# Possible pet store pregnancy?



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Bought this little girl from PetCo a few days ago (I know, I know) and I remember her initially feeling quite round for her size. After looking up pregnancy symptoms online, I think I have ample reason to suspect she is. Her nipples are quite pronounced, much more so than my other two females' (both with light coats). I feel her tum when she crawls through my hands, it's like i have to widen my grasp for her belly to fit through. I'm going later today to buy a scale to measure her weight gain, and I've got her separated from the other ratties just in case. What do you all think? Are we expecting? 
Honestly I'm sort of excited for babies, because we have the space to keep them (fiance is a carpenter and builds cages for me.

How common is pet store pregnancy?


----------



## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

It's sadly, very common, and it seems she is in fact, pregnant. Others will be more able to tell than me, but it looks like it. Make sure to separate the boys from mom at exactly 5 weeks.


----------



## ratfan06 (Dec 31, 2010)

Pet store pregnancies are definitely not uncommon. Even when the store keeps them in separate sex tanks, they're usually transported to the store together. My mother's first female was pregnant when she got her. I'll be honest, from the pics, I'd say her tummy does look a bit round and you may be right.

Do you have a tank, (aquariums are best for newborns), proper nesting materials, and high protein foods for the mother? If not, you may want to get all this stuff as soon as possible. I wasn't sure my girl was even pregnant until the day before she gave birth. Some show much earlier, but not knowing how far along she is, since you just got her, it's best to be prepared.

Having babies is both exciting and scary. It's quite the ride and although I would never purposely breed, I wouldn't have given up that experience for the world. Good luck to you and your girl. Keep us posted.


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Thank you for your timely replies/opinions. 

No, I do not have an aquarium but i have a wire cage with a very deep plastic bottom lined with fleece and paper towels. No signs of nesting yet (she actually doesn't really do much at all; I chalked this up to new home shock). Gave her some salmon earlier today, she seems to be liking it. 

So now I'm just waiting with bated breath to see how her pregnancy unfolds! Thank goodness rats are only pregnant for 3 weeks and not 9 months. I will keep you all updated with pics, when/if the babies come.


----------



## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

She's very pretty, I hope all goes well for her. It sounds like she is in good hands with you and will receive good care.


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Ouch! did I read correctly that they start getting more agressive right before birth? I just stuck my hand in her cage to say hello, and she LEAPED to bite one of my fingers (drawing blood). I haven't noticed any greater than usual nesting behavior, she does seem to be burrowing in the fleece more. She has been the sweetest rat to me before today, never biting or even nibbling! What's going on?? Should I wear gloves to handle her now?


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Some rats get hormonally nippy/bitey when they are pregnant and sometimes continue after the first week or 2 of nursing. They are protecting their young, but its not them becoming aggressive, just instincts taking over. Now that you know, you need to be more careful when handling her.


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

It's getting close I think. I just saw her laying on her back for the first time grooming her vaginal area and the area around her nipples. This waiting game is killing me!


----------



## ratfan06 (Dec 31, 2010)

Oooh, keep us updated. Rane was always the sweetest thing in the world. She bit me when I went to pet her one morning, by mid-morning she was giving birth.


----------



## Athena (Feb 24, 2011)

Yeah I got a really nice bite from my sweet baby this morning, no babies yet but she's been sleeping so much today... GL with the babies


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

You too. So far nothing has happened. She's been eating and drinking ALOT more than usual, tummy is ridiculously huge...

No nesting either. I wish i could take her somewhere to induce, LOL.


----------



## Athena (Feb 24, 2011)

Lol i know the feeling. Jazzy's been building and tearing her nest apart all day. All her bedding is on one side of the tank her food bowl is buried... and boy did she bite me earlier when i went to give her some peas. Lol then she gave me lots of kisses, like oh sorry mom.


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

It's happening RIGHT NOW! I've only seen one so far, and she's been eating the placenta. I don't want to watch her too closely so she's not stressed out...but can I watch her a little? i really want to see!


----------



## ratfan06 (Dec 31, 2010)

Well?! How many did she have? How's she doing? How are the babies?


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Everyone's great, we got 6 little ones and they all have milk in em! I can't really tell their color yet, only that none of them are going to be black. What kind of coats come out of hoodeds? I'll try to post pictures later tonight. Mom is uber grouchy right now, so i don't want to disturb her more than I have to. 

