# Panicking!!!



## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

Ohhhh my god I was just downstairs packing my stuff to get ready to MOVE OUT tomorrow and I heard a tiny squeak, I thought I must have imagined it but I can definitely hear them now, this morning Basil wouldn't leave her igloo even for a treat which was weird, and recently she's been food-hoarding and I put a post up the other day about how I thought she was overweight but I think she's having babies right now and I don't know what to dooooo, she's in a large cage with her sister but I think she's actually giving birth right now, George is staying away so I think she'll be alright (they're sisters) but what do I do I cant check but i'm quite sure there are babies and this could not have come at a worse time, I am seriously freaking out


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

I can't see into the igloo as she's packed it up with paper so there's no way that I can tell


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## j_kalman (Apr 14, 2013)

How long has it been? If she is done, and she trusts you, you could pick up the igloo and check. My rats let me pick the babies up as soon as they were born. They really were great with me.


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

I only just noticed the squeaking literally like 20mins ago and have been freaking out since then, I don't know if she's still in labour as this morning when I went to say hello to them there were no babies. The thing is I have NO IDEA how this has happened, about 2 months ago I had a pregnancy scare becauseshe had escaped and I found her in the boys room (they were still in their cage) but that was 2months ago it couldn't be from then, her due date was 24th April so its way past, and she hasnt escaped or been with a male since then


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

I think she trusts me because I put my hand right in the igloo this morning and she didnt do anything like biting, but if she's in labour right now i dont want to disturb her


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Are you sure it's babies and not Basil squeaking? If she's hurt or sick she could be squeaking.


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

At first I was worried because I thought she might be hurt, but I can hear several individual tiny squeaks now. It has been a few hours since I first heard it, and I would really like to move her and them into a small cage so that I can count/check on them. She has not left her igloo all day, do you think it would be alright to put her in the small cage when she comes out, then quickly move the babies in with her?


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

You might have to take her out if they're newborns--she won't leave them voluntarily until she gets hungry. I'd try to move them carefully but soon since they need to be in the smaller cage, especially for a move.


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## Nathan4d (Feb 17, 2013)

Is it possible to move the igloo into the smaller cage? That way she would keep her nest


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## RosesRufflesandRats (Apr 25, 2013)

Was there any opportunity for her to have gotten pregnant? That's the first question to ask.


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

I have managed to move her and them into the small cage with the igloo, a small box and some bedding material for her to use if she wants to. I only managed a quick glance but there are about 6-8 babies and oh my gosh they are so tiny! Basil really wants to get out, is that normal? Should I let her run around for a minute while I check for milk bands and to make sure there are no dead ones? (I didn't see any dead ones just now but I was scared to touch them). Basil is being very good and doesn't mind my hand being in the cage or anything, she has a little blood around the base of her tail too - I guess thats from giving birth?


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## TJ'sGirl2012 (Apr 22, 2013)

not sure if this will help but if there are babies and she obviously already has her nest set up to avoid stressing her out I would suggest leaving her, the nest and babies where they are and move her sister to the smaller cage. If you are having a hard time seeing the babies and her through the igloo perhaps you can make a "make shift igloo" that will be easier to see her and her babies through temporarily. When my past girls had there babies back in 2000 they were right out in the open and not necessarily hidden so for me I was never really in the same situation as you. I wish you the best of luck though and hope all works out well for all of you.


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

Thank you  I managed to move her and the igloo into the small cage, but I took the top half of the igloo off so I could keep an eye on them, and put a box and some new bedding in there in case she wanted a little more privacy. Just not sure whether to let her out for a bit (she really wants out) so I can check the babies over and she can relax a bit. Also this might be a silly question but is it alright to have the light on? Do you think it would stress her out unnecessarily?


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## j_kalman (Apr 14, 2013)

She was just put in a new cage so she probably is a little confused. I would give her some quiet time to calm down. I covered the tank 2/3's the way with a towel to give them some privacy (they were in 10 gallon aquariums). Mine didn't have igloos with their litters, be had 4 give birth at pretty much the same time so it would have been expensive to buy 4 complete set ups, but I did the towel over the cage and they were all happy with that. She will be fine with the light on. Just keep it quiet so she can rest. I would give her some of her favorite treat too. Mine love scrambled eggs, and I gave them some through their time rearing their babies. I didn't know they were pregnant until a few days before they popped or I would have given them eggs through their pregnancies too. Peanut butter on toast is another favorite. Congratulations on your surprise pinkies!


