# Zinsa - New rehome rat - I've seen this look before.



## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

I'm in touch with a lady who runs a small animal shelter and she recently told me about a girl who had come in under unusual circumstances. She was left on her porch in a cardboard carrier with no food or water in the middle of the night. Luckily it wasn't a cold night, and also lucky she didn't escape from the cardboard! (I'll refrain from saying what i think of the person/'s who did this) - Anyway she's very friendly, and calm and very licky. She's a Black Dumbo Berkshire. I have 2 girls currently so i had the space to take on another girl, I collected her over the weekend. She's settled in quite well despite her sad start and is enjoying lots of food and a nice warm hammock. She looks a lot like my newish girl Brandy, who is also a Black dumbo Berkshire! So i hope in time they can be friends.

Now, this is where I come to the reason for this topic, she's grown a belly. A few years ago i took on two champagne sisters and a dad who were from a very sad background and they too had the same tell tale belly which ended up in a 13 babies! (5 and 8 - all lived - all went off to lovely homes, with me keeping 7 of them! 

I thought I'd come to you guys as you're used to seeing these kinds of pictures more often than i do, but her behavior and belly are giving me some idea that she may be having some pink sausages soon. 

I'm going to set up our bin cage with fleece and nest material and get her settled in there soon so that if she gives birth she doesn't give birth in a cage with bars. - Luckily i kept it under the stairs! 

I hope I'm wrong but i do remember that swollen tummy from before...





















She's currently happily sitting in a pile of bedding that she's been moving around and is eating egg ;D

Thanks in advance to anyone who posts.


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## MyHeroHasATail (Sep 29, 2014)

Oh she does have quite the tummy on her! I had a mouse once that had a belly, than didn't, than did again and never had any babies.


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

She does indeed look pregnant. Start her on a high protein diet, Oxbow young rat and mouse food, wet dog or cat food high in protein, the occasional egg etc. etc.

Paper litter is good, I used an off brand of white carefresh as litter because I could tell when she went into labor and if there were any complications. I do not recommend toilet paper. Loose fleece works well too.

Once the pups are born only handle them in the first 24 hours to remove the dead and check for milk bands and move any stray bubs back to the next.
After the 24 hours you can start to handle them as much as mummy will let you but in the first week don't hold them for more than five minutes. Remember to let mum out to stretch her legs but in that first week don't have her out for more than 15-20 minutes as the pups can't regulate their temp yet and you don't want them to catch a chill.
Once they start getting their fur you can handle them longer and mummy can be out for a longer stretch too.

If mum is hostile towards you you'll have to lure her out with a spoon full or yogurt or something equally yummy so you can check on everyone. And remember, if mummy has complications she needs a vet ASAP. Quick thinking and a speedy vet trip could save the lives of her and her pups.

I wish you the best and keep us updated!


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Looks pretty prego to me. We're all here for support if you need us! Best of luck


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## Lita (Jul 10, 2014)

Whats with blank dumbo berks and babies? Good luck with her! And at least you've had some experience before xD


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Thank you so much for the comments so far. It's been about 3/4 years since I last went through this, so i'm really grateful for the advice. 

I weighed her last night and at the same time today and she's gained 11 grams, she is still continuing nesting behaviour, but is quite relaxed and friendly around people.

I'll definitely be keeping you all updated. It's nice to have the support!


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Sounds like she's pretty close to popping then! How exciting  I'm such a sucker for mama rats, I'm glad to hear that she's relaxed and friendly, makes the whole process a lot easier for everyone involved!


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

I just hope it goes okay, my last two who came to me preggo were only a few days from popping and they had no problems, i've got a good vet on standby if something should go wrong, but fingers crossed it won't 

I'm trying to keep the handling down, and being super careful around her bump area, it's so hard though when all she wants to do is play!


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

You can still handle her and play with her, just do it lightly! When my Lilly was preggers she had free range every day up till the day before she went into labor. You'll want to handle her to build trust, it makes checking on and handling the pups easier if mummy trusts you.


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Yes! Do keep playing with her! Just take care with her climbing so that she doesn't fall. This is especially important since she's new to your home, you have so little time to build a relationship before she gives birth. This could be the difference between her being extremely protective of her pups or being okay with you having your hands in her cage. There's nothing worse than an angry mommy rat bite >.