Is it a good idea to introduce older, non-mom female rats to the babies? Not saying I'm going to, just wondering. thanks for all ya'lls support!


----------



## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

Glad its a small one!

It all depends on what she has in her background, and the father. There's just so many possibilities with unknown rats.

The babies take a little while to darken up, there could be blacks in there.


----------



## ratfan06 (Dec 31, 2010)

Oh that's wonderful. Congratulations! It's great that they're all already feeding and have little milk bellies.

I agree, I'd definitely leave her alone tonight. Try for pictures tomorrow morning. She's bound to be tired and likely cranky right now. 

I didn't introduce the babies to my other rats until they were weaned. I don't actually know at what point it's fairly safe. I gave the mom a few minutes each day out of the tank with her friends. It gave her a short break from the babies, (never very long), and kept her from missing her friends too much.


----------



## smesyna (Nov 22, 2010)

Oh right, yeah, they need to be kept separate from other adults.


----------



## Athena (Feb 24, 2011)

Congratz! Can't wait to see pictures of your lil babies.

I'm trying sooo hard to to bug Jazzy lol


----------



## jessyyyissiqqq (Feb 7, 2011)

Let's see pictures!


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Here they are! Pink and perfect!


----------



## Athena (Feb 24, 2011)

Aww aren't they cute! Looks just like Jazzy's right now lol


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Just thought I'd post an update on the babies


----------



## ratfan06 (Dec 31, 2010)

They're getting so big and beautiful. Thanks for updating us.


----------



## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

What unique, pretty hoods they have! Beautiful bubs.<3


----------



## jessyyyissiqqq (Feb 7, 2011)

Wow they're beautiful! Good luck with them


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Thanks, now I just have to sex them all. I must be a dunce or something, all their genitals look basically the same to me! (All female.) I know the likelihood of a 100% female litter is pretty low, haha. 

Here are some more for you guys!


----------



## jessyyyissiqqq (Feb 7, 2011)

Awwww  How old are they now?


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Born February 26th, so 10 days today! I am increasingly worried about finding homes for them. I'm worried about taking them back to the pet store, even though they said they would take them. What if they just throw them away or put them in a tank in the back? I don't know if there are specific procedures set in place for this kind of thing, plus it's a female-only store and presumably there are male babies in my litter. So what will they do with the males? I have been putting off calling them about it unti the babies are weaned, but now i am wondering if i should go the craigslist route. 

Thoughts? While this was a beautiful experience and I am glad to have saved mama from pet store life, I am starting to regret my latest addition  Plus by giving back the babies I am just generating more revenue for them.


----------



## ratfan06 (Dec 31, 2010)

I wouldn't take them to the pet store. Maybe you could find them homes with people on this, or other rat forums. There's an adoption section right here. Let people know where you're located and see if anyone in that area is looking to adopt. At least that way, you'll know that they're going to rat loving homes. 

However, I believe Petco can't sell them for profit. Since they wouldn't be counted in inventory, the babies would likely be put in an adoption program through the store. I don't know much about Petco, so maybe someone else can be of more help there.


----------



## jessyyyissiqqq (Feb 7, 2011)

I'm not really sure because I've never been in this situation but I know for a fact I wouldn't take them back to any pet store. Like ratfan said, there's adoption sections on here and all the other rat forums that you should try, and also craigslist. Good luck finding them homes, atleast it was a small litter instead of like 20!


----------



## mixingmetaphors (Feb 21, 2011)

Just went and talked to a manager there, who confirmed that they could not be sold through the store and would go through their adoption program. He said they would absolutely not be sold as feeders, only as pets, which comforted me a little. 

However, I will still try craigslist and post an ad on here. I understand that taking them back to the pet store isn't ideal, but unfortunately i have limited options here. I literally have nowhere to put them. Our cage is filled to capacity with our 4 females. I would need at least a separate cage for the males, and we don't have the room nor the cage. I would ask my man to make me more cages but he is so busy with schoolwork and he's already spent so much time building me the other one. 

I wish Petco would've sexed their pets better. He informed me that they unknowingly put a male in with the females on display, and apparently had several pregnancies resulting from this. I wonder how many babies now need homes because of their mistake


----------

