# Is my new rat pregnant and what do I do?



## Grawrisher

Last Sunday one of my rats penny died and my mom's solution was to get me a new rat.....from a sketchy petstore....she appears to be unite rotund and I'm thinking she might be pregnant?


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## Korra

Pictures would really help in telling if she was pregnant.


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## Grawrisher

I'm trying but I'm having issues attaching pictures


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## Korra

YYou can also use photobucket. It makes it easier to post large good quality photos


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums...oads/1416177991480-1657777566_zpse00dc825.jpg


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## Grawrisher

Which link do i use to get them here?


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## Korra

Oh yeah, I think she looks pregnant.


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## Grawrisher

Ok next question....what do I do?


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## Grawrisher

What do I need? She's currently in the all living thing equivalent of a dcn with 4 other girls


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## Grawrisher

I also have another cage I forget what it's called but it's got a deep pan and it's smaller


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## Grawrisher

I have fish tanks a ten gallon.....but I've used it for fish.....idk if maybe the fish chemicals are in the seals


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## Grawrisher

I'm kind of stuck at home as the roads are a bit blizzardy so I'm hoping I have everything I need


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## Korra

Can you show pics of each cage you have?


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141116_170521_zpsntta5xxz.jpg

So this is the extra cage...i have an extra water bottle and maybe I could put the sputnik in there maybe rip up some paper for bedding? (I use fleece for my girls


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## Korra

You could do that. Although the ten gallon works good for about 2 weeks as well.


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## Grawrisher

Just concerned about residual fish chemicals in the ten.....and at what point should I separate her from her current cage mates and at what point do you serve the genders and when can you tell the genders?


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## Hey-Fay

Take the tank and wash it with hot water and white vinegar, really scrub it. Then dry with a towel and let it air out for about fifteen minutes. Go get some carefresh, or an off brand, for nesting material; fleece works well too. Start her on a high protein diet, eggs are good as is liver, I use beef liver fried in olive oil. Don't put any hidey boxes in the tank, she's new and in unfamiliar territory and if given a hidey box she will more than likely defend it, and you don't want that as it'll be difficult to monitor her and the pups. Get a mesh lid for the tank and cage clips, you don't want her escaping! 
I would invest in some infant soy formula and a tiny paintbrush just incase mummy can't or won't feed them. 
Once the pups are born you need to only handle them once in the first 24 hours and that's only to check for milk bands and remove any dead if there are any. After 24 hours is up start handling them every day for no more than five minutes at a time. If mummy is defensive try to lure her out with some yogurt on a spoon or something equally yummy. As they grow you can handle them for longer stretches and you can also let mummy out for free range, but no longer than 15-20 minutes while the pups are still hairless. Once they've got their peachfuzz you can let her out for longer stretches at a time. 

If you have any issues or questions feel free to ask!


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## Hey-Fay

Grawrisher said:


> Just concerned about residual fish chemicals in the ten.....and at what point should I separate her from her current cage mates and at what point do you serve the genders and when can you tell the genders?


The white vinegar wash will get rid of the fish chems. She looks rather far along so you could put her in it now or in the next day or so, she should be nesting like crazy. At 19 days old you will be able to tell boys from girls without a doubt but we can sex them for you while they're still jelly beans  you need to seperate boys from girls at 4-5 weeks, I did mine at 4 weeks but as long as they're separated before 6 weeks everything will be fine.


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## Grawrisher

Welll......i hope I can make it to Walmart tomorrow.....maybe my roommates have some vinegar.....i bet I could shred a bunch of fleece for bedding til I can make it to the store.....eggs? Cooked or raw? Cooked?...I'll have to go get one I have mesh type lid just got find the rest of the pieces (didn't need them for a hospital fish tank


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## Hey-Fay

Scramble an egg, no salt or pepper! Shredded fleece, or large bits of it, works well as nesting material too so if you're strapped for cash like the rest of us the fleece will work. I would also buy some cans of wet dog or cat food that's high in protein, You can usually get these for like 45 cents or something in that price range. The cage clips shouldn't be too much, no more than a few dollars, and a small bottle of white vinegar isn't too much either. 
You can feed her normal lab blocks with a little of the wet food, I'm sure she would enjoy that. If you can't get the infant formula, kitten milk replacement will work too. Once she has the pups you can give her some of the formula too as it'll help her regain her strength and help bulk her up a bit.