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Oh good! - I read somewhere that you was supposed to not handle them too much during pregnancy but she'll be super pleased now i can get her out a bit more than i was doing! - It's like she's lived here for a long time, she is really comfortable and calm. 

Kksrats - Oft, tell me about it, my finger was on the receiving end of an annoyed mumma rat when i went to change a food bowl from the other litter i took in.  - It does seem about 10 times stronger than a normal Rat bite. lol!


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Yeah, I've received a couple of fairly nasty ones; one all the way to the bone. I knew they were my fault though. I've had a couple of older males lunge at me, but they just barely break the skin. There's definitely more determination behind a mama rat's bite!


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Oh the one i had was entirely my fault too.. She was only protecting the nest and i think she was a bit surprised to find my hand reaching in there as she'd been asleep.

Zinsa still hasn't popped, her nipples are showing at the bottom of her belly now, and her weight has increased another 8g from yesterday.. She's now in the Bin cage... will keep you posted!


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Please do!


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

No babies yet, she's sleeping a lot today, and she's up another 8g ... Time will telll I suppose!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Hey Nic, I've only seen all these now. Wow she really is growing quickly. When I had my preggies girl, she was also already pregnant when I got her but I would handle her too. I wish I had some more support then. I didn't belong to any sites then or have my own computer! She only had 7 babies, I wasn't with her when she had them but must have just walked in at the right time. Two of the babies had somehow fallen through the bars. They were still warm and I immediately put them with her. All babies were fine as was mom. I moved her to her own cage as we had two other rats in that one. Kept her in my room, also gave extra protein as I had at least been told that by someone I knew. She was so young though because the stupid pet store hadn't separated the rats. Her babies all grew well, my daughter and I handled them everyday and she was quite fine with us handling them she just got a bit panicky if we had them out for too long in her opinion. We found homes for all her babies, but my poor momma rat didn't last as long as any of her children did. She had a weak heart   Do you or anyone else here now if that's because she fell pregnant too young?

I've also experienced momma rat bites...but not from my girl. Also my own fault, I stupidly put my hand in at a pet store that were breeding. Had to get a tetanus shot!! 

Getting distracted here now. Hope all goes well and will be checking for updates.


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

lovemyfurries said:


> Hey Nic, I've only seen all these now. Wow she really is growing quickly. When I had my preggies girl, she was also already pregnant when I got her but I would handle her too. I wish I had some more support then. I didn't belong to any sites then or have my own computer! She only had 7 babies, I wasn't with her when she had them but must have just walked in at the right time. Two of the babies had somehow fallen through the bars. They were still warm and I immediately put them with her. All babies were fine as was mom. I moved her to her own cage as we had two other rats in that one. Kept her in my room, also gave extra protein as I had at least been told that by someone I knew. She was so young though because the stupid pet store hadn't separated the rats. Her babies all grew well, my daughter and I handled them everyday and she was quite fine with us handling them she just got a bit panicky if we had them out for too long in her opinion. We found homes for all her babies, but my poor momma rat didn't last as long as any of her children did. She had a weak heart   Do you or anyone else here now if that's because she fell pregnant too young?
> 
> I've also experienced momma rat bites...but not from my girl. Also my own fault, I stupidly put my hand in at a pet store that were breeding. Had to get a tetanus shot!!
> 
> Getting distracted here now. Hope all goes well and will be checking for updates.


I had never actually considered that, but I'm sure stress for them is similar to stress for humans and can essentially cause cardiac problems. I've attached a couple of articles if you're into reading the science-y stuff. I'm very sorry that your girl passed unexpectedly like that  

http://europepmc.org/abstract/med/12135146
http://ajp.amjpathol.org/article/S0002-9440(10)64454-9/abstract


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Thanks kksrats, I will read them. I'm very much into researching and learning. It was quite a few years ago now and she was only my 3rd rattie. She was just such a gentle little soul, like I said she was preggars when I got her. One of those... I ' accidentally on purpose ' saw this baby and had to rescue her. We had the two big girls who turned out to be great aunts! But little pepper never grew any bigger. About 5 or 6 months ( could be more or less ) after we homed her beautiful fawn hooded babies. I took her to the vet to check her out and the vet said that she had such a faint heartbeat she could hardly hear it and that's probably why she hadn't grown at all. I was absolutely shattered because it was the first time I had to have one of my babies PTS. Just writing this now I'm feeling like I want to cry again.


