# Ginger was pregnant!



## Babe &Ginger (Dec 9, 2020)

Hello,
last July while cleaning up leaves in the greenhouse, I uncovered newborn rat babies. 2 days later mom still had not returned, and 2 of the 5 died, so I took the remaining 3 in to start caring for them. I managed to get one, Babe to adulthood. She is very friendly. So, reading more, I discovered that she needed a companion. Just 3 weeks ago I got a female for her to be friends with. I did the quarantine for 2 weeks, then placed the cages next to each other. 2 days ago, I started the introduction in a neutral bin. They did well. Today, as I was getting ready to clean cages, I heard the sounds of babies. OMG!!! Thank goodness they were in different cages still. Ginger had a fling before I got her from a local breeder.
So, happy birthday today to all the babies. Advice please. Sorry, video is too large to attach.


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## ratbusters (Aug 28, 2020)

Hi,
We are in a similar situation. My two girls have accidental litters at the moment.
Ginger is very cute. I love her dumbo ears.
I hope she is a good mum.
If you want more information about looking after baby ratties the Rat Guide is great.






Rat Guide – A Layman's Guide to Health, Medication Use, Breeding, and Responsible Care of Pet Rats







ratguide.com


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## Babe &Ginger (Dec 9, 2020)

ratbusters said:


> Hi,
> We are in a similar situation. My two girls have accidental litters at the moment.
> Ginger is very cute. I love her dumbo ears.
> I hope she is a good mum.
> ...


Thanks.


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## _dizzy_ (Mar 28, 2018)

Well, unfortunately for your other rat she has to stay separated since they're not properly bonded yet. Give the momma some extra nutrition. Eggs are a great thing to give. Cashews can help with milk production, but don't go crazy with cashew treats. Broccoli is a great thing to give her at the moment too. 
If she's comfortable with you handling her babies make sure to check them everyday for awhile to be sure that their milk bellies are full(it should be a obvious white band across the side of their tummy). I also suggest prepping a new cage for any males that may be in the litter because you'll want to separate them at about 4 weeks(I might be wrong on this). Don't want more accidental litters!
When the babies begin to wean introduce them to soft baby sauces first. Stuff like pear sauce, apple sauce, meat sauce, carrot sauce, etc. Then introduce them to a wide variety of solid foods so they're less likely to be picky eaters. 
I hope all goes well!


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## Babe &Ginger (Dec 9, 2020)

_dizzy_ said:


> Well, unfortunately for your other rat she has to stay separated since they're not properly bonded yet. Give the momma some extra nutrition. Eggs are a great thing to give. Cashews can help with milk production, but don't go crazy with cashew treats. Broccoli is a great thing to give her at the moment too.
> If she's comfortable with you handling her babies make sure to check them everyday for awhile to be sure that their milk bellies are full(it should be a obvious white band across the side of their tummy). I also suggest prepping a new cage for any males that may be in the litter because you'll want to separate them at about 4 weeks(I might be wrong on this). Don't want more accidental litters!
> When the babies begin to wean introduce them to soft baby sauces first. Stuff like pear sauce, apple sauce, meat sauce, carrot sauce, etc. Then introduce them to a wide variety of solid foods so they're less likely to be picky eaters.
> I hope all goes well!


Thanks. Very helpful.


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## Sue1208 (Aug 4, 2021)

Babe &Ginger said:


> Thanks. Very helpful.


How long do you have to keep the two girls apart? How will you train them to get along?


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