Orphaned mouse/vole/creature?

[RKB]

Sexing is done by the distance between the anus and the penis or clitoris. In sexually mature animals the male gonads are also more obvious (seasonally), but a good photo of your fella's xexexexe-end might be enough to sex it here.

I'd have a good look through some pet rat-keeping books about whether to get a companion, and how to progress from here. Treating it as if it came from a pet shop is the way to go now, as if it was any other pet rat. It might be happy enough with lots of handling and attention - they are reputed to be the "ideal" pet for the modern age (intelligent, clean, cheap, not much space needed, able to handle them, don't need walking)!

But bear in mind they can live several years. And if they bite, it can be very painful (down the bone of the finger), but lots of gentle handling and familiarity should help prevent that. Again, get some good pet rat books, there should be plenty on amazon.

[Hedgehoggy]

Hi Jadey, what a kind soul for rescuing the helpless little mite

Like you, my daughter also used to keep pet rats when she was younger, and I can vouch for their cleanliness, intelligence and playfulness. The only time the rats were locked in their cage was when nobody was in the house (for their own safety because of my cats), the rest of the time they had free run of my daughter’s bedroom and even used to sleep in my daughter’s bed with her of a night! They only returned to their cage to feed and when they needed to go to toilet. Whenever my daughter returned home from school and called them, they would appear from wherever they were sleeping and run up to greet her, scrambling up to her shoulders to be cuddled! They make delightful pets. I hope your new little charge continues to thrive and you get to enjoy his/her company too.

I'm pretty certain that if you were able to get a pet rat of a near-similar age (post-weaned of course and same sex for obvious reasons!), they would bond ok. They're very sociable animals.

Good luck.