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## Grawrisher

I'm just so worried about her...i didn't really notice when my mom first brought her to me because I was retry upset over penny but once I really started spending time with her I noticed how round she was nd...that pet store doesn't take very good care of their pets...the lid I've got for that tank clips down its not so b much the cash as it is that the current rod conditions are not cooperative with my car


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## Hey-Fay

I'm in MI so I completely understand the road conditions. I only like the snow if I don't have to go out in it. You could clean the tank with boiling water and dish soap, it would take a little longer to do but it'll clear out the chems just like the vinegar would. That'd allow you to set up the tank sooner. You can feed her scrambled eggs and lab blocks for now and venture out later on when you can manage it. She probably has a few days till she pops so that gives you a little time. Be sure to bond with her as much as you can before she has them. By doing that it could mean easier handling her and the pups; a bitey defensive mama is not fun :/


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## Grawrisher

My roommates have vinegar....crazy health nuts......none of us have eggs though.....and I just have a mixed food right now as the rest of my lab blocks are at my dad's house....my car just doesn't have the ground clearance to drive through the snow we currently have


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## Hey-Fay

As long as she's started on a high protein diet soon she should be fine.


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## Grawrisher

I got out and managed to get out and get the lab blocks I have and got some cat food and a better water bottle holder and my paper bedding and I got the tank to the only quiet corner of the house


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## Hey-Fay

Sounds like you're off to a great start. Remember to spend time with her, you can free range her right up until she pops. Try and get a good bond with her, it makes handling the bubs so much easier! And don't hesitate to ask any more questions.


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## Grawrisher

How do I know when she's about to pop?


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## Hey-Fay

She'll start to nest like crazy. Don't put her in with the rest of your mischief, keep her in the tank but you can free range her while under your strict guidance. I only recommend you free range for 20 minutes or so. You can tell when she's in labor, she'll be owie stretching and probably on her side.


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## Grawrisher

Ok cool.....i think she's starting to enjoy the tank


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## Hey-Fay

Most mummys do, it's a quiet place with no threats. After she's had them that's a different story lol Once they're mobile you can let her out for longer stretches at a time.


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## Grawrisher

At what point can I move mommy and babies to the spare cage?


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## Hey-Fay

I did it at week four. The bar spacing has to be 1\2 inch or smaller. Otherwise you'll have little escapees


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## Grawrisher

I woke up today to find Vicky on a mound of 13 squealing squirming pups


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141122_162024_zpshh5mdyd3.jpg
All of them are 4-6 grams


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## Grawrisher

14 I miscounted


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## Hey-Fay

Oh my goodness!! They're precious! How's mummy?


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## Grawrisher

She's going slowly insane I think lol...but good they're all still looking good...despite being miscounted twice....there's actually 15...I've found homes for 4 potentially 6 already....so that's good and my temperamental roommate/landlord is unaware that there are 20 rats in his basemeny....so all is well


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141123_124435_zps46xy2dow.jpg

I did some googling and I believe this is accurate girls bottom left boys top right
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141123_124920_zps3xwxptuh.jpg


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## Hey-Fay

They are beyond cute!


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## Grawrisher

Aaah I missed uploading the 2 day old pics 
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141124_113907_zpsrpmh4b7n.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141124_114452_zpshpe68m98.jpg
So that's 2 days

And today 3 days
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141125_115233_zpsq2rvlqcn.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141125_115401_zpsmln47a4r.jpg


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## Hey-Fay

omg cuteness overload


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## Grawrisher

I know I can't wait til they have fur!!!!! I need to find homes for them all though...that's gonna be the tough part...I've had multiple offers from people who want to feed them to snakes.....i said no way


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## Hedgian

Grawrisher can I ask your general location? (Looking for young ratty companions for Jojo)


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## Grawrisher

I'm in western sd, when the babies are old enough I'm taking at least 2 to colorado for my cousin, so they could go roughly anywhere in between


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## Grawrisher

She's in the fort carson/Colorado Springs area specifically


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## Hedgian

Ooh.. colorado springs is a 2-3 hour drive for me not sure where fort carson is though in relation to the two. 