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

That's terrible  I worry about my girl Isis. She had a litter of 17 pups that stressed her to the point of a myco flare up which led to a secondary infection and since then her extremities have been on the cool side, so I fear that her heart may have been damaged and she's just not pumping blood the way she should be. She has slowed down quite a lot, so I can tell that she's just not the same as she used to be.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Oh that's awful. 17 babies! How old was she when she had them? Shame poor girl


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Still no babies! - She's been licking her private parts since last night.... no bloody discharge or anything yet, but lots of pushing nesting material around... She's up 17g from yesterday too!- the tummy is very swollen now... I Have a go pro camera set up watching her so I can keep an eye on what she's doing on my phone, I just hope it goes okay!  she's definitely going to Pop soon..


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

lovemyfurries said:


> Hey Nic, I've only seen all these now. Wow she really is growing quickly. When I had my preggies girl, she was also already pregnant when I got her but I would handle her too. I wish I had some more support then. I didn't belong to any sites then or have my own computer! She only had 7 babies, I wasn't with her when she had them but must have just walked in at the right time. Two of the babies had somehow fallen through the bars. They were still warm and I immediately put them with her. All babies were fine as was mom. I moved her to her own cage as we had two other rats in that one. Kept her in my room, also gave extra protein as I had at least been told that by someone I knew. She was so young though because the stupid pet store hadn't separated the rats. Her babies all grew well, my daughter and I handled them everyday and she was quite fine with us handling them she just got a bit panicky if we had them out for too long in her opinion. We found homes for all her babies, but my poor momma rat didn't last as long as any of her children did. She had a weak heart   Do you or anyone else here now if that's because she fell pregnant too young?I've also experienced momma rat bites...but not from my girl. Also my own fault, I stupidly put my hand in at a pet store that were breeding. Had to get a tetanus shot!! Getting distracted here now. Hope all goes well and will be checking for updates.


The other momma rat I had died quite young of a suspected heart problem too, she came to me pregnant too Young (she was left in with her brother and another sister who also got pregnant) - her feet went blue and she died in the cage really suddenly... None of her babies died of heart problems, so I assumed it could have been a weak heart due to being too young.. So sad


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

lovemyfurries said:


> Oh that's awful. 17 babies! How old was she when she had them? Shame poor girl


She was 6 months, so not too terribly young. I think it was just the litter size and possibly weather change (indoor weather that is, it was about the time we started up the swamp cooler so it was much cooler and humid in the house) that brought it all on. I really thought I was going to lose her, thank goodness I had a foster mother that I'd rescued with her litter who were just weaned. I probably would have lost Isis and all of her babies if it wasn't for my sweet freyja who just instantly took all of them in and was a wonderful mother to them (even though she kept giving me looks that made me feel bad since she'd just weaned off her own litter). Isis was the first non-genetic sickness I'd ever had to deal with so I was freaking out.Sorry for taking over your thread with stories Nic, we kind of went off on a tangent lol. I love that you've got a camera to watch her! That's so cool! Sounds like babies will be here very soon now


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Nic said:


> The other momma rat I had died quite young of a suspected heart problem too, she came to me pregnant too Young (she was left in with her brother and another sister who also got pregnant) - her feet went blue and she died in the cage really suddenly... None of her babies died of heart problems, so I assumed it could have been a weak heart due to being too young.. So sad


Very sad so it could have been that then.

Hope all goes well with this one ( I probably said that already ) and yes apologies for taking over your thread. These things happen .... Often . Waiting to hear news


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

kksrats said:


> She was 6 months, so not too terribly young. I think it was just the litter size and possibly weather change (indoor weather that is, it was about the time we started up the swamp cooler so it was much cooler and humid in the house) that brought it all on. I really thought I was going to lose her, thank goodness I had a foster mother that I'd rescued with her litter who were just weaned. I probably would have lost Isis and all of her babies if it wasn't for my sweet freyja who just instantly took all of them in and was a wonderful mother to them (even though she kept giving me looks that made me feel bad since she'd just weaned off her own litter). Isis was the first non-genetic sickness I'd ever had to deal with so I was freaking out.Sorry for taking over your thread with stories Nic, we kind of went off on a tangent lol. I love that you've got a camera to watch her! That's so cool! Sounds like babies will be here very soon now


Hectic...


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Thank you so much for the support guys, i'm getting really anxious for her.... please pop Zinsa!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Eeee, no news yet! Has she popped yet?