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

All 7 babies are doing very well, she's being an excellent mummy, always on them keeping them warm and feeding them, they all have full milk bands, including the little runt and she is perfectly fine with me checking on them which is nice  I've been letting her out for a few minutes every day, and she is not keen to go back in, but when she realises she isn't coming back out she settles down  I've got a few pictures but I'm quite concerned about how long Basil is off them for so don't have a lot of time for pictures.
I was wondering how often per day it's okay to let Basil run around for? So far it's been once a day since she's settled down nicely and is being very calm, but she really enjoys coming out for a run and have some non-mothering time for treats and cuddles and a stretch. I have a nice quiet area to let her out in so that's not a problem, and I would only let her out if she was already awake so as not to disturb her. 

Here is Basil beforehand when I thought she was getting chubby -.-


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

Here are some baby pictures!


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## PandaBruja (Feb 10, 2013)

Cute babies!
How did she get pregnant???


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Awww, they look all fat and healthy!


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

Well I've been racking my brain and just cannot figure it out. Just under a month ago she was in solitary confinement, because around a month before that she had escaped and I was worried that she was pregnant then, and it was around her due date. I'm quite sure that she hadn't escaped or anything around a month ago, and my boyfriend wouldn't have gotten her out either because we weren't sure if she was pregnant :/ I just can't think how it has happened, but of course now I want to focus on the bubs and my other ratties and finding them nice homes


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

All the tots in a line


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## Kaiser (May 21, 2013)

Totally cute little babies!


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## Maiden (Mar 9, 2012)

CONGRATULATIONS IN SURPRISE BABIES!!

I cannot imagine a better rat related surprise xD do you have homes set for them?


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

Thank you!  They are all getting along fine, and Basil is being a great mummy 

I have a work experience placement at my old secondary school which has recently set up and animal care section, so hopefully I will be donating 2-3 of them there which would be really good  
7 babies is quite a manageable number too, and as I hope to keep 1/2 that only leaves a few to be rehomed anyway (my cousin might want a few as well) so although this was a big shock, and came at the worst possible time (typical!), we should be fine


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## tori_m (Mar 5, 2013)

ADORABLE babies, I know it was a surprise, but this is going to be a great experience for you  Watching them grow and play!
Where abouts are you? If you're looking to adopt them out...


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## Flora (Aug 30, 2012)

Oh wow! What a surprise! Did you ever find out what happened? Did someone else in the house let her hang out with the boys?


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

I'm in Cornwall Tori, might be a little far for you haha 
Flora, the only other person that was with me in that house was my boyfriend (who likes the rats, but certainly doesn't want more than 2 - with some problems I've been having recently I now have 5, and with the babies I have 12 so he isn't too happy!). I really don't understand it, she wasn't even in with her sister, and she couldn't have escaped, gone to see the boys, then gone back in her cage and closed the door :S


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## RosesRufflesandRats (Apr 25, 2013)

What cute babies!!!


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

Here are some recent pics  I'm wondering what colour the light ones are going to be? They're getting a kind of beige-y fuzz  The mum is a dumbo normal fur roan, and the dad is a top-eared agouti rex 






































(I love that last photo!)


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

The light ones might be roan... so you figured out who dad is? Do you know what happened yet?


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

No I still just can't figure it out :/ I've asked my boyfriend and he was quite offended that I even considered he might have had them out at the same time!
Here are some more recent pics, any ideas about the colourings? I think there are agouti + black but not sure about the lighter ones 






































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Look at those tiny feet sticking out in the 7th pic! (so many pics! - I'm trying to get a few every day to document their growth  )


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

Looks like you've got some beige or light cinnamon agoutis in there (mink, maybe?)

SO CUTE!


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## LisaPizza (Nov 7, 2012)

Ooooo thank you  I'm going to have so much trouble choosing which ones to keep! They are all rexes apart from 2 as well, sooo cute! 

I suppose it's a little early to tell which are dumbo/top ear? 
Also, not sure how much influence this will have on the colourings, but I forgot to say earlier that the dad has black eyes and the mum has ruby


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## mameur (Nov 3, 2012)

I've been recently looking for two males cornwall ontario is about an hour away so if you can't find anyone lmk

thanks!


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## TexasRatties (Jun 2, 2013)

Awww they are adorable!!! Good luck to you and the babies.


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## Ltukey (May 28, 2013)

congratulations on your new arrivals. so sorry it came at such a stressful time. lovely little ones. wow, could the boys have gotten near her cage & mated through the bars?


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