How old are the babies now?


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## Grawrisher

They're just 3 days old now, probably going to make the trip weekend after new years they'll be about 6 weeks then


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## Hedgian

Okay, I just google it and Denver (Where I am) is inbetween fort carson and SD. Maybe by then I could talk to my parents and see if I could take a couple babies off your hands (?)


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## Grawrisher

Sounds like a plan, just message me tokeep me posted, I'll keep posting daily pics of the babies


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## Hedgian

I can't wait to see them as fuzzies ^^


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## Grawrisher

I know me too!


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141126_115356_zpsnqrsxwau.jpg
All together
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141126_115534_zps9ivtdpjm.jpg
Boys top row girls bottom row
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141126_115416_zpsrrxtsqmy.jpg
So this is the smallest boy and I was actually wondering if anyone could tell at this point if that's a HW mark or just some other face marking?


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## Hey-Fay

Oh my goodness!! He looks like a head spoted cap, I don't think it's a hw marking but I could be wrong. You should ask Isamurat as she know these things. If he has mc it should show around the time they start to be weaned.


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## Grawrisher

Today's pics!!!
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141127_135955_zpsnfjtobet.jpg
All together
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141127_140136_zpsglwipvqw.jpg
Genders separated
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141127_140207_zps5gqwh2k5.jpg
Boy with the head spot
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141127_140543_zpsrjymlvrg.jpg
Do the whiskers in the left side of this picture look curly or bent to anyone else?
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141127_140721_zpsq63dhdun.jpg
These are the two biggest boys at 11 grams


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141128_121759_zpsiy5ipmgn.jpg
Day 6 and we can finally see the light colored markings! 
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141128_121958_zpsqjofuhuo.jpg

Still unsure of this head spot :/
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141128_122108_zpsih93foii.jpg


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## kksrats

I've had plenty of capped pups with head spots that had no incidence of megacolon, so you're probably safe.


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## Grawrisher

Forgot to upload yesterday so day 7:
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141129_150349_zpsq632pos4.jpg

Boys
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141129_150307_zps2x6c733v.jpg

Girls
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141129_150334_zpstukwgik2.jpg


And day 8
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_145253_zps03avnlru.jpg

Boys
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_145426_zps3eg1krlk.jpg

Girls
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_145356_zpsqwmaigfi.jpg

And I know that one head spot shouldn't be cause for worry, however now that the lighter ones are getting their markings I'm noticing alot of head Spots
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_150044_zpszq0iicjf.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_145755_zpsf6gei0zh.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_145906_zpszkegndr4.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_145940_zpsaf9z9wi8.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141130_150028_zpsjfoglpaz.jpg


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## kksrats

Any idea what dad looked like? It is possible that he had high white markings; you can never really know just from looking at pups. To be safe, I'd keep the pups until at least 8 weeks. Sometimes it doesn't show until they're on nothing but dry food, so at 6 weeks I'd separate them all from mom and keep them on paper towel or newspaper bedding that way you can see if there are normal poops. They're so fuzzy at that stage that it's sometimes hard to see a bloated tummy, so any pups that I think are at risk I'll usually bathe or wipe down with a wipey once a week after about 5 weeks old. This smooths the fur down and makes bloat easier to see. Any that look bloated will spend about half a day in a bin by themselves with paper towel bedding to see if they're pooping properly. My methods are obviously not official textbook procedures and other people may have other/better ideas; this is just what has worked for me in the past.


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## Grawrisher

I have no idea what the dad looks like at all. ... additionally m my landlords are getting pretty pushy about them all being gone by 6 weeks


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## kksrats

Well then I suppose the best you can do is explain to people who are interested what megacolon is and the circumstances regarding having to let them go before you know for sure they're not affected. I've always found that honesty goes a long way when rehoming. I never send a baby or adult home with someone without them knowing everything that I know or can speculate about the rat.

You could also try explaining the situation to your landlord maybe?


