Warning: Cute Overload!

Four baby flying foxes who were separated from their mothers during fierce storms on Australia's Gold Coast are being cared for by volunteers at a wildlife centre.

Photo by David Hardenberg/Getty Images

I can has cute?

More baby pictures, at four-weeks-old...

Babies on the move

Now a little over four weeks old and there shall be no stopping them.
I dislike using flash photography, but sometimes it has to be done.

eyes wide wiggles

Born on June 5th and two weeks old today.


Wiggles in the house.


We is amused...


I is ready for my closeup...

Them's rattie babies, alright..

I peeked in on momma Winnie rat and saw at least six pinkies. The pinkies were all kicking, squirming and squeaking for momma and she came running. I watched as two pinkies swam in underneath momma Winnie rat to get their fill. Momma Winnie rat came out on her own the let me scritch her, but, she was more interested in treats. I spent a lot of time cuddling Piglet rat, just to let her know that we still cared about her and to make up for any buddy time with Winnie rat she might be missing out on. I have heard some forlorned squeaks that I suspect came from Piglet when Winnie was letting her known that she needed to stay away from the babies.

All In The Ratty Family

Poppa Chaucer rat muses while eating a treat.

"Treats is a serious thing."

Momma Iris rat gathers baby Gabby rat and baby Drinky rat around her. Today the babies are three weeks old.

Baby Drinky rat and baby Gabby rat stand guard for momma Isis rat.

"Hello, world. Where are the treats?"

Young rats on the go

When the baby rats want to go, they go. It's very hard to get them still long enough for pictures.

Frisky baby boy rats

Now a little over two weeks old, the ratty baby boys eyes are wide open and they are up and running. I watched while Drinky rat raided momma's food stash, grabbing a yoggie cheerio and munching away on it. Gabby rat even tried to steal the yoggie cheerio away from Drinky rat. A lower hanging water bottle has been added should the baby boys be interested in drinking in their own. When I play with Drinky rat I am certain I hear and feel him bruxing. Both ratty boys love playtime away from momma and momma Isis rat does not seem to mind the free time. The baby boy rats are starting to finger wrestle with me, giving me little bits and licks on my finger tips.

Baby Update

The two "boys," tentatively named Gabby and Drinky, are doing well. Both ratty babies are active and respond well to stimuli. This evening the ratty babies greeted me, licking my fingers and snuggled into my hand and were both excited to explore the world outside the nest. Momma Isis rat is well, too.

Ratty Baby Adventures

Baby Rats in Motion

Fuzzy updates

Almost a week old, the rattie babies snuggle in their corner while momma Isis rat is entertained. The babies are getting used to being handled.

Little updates

Momma Isis rat let me in this morning. In fact she was ready and waiting for me and desperately wanting to come out for play and snuggle time. As she climbed onto my shoulder I was able to reach in and find three babies. Each time I picked on up Isis would calmly take the baby out of my hand and put it back. Otherwise Isis was not too upset. As Isis and I continued our inspections and while she was distracted I put in some fresh bedding to mix in with the soiled bedding. Isis allowed me to hold all three babies together for a short time: they are small but appear to be healthy and well fed. Each baby responded to my light touch with a wiggle and a small squeak. Momma Isis rat let me know it was time to put everyone back proceeded to rearrange her nesting materials.

Meanwhile, Amelia rat, who had some sort of respiratory issued and was separated from Isis rat during the last week of Isis's pregnancy, was taken out of her temporary cage and put back into the big, fun cage. Amelia rat literally lit up with glee when she realized she was going back home to her wheel, hammocks and multiple levels of running around space. Amelia rat inspected her old home and then had some quality time on her wheel before choosing which hammock to nap in.

Stillborns

Isis had her babies last night. We're not sure what was wrong, but they were small and weak, and some stillborn. Only four pups. One lived awhile, and we put it on a warm pad, gently rubbed/stimulated it, and tried to give it little drops of Pediasure. Isis wouldn't take care of it. She wasn't ready to nurse anyways, which is probably the reason. I think she dropped them too soon. It was so sad. We will try to breed her and Chaucer again after she recovers. I hope it was just an anomoly, and not a genetic predisposition. Here's hoping, because they would be such wonderful to breed together.

I shall always remember the one who struggled to live - he had such cute, tiny whiskers...