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

No news yet, she's nesting like crazy though as i type, ... I swear this is aging me! She was asleep on her back last night and i saw a little Mexican wave of movement... probably saying "Mum let me out!" lol 

Weight is up yet again ...another 6 grams on today

I'll let you all know as soon as anything happens! the wait is killing me! :O


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Shame Nic I can imagine! Hope it happens soon. You know what they say about watched kettles don't you? My momma always told me a watched kettle never boils  Sending lots of good vibes for Zinsa. Is she still letting you touch her?


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Sorry stupid question... If you're weighing her then obviously she's letting you touch her. Duh!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Come babies come, you're going to make your granny grey before her time!!


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## MOA (Sep 7, 2014)

But not to early babies! Be developed and healthy!!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Of course


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Waitiing is the worst right? lol I am so impatient. The last few days that I was waiting for Khaleesi were the worst I kept checking on her so much lol

Goodluck with your babies!


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## Vegn (Jan 2, 2014)

Any news?


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

She's popped! - I checked on her this afternoon, came back 15 minutes later with food for her and she had spotting and I heard an eek! - I was so shocked, she came out of the nest briefly as if to say "get out, I'm busy" and then went back in ..Only had a brief look, she's feeding them now, will try and get a pic and find out numbers when I can! Eeee!


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

Yay babies! Congrats. I hope mommy & babies are doing well


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## MOA (Sep 7, 2014)

Yay congrats! Can't wait for pictures!


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## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

Yay little ratties! Hope everyone is okay


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Oh gosh finally  congrats!! Hope Zinsa and babies are all doing well. Can't wait to hear how many and see pics. You must be super relieved that the wait is over.


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Thank you so much for the kind words everyone, Mum is doing well, she's keeping them all in place and not letting them wiggle off too far..She seems to be doing a really good job so far *phew!*



lovemyfurries said:


> Oh gosh finally  congrats!! Hope Zinsa and babies are all doing well. Can't wait to hear how many and see pics. You must be super relieved that the wait is over.


Thank you, I am! - When i first saw that tummy i thought "oh oh" ....few sleepless nights were had. 











Very short vid of them..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lMdElv6jlJM


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

I'm thinking perhaps 9, but it's such a jumble of legs and bums that it's hard to tell! lol


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

aww I have to video my babies now I didn't think of that. Yours are adorable! It is so hard to count them when they are all just pink squirmies in a pile lol Goodluck with a small litter!


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## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Yay! The anticipation is finally over and now you get to endure 6 weeks of unbearable cuteness!


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Ahh that's good news. It's so sad when some Mommy's are just not mommy material. She's clearly already very protective. I saw a video on YouTube once where the babies were being picked up and the mommy rat kept grabbing them back and trying to hide them. I actually felt so sad for her because she was clearly freaking out.

Thanks for the pics, can't wait to see more  It's so exciting.


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

Let us know when you are able to get a final count. I thought she'd have more when she kept gaining so much weight.


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Hey everyone, final count is 9! All doing well and all have fat milk bands.. Mum is being extremely laid back and came out of her own accord to get a treat! - She seems to be doing a good job, *fingers crossed*


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## lovemyfurries (Aug 13, 2014)

That's great news Nic!


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

aww our rats had the same number of babies! How cool lol. Goodluck finding homes for them all! Are you going to keep any?


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

depending on the sex of them i can imagine i'll be keeping all the girls, My Fiance is interested in a couple of Boys, so hopefully they can stay in the family!


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

moonkissed said:


> aww our rats had the same number of babies! How cool lol. Goodluck finding homes for them all! Are you going to keep any?


Same number! haha wow, that is cool..*highfives* Go rat mommas!


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## Vegn (Jan 2, 2014)

How is she?


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## gotchea (May 4, 2013)

She is so pretty! Yay for babies.But I really think she is so pretty it's crazy


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Ohh, really sorry.. i meant to post on this topic, As i'm picture spamming now i've moved the post to "meet my rat" http://www.ratforum.com/showthread.php?227482-Zinsa-The-squidgey-nine 

They're all doing really well so far!


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## Zabora (Jun 8, 2014)

Well now you know why she was dumped  she looks really preggers. Good luck.


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## Nic (Sep 19, 2014)

Zabora said:


> Well now you know why she was dumped  she looks really preggers. Good luck.


Thank you Zabora,  .. Yeah it's such a shame, although their loss because she's an absolute sweetheart!..


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