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## Grawrisher

It's my cousin and her boyfriend and while my cousin may understand. ..... her boyfriend thinks that he is practically god to dogs and I CLEARLY don't spend enough time with them and he is....shall we say....less than thrilled about rats in the first place....and it's not that he'll be actually mad at me.....he'll do this thing where all of his issues with whatever I'm doing will well up and balloon until the only logical solution is for him to be a bigger jerk to me than all of my exes combined then I cuss at him in front of his grandma then he tells me if I'm moving out I need to pay him the deposit then my cousin tells him that's ridiculous then I slam the door then he tells me not to because I might break the door (yes after all that as I'm trying to move out his concern is the door that doesn't shut right anyway)...so long story short....I could TRY explaining it....but he wouldn't understand.....unless someone has a car metaphor for megacolon and HW....even then it's doubtful


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## Grawrisher

On a lighter note...
1 week 2 days
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141201_153436_zps3whacfps.jpg
Everybody
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141201_153547_zpsjn5ztair.jpg
Boys

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141201_153609_zpsd8tu97pf.jpg
Girls

Upon close examination and.....lots and lots of googling....all of the white spots seem fairly typical and from what I understand HW is more accurately called "risky white" and is in atypical markings....so it's likely that all these puppies should be safe


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## Grawrisher

Additionally my cousin has claimed the 3 girls whose "saddles" go all the way down their backs


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## Grawrisher

Aaah sorry it's been so long....I have tons of pictures and pictures of all individual rats if anyone's particularly interested...5 are claimed......anyway...15 days old http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141207_195929_zpsevgzhc8x.jpg


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## Hey-Fay

I'm sorry for your situation, your landlord sounds like a dick. I recommend separating the litter no later than 5 weeks because at six weeks they become sexually mature, best not to risk it.


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## Grawrisher

That's what I wad thinking and yeah...one of my landlords is.....we are currently in the middle of a parking war with him....but anyway 10 babies unclaimed! 4 girls 6 boys


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## kksrats

The little one with the blaze is a little concerning, blazes are usually a high white trait...or at least here in the states they are. They are all beautiful though, I'm quite jealous!


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## Reedrat

They are beauties!


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## Grawrisher

Yes I'm concerned about the wedge blaze the badger face and ALLLL the headspots (that makes a total of 11 with concerning markings)......sure are cute though


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## kksrats

From the 3 megacolon litters that I've seen, only about a quarter of each litter were fatally affected by megacolon; of those all died between 6 and 8 weeks. From the adopters who have actually kept their promises of keeping in touch, I've had 2 reports of mild constipation that can be easily fixed with a good diet (these are rats that are over a year old now). Obviously I'm taking my info from a very small pool of data and it could be that your pups will not be affected at all, but it's not all doom and gloom if it does happen.


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## Grawrisher

Yeah I mean I try to be optimistic as I know that Finnebonn had a litter that had 2 MC babies and with diligent treatment despite the severity of the condition those 2 dears are about a year and half now....of course I'm not under the illusion that I would be able to care for 11 MC rats for any significant amount of time on my own....I just know it can be done


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums...loads/2014-12/20141216_223543_zpseg2ipuy4.jpg
Picture from today!!!! 4 girls claimed and 2 boys are staying with me...3 girls and 6 boys still in need of homes


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums...loads/2014-12/20141214_214230_zpsu1fpy4ya.jpg
The beige bare back girls and the brown mismarked hooded in the top left corner are unclaimed

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums...loads/2014-12/20141214_214208_zpsvkpvbtgo.jpg
I'm keeping the brown hooded and the boy with the prominent blaze (or badger or whatever you call it)


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## kksrats

They're getting so big!


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## Grawrisher

I know!!! And they're such active little buggers too!


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## Hedgian

They're super cute! I love the boy where you can hardly see the hood (also kinda looks like some sort of husky thing going on?)


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums...loads/2014-12/20141211_222958_zpsg9b4w2bw.jpg
If this is the one you're referring to that's jasper one of my babies I'm keeping he's so funny >.<


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## Hannah7banana7

Her belly is pretty big.. she looks prego to me :0
good luck with the rat babies


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## Grawrisher

Haha yeah she had 15


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## Finnebon

So CUUUUUUTE. I would so take a couple of boys if you were closer!!!! I love the orangey-beige with the red eyes <3


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## Finnebon

(Any plans on coming near CA?)


