[Jenni]

So I'm sure this is a pretty common thread, but.........

I bought two rats a couple of days ago (from the petstore). I got two adorable little girls, Hillary and Monica. Hillary is a satin fawn, and Monica is either DARK brown or black. Both are very sweet, and we seem to be off to a good start.

Problem is, I think Monica is pregnant. I started weighing her when I thought she was gaining a lot of weight, and this is what I found.

23-Apr 193g
24-Apr 200g
25-Apr 207g
26-Apr 213g
27-Apr 220g

You can see she's been gaining about 7 grams a day. I'm feeding them Kaytee brand Forti-diet lab blocks, so I don't think she's gaining weight from the food.

I'm pretty sure she's pregnant, but can anyone confirm this? If she is, I'd also like information on what I'm supposed to do. I've grown pretty attached to her, so I don't want to take her back, so I'll need advice on how to care for her babies.

 

[2manyrats]

If she's 193 grams, she's still pretty young - like 6 weeks? It might not be pregnancy, because at that age they're growing by leaps and bounds. However, that 7g/day is a lot... have you been weighing the other girl for comparison? (If she's from the same litter.)

Also, those Kaytee blocks aren't great food. They've got a preservative in them that is cancer-causing, and that's especially bad for a pregnant mother. They're also heavily corn-based, which isn't healthy. Mazuri is usually around the same price as Kaytee, and it's a much better alternative. Also, you could look into the Harlan Teklad lab blocks, which are the best.

Additionally, if she's preggers, she needs lots of high-protein food so that the fetuses can develop without draining too much from her.

 

[Poppyseed]

Odin might be pregnate then! THAT would explain the 60 grams in two weeks D: JK, he's definately male lol, just a fatty ratty I geuss. I am laying off the treats and taking away the Suebees mix don't worry.

Hrm, could be growth or pregnacy I suppose. I have only had males so I have no clue. Ratguide.com has lots of info about taking care of pregnate rats.

 

[Jenni]

Yup, she's pretty young. Hillary is from a different litter, and is also quite a bit older. Hillary is around 3 months old, and her weight has been holding pretty steady. Monica has quite a belly on her.

Would a picture help? I took these a few minutes ago.

I'll be honest, they don't really do justice to her belly.

 

[DonnaK]

Hello Jenni, welcome to the forums.

I'm afraid I don't have much to add to what has already been said, really, except rats do grow really REALLY fast when they are young, so it could just be that. They also grow at different rates, so it's not necessarily a good guide to compare her to your other rat.

Do you know how old your rats are? Were they kept in mixed sex groups at the pet store? Have you noticed her eating more than the other rat?

I would do some reading up on rat pregnancies just in case, as the gestation period is only about 21 days. Now would be a good time to search for vets in your area that treat "exotic" pets, just in case. It's always good to have a number to hand anyway, but now more than ever.

It might be wise to look around for potential homes for your new ratlets, too, because you could have a dozen babies on your hands, if she is pregnant.

Other than that, unless you want to take her to a vet to find out, there isn't too much you can do but wait, I don't think.

 

[ladylady]

can you lisen to the babies with a stethscope? Also there will be movement as they grow inside

 

[Poppyseed]

That's a big belly D: Looks like more than fat to me. But like I said I've only had boys.

 

[2manyrats]

Yep, that first one shows a pretty big belly. Photos can be deceiving... but it looks like there might be babies in there.

Poor thing, she's so young.

 

[twitch]

my guess would be she's preggers. she looks just like snicketts and spider did when i got them home. there's really nothing more that i can add that hasn't been said already excpet mayb eget her into a single level cage with a high walled tray or a 20gal tank (just until the babies are 3 weeks and can fit into a cage without going through the bars). you don't want to have levels in there in case she decides to move the babies around and one falls. to better the air circulation in a tank (and maximise space) but the tank on its side. you can then make a lid and tray with a bit of ingenuity and scraps of tin.

here's a couple pics of the nurseries i made when i had surprise litters myself.

snickett's nursery wasn't as large as i would have liked but i did the best i could given the time i had to prepare. check yard sales and adds in the paper or classifieds. kijiji.com is also a great place to look for just about anything in your area. you may be able to find a tank of resonable price or a cage that would suit your needs.

spider and snicketts were only 12 weeks when they were pregnant and they did ok so i hope the same goes for your girl. there certainly can be complications though so prepare for the worst and hope for the best, that way you're prepared for that just in case scernario.

good luck with your girl, keep us posted.

 

[OnlyOno]

yeah, that's a pretty low rounding of her belly if it's just fat, especially if you say those photos don't even do her big belly justice.

as for her diet, try to mix it up with some lab block (i've heard mazuri is better than keytee, basically, not corn-based), add pasta and plain cereals like quaker rolled oats and puffed rice and wheat, and sunflower seeds. if she's preggers, she's also going to need protein, so either get her some cooked egg everyday, dog food (with less than like 18% protein) or soynuts. if she doesn't get enough protein, she may reabsorb the fetuses within her, or retain placentas after birth, which can be deadly.

see if you can separate the females, and provide little monica with some nesting material, like paper towels and a kleenex box. she'll nest like crazy when she's getting near her delivery. do you know how old she might be? cuz she seems pretty large if she's only 7 weeks like 2manyrats says. or picasso is a runt.

 

[Rachel-Phantom]

I'd say she's pregnant. The same thing happened to me. I got a female and I just thought she was getting fat and then she had 12 babies. Her proportions don't look like fat, they look like Annie's (my mommy rat) when she was pregnant.

 

[Poppyseed]

OnlyOno, I think hairless might tend to run smaller from what I've seen. Bert is quite a bit smaller than his cagemates as well. I think it might have to do with their higher metabolism perhaps?

I hope the birth goes well. You could also modify a tote with a hardware cloth top if you wish just for birth and baby raising.

 

[fallinstar]

twitch i love the idea ov the tank but with some bars

 

[Jenni]

Thanks for replying, everybody. I checked in the phone book and on the internet for vets this morning. I think I found one who will work, I just have to call them on Monday to be sure.

Since I'm completely in the dark as to how 'far along' she is, I've decided to separate her right away. I also picked up some dog food for her. She's currently in an old 10 gallon fishtank, hiding food in a popcorn box.

I'll keep updating!

 

[ladylady]

Piccy diary!!!!
Good luck you both

 

[Poppyseed]

I want a boy! I'm near you and own three rats >_> (Indianapolis, IN)

Chris is going to KILL MEE XD I might even want two lol >_> <_<

 

[2manyrats]

They don't tend to really show that they're pregnant until ~14 days in, so if she's showing you've got around a week until babies, more or less. I'd say with that belly it'd be less than a week.

 

[Jenni]

Okay... WELL!!! You know how you guys said less than a week? You were definitely right. Monica is in labor.

I'm trying to kinda give her some privacy and let her do her thing. It's hard when I hear little squeaking noises coming from the GIANT pile of aspen that she built while I was at lunch.

 

[keiralaw]

Omg has she given birth to any babies yet.

If so how many can you count.

 

[ladylady]

woo, squeeks are good!