's amoxicillian to the formula I had made it.

I check a few minutes ago to see if they can swim yet. The one went right out of my hand into the water swimming around in a bowl so they must be close to that two weeks old???? They don't have teeth enough to eat but if the rescue does not get back with me and they survive they go live by the pond in the front as soon as they can eat on their own. We don't have any by the pond in the front.


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## Anguille (Jul 3, 2009)

RodISHI said:


> Here are the Muskrat babies I got before the baler yesterday....Still no word back from animal rescue. Their eyes are starting to open. Reading up on them I read they can swim at two weeks old.


Cute!!  I hope they survive.

Don't know if you are using dried cow's milk or dried kitten formula but I just want to warn you that cow's milk is bad for baby squirrels and so it could be bad for baby muskrats as well. 

Keep us posted on their progress!


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## Anguille (Jul 3, 2009)

Did the mother come looking for them? Usually wild animal mothers will come get them when the danger has passed and move them to another nest.


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## random3434 (Jul 3, 2009)

I love it! Thank you to ALL of you out there that rescuse these animals,,,,


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## Luissa (Jul 3, 2009)

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xBYV_7a0FQs&feature=related]YouTube - Captain & Tennille MUSKRAT LOVE[/ame]


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## Zoom-boing (Jul 3, 2009)

One word:  Awwwwww!


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## WillowTree (Jul 3, 2009)

cute,, as cute can be!


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## RodISHI (Jul 3, 2009)

Anguille said:


> Did the mother come looking for them? Usually wild animal mothers will come get them when the danger has passed and move them to another nest.


I think mom went through the mower. I'd seen a bigger one nearby all mangled when Hos was sniffing at it.

Not sure on the milk. I did read that about the squirrels. They seem to be doing okay so far.


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## strollingbones (Jul 3, 2009)

good luck...you need to try to feed them every 3 or 4 hours....they are cute ...but how old do they have to be to live on their own?


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## strollingbones (Jul 3, 2009)

How to Raise Muskrats | eHow.com


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## RodISHI (Jul 3, 2009)

strollingbones said:


> good luck...you need to try to feed them every 3 or 4 hours....they are cute ...but how old do they have to be to live on their own?


From what I was reading four to six weeks... I'm going to run over to the vets office here in a bit. She's not crazy about a lot of things but who knows we never discuss muskrats before...They have taken in Quail babies before at their house. I need an extra tiny bottle with a mini nipple on it. They are trying to suck the eye dropper but their little mouths are so tiny.


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## strollingbones (Jul 3, 2009)

mini bottle...tough one...toy store...dollar store...would be your best bet or a syringe...get a small syringe...better than the eye dropper


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## strollingbones (Jul 3, 2009)

go to local pharamacy and ask them for one...


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## RodISHI (Jul 3, 2009)

strollingbones said:


> go to local pharamacy and ask them for one...


Neighbor vet had small bottle with all size nipples. Tried the smallest one....the babies like the feel of it but can't get their little mouths on it well enough to suck...the eye dropper works better because it has a smallest enough tip that they can get it in their little mouth. She did have some premix formula she donated for the cause also....they liked it. 

First thing through the door when I said, "Muskrat babies" the vet's hubby said, "Do you know I hate those things, our ponds cost us thousands of dollars. Those Muskrats tear up the dams....". I told him but they need a momma, you wanna be their momma? He laughed.  

The vet said she thought they would be bigger, she'd never seen babies ones before. She did not know Muskrat babies were so small. They are no bigger round than the end of my pinky finger. I should have got out the dime when I snapped their pics.


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## Gunny (Jul 4, 2009)

AllieBaba said:


> So what do you feed them?????
> 
> You do know there's a song called "Muskrat Love", right?


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## RodISHI (Jul 4, 2009)

Into day three and they are still with us...One is a better eater than the other one.


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## strollingbones (Jul 4, 2009)

amazing...how cute....thanks for sharing...do not name them....repeat it with me...do not name them


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## RodISHI (Jul 4, 2009)

strollingbones said:


> amazing...how cute....thanks for sharing...do not name them....repeat it with me...do not name them


Awe, how come? Can we name them before we turn them loose?


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## strollingbones (Jul 4, 2009)

nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo they start reproducing early.....you realize they are nicely put...well rodents?


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## RodISHI (Jul 4, 2009)

strollingbones said:


> nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo they start reproducing early.....you realize they are nicely put...well rodents?


Yes but they are water rodents.


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## strollingbones (Jul 7, 2009)

how be the wee ones today?


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## RodISHI (Jul 7, 2009)

Not good


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## strollingbones (Jul 7, 2009)

o i was afraid of this.....i hope they improve but its hard to rescue something that small to begin with


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## RodISHI (Jul 7, 2009)

strollingbones said:


> o i was afraid of this.....i hope they improve but its hard to rescue something that small to begin with


I know but have to try when you know they are going to die if you leave them out there with mom gone through the hay mower. I wish the animal rescue had gotten back with me.


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## strollingbones (Jul 7, 2009)

have they died?


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## xsited1 (Jul 7, 2009)

RodISHI said:


> Here are the Muskrat babies I got before the baler yesterday....Still no word back from animal rescue. Their eyes are starting to open. Reading up on them I read they can swim at two weeks old.
> ...



They are making my cats hungry!


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## RodISHI (Jul 7, 2009)

strollingbones said:


> have they died?


Yes. I checked on them when I woke up and they was not wiggling around. Not sure if they got to cold in the night or if the formula for the kittens that the vet gave me was not good for them She was not sure what to feed them either other than formula replacement. I think they did better on the mix I made them but who knows. The only thing I've ever taken care of that young beside a pup or kitten was a pigeon my son rescued years ago when they took hundreds of pigeons out of a big building and left had left this baby behind. 



xsited1 said:


> RodISHI said:
> 
> 
> > Here are the Muskrat babies I got before the baler yesterday....Still no word back from animal rescue. Their eyes are starting to open. Reading up on them I read they can swim at two weeks old.
> ...


Well the cats can have them now.


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## strollingbones (Jul 7, 2009)

o i am sorry.....even with all the right things and right care....its hard to pull small things thru....it was good of you to try so hard


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## xsited1 (Jul 7, 2009)

RodISHI said:


> strollingbones said:
> 
> 
> > have they died?
> ...



OMG!!!!!  Are they really dead?  Now I'm going to start crying like a little girl.  I have a soft spot for animals of all kinds.

A bird built a nest in one of our carports a couple months ago and had one chick.  It fell out of the nest and died.  I cried like a baby.  Our dogs cornered a racoon a couple weeks ago and killed it.  I cried like a baby.  See a pattern?  Jeez.  There goes my day....


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