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## Grawrisher

No the closest I'm going is CO  if only they were as close physically as they are alphabetically...so unless we can find them a way across a couple states


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## Hannah7banana7

aww 15 little ratties  im jealous! babies are so cute!


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## spysquid

They are beautiful! Great job ^_^ good luck with the adoptions!


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## Grawrisher

Haha thanks they're so rambunctious I have to put them in a box to take pictures (unless they're individual pictures of course


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## Grawrisher

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141223_235228_zpsymfklf0o.jpg

http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141223_235147_zpskoaxvafo.jpg
Got a super cute picture of storm wanda and pumpkin today


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## erikablanchettexo

Grawrisher said:


> http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141223_235228_zpsymfklf0o.jpg
> 
> http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141223_235147_zpskoaxvafo.jpg
> Got a super cute picture of storm wanda and pumpkin today


Their tails are intertwined together. OMG so cute hehe


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## Grawrisher

I know..my brother came over to see the babies and he was holding the other 4 at the time when we saw their tales he was like "quick take a picture!"


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## kksrats

That picture is amazing! I love rat tails


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## FoxFeather

I am jaelous. 15 babies and not a single death!? Soooo jealous. I remember when I was a first time rat owner I had 3 accidental litters from buying rats at pet stores, and only a SINGLE baby survived out of all three litter D= Be sure to enjoy your babies for me!


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## Grawrisher

I know! They're all doing so well its kind of remarkable when I think about where their mom came from although when I consider that pet store if she was there for any length of time this may not have been her first litter..vicky is an amazing mommy....this has unfortunately happened to the babies since being put in the bottom half of the dcn though 
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141226_230854_zpsvx7fccit.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141226_230924_zpsvwfrs3yd.jpg
http://i1292.photobucket.com/albums/b568/grawrisher/Mobile Uploads/20141226_230824_zpshdhvwqho.jpg
Idk what to do?


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## MOA

Is their nose cut or is it just bleeding from inside? I'm sorry it's hard to tell in the photos


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## kksrats

Hmm...that doesn't look good. Are they scraping their noses against something rough in the cage? How many have it? The first picture looks a bit infected and it might be a good idea to take one in to the vet and see if you can snag some antibiotics for all that have the problem.


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## kksrats

I missed the second picture when I first looked. You definitely need to take them out of that cage until you find the problem. It looks like they're sticking their noses somewhere that may have a rough edge and it's scraping their skin off. I'd definitely take the babes in the first two pics to the vet. It'd be a shame to lose any to infection.


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## Grawrisher

They were getting bit by their upstairs neighbors but I put tiles on the upper half floor..I cleaned patches (first picture) face last night and got some silver solution and it definitely looks better than in the picture at the time of the pictures the middle one (jasper) was bleeding and the other two were stabbed over 
I feel really bad but I think I've corrected the problem


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## Grawrisher

The issue with vets here is...they're just not....GOOD with rats...like they're not bad but I get about the same advice on here as I do from the vet (except it costs more there) like when aris had an lump on her face (that turned out to be like an absess) I took her in and the vet checked her out and did a slide (charged me $120) and said "try pushing on it for like a week and if that doesn't work bring her back"

Had I put pictures on here I feel like someone might have been able to tell me "try putting a hot towel on it and pushing on it a bit"....and I would have saved $120


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## kksrats

That's understandable. The only exotic vet here treated my beardie like he was an inanimate object and was super rough with him. 

Poor little guys, they just wanna meet the guys above them lol. Rats can be such meanies sometimes.


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## Grawrisher

Yeah initially I put the little guys on the upper level but I ran into problems because there were spots in the pan that the big rat ties had chewed through and when the baby rat ties were standing over those spots aris would reach up and bit them and so I swished them and put the big girls litter box over the hole but meanie but aris made a new hole to get to curious little baby boys


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## Grawrisher

Pleased to report all babies are healing up quite well and all steps have been taken to ensure it doesn't continue to happen (short of getting another cage, but that is also on the horizon


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## kksrats

Good to hear. I have lined my ferret nation with tile underneath the pan just in case since my girls can fit through those bars. Better safe than sorry lol


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