# pregnant rat... again-_-



## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

I'll try to keep this short. So I have a friend that needed to move back in with her mom after being evicted from her apartment. She had 4 rats, two males, two females, in two separate cages in the living room. She was only given a short time to be out of the apartment and her mom said she could not, under any circumstances, bring the rats with her. She found a friend who recently lost her two boys to old age so she took the guys but could not find anyone to take the girls. So I agreed to take them and rehome them. They have been staying in my parents room (much to their annoyance lol) well, I've had them a few days, sweet, gorgeous girls. Not very well socialized which I chalk up to them being young females and my friend working so often. Anyhow, one was pretty chubs when I took her in which I figured was because they didn't get out much and had a pretty small cage. Well last night I found that she had made a little nest under my parents bed during free roam time and when I picked her up it hit me, she's hugely pregnant. Like, gonna pop tonight or tomorrow. My friend said she has no idea how she would have gotten pregnant but both sexes were kept in some weird off brand cage with bars not quite an inch apart but not half an inch. Enough room obviously for a determined young, slightly built girl to get through. So now here I am with another pregnancy on my hands. 

After what happened with Rascal and having to lose both my girls to an accident pregnancy, this is my worst nightmare come again. I just thank whatever that I'm not as bonded to these new girls as I was with Rascal and Valencia. My friend also said she will help with vet bills if need be. But she's not quite rolling in the money either. So fingers crossed that the litter will be small, healthy and cute so they are easy to rehome. I do have one other friend looking for a new rat so I have atleast one home lined up already. I guess I dont have many questions right now since I went through all of them with Rascal, but if these babies make it, I'm sure I'll have some later on so this post was a warning lol I'll have questions. And plenty of pictures to share in sure. 

After finding out I went out and got her a single level cage with a deep pan for tons and bedding and half inch bar spacing, oxbow young rat food and cut up some bedding material for her. When I checked on her an hour ago she seems to have pushed a lot of bedding into the hut and the rest is flat like she's been restless or laying out, much like Rascal did the night before. So here's hoping she pops tonight so we can start this thing and get everyone into loving homes sooner than later.


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

I hope she and the pups make it. I got lucky with Lilly, she had three that lived, one that didn't and everything went smoothly. I'm hoping that this girl is lucky too.
If all goes well then I can't wait to see the little boogers!


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## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

I hope so too, I can't go through or afford another birthing issue. I got terribly lucky that a vet tech was there to take and pay for my girl. I know I won't get so lucky this time around if something happens. Here's hoping it all goes well  she seems healthy, is young, active and has a good appetite and energy level. She does have some sneezes but nothing too worrisome. I dont know which of her guys was the dad but she said she had a black and white capped male and a variegated fawn or champagne male. The mommy is a gorgeous, shiny fawn(?) Berkshire. Or possibly down under? Its hard to tell.. I dont know patterns and colors real well. I'm super curious how the babies will turn out.


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## kenzierey (Jan 27, 2014)

I really hope everything goes great for you and mama and the babies. It really is such a lovely experience and its a shame that the last time it was so tragic and you didn't get to experience the joy of watching a litter grow. Can't wait til your mama pops! I am excited for you!! Make sure to post pics!!


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Most likely not a down under. That is pretty rare here in the US and you mostly see it with high quality breeders and their stock. I personally have never seen one. Down under is more common in Australia if I am not mistaken.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Down-under is still exclusively australian, if I remember correctly. There have been imports, but foreign lines dilute the genes or cause problems -- Australia, like the UK, is MC free so not too much issue there...the US has no such freedom...


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## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

Thats what I was thinking but its hard to tell with her. She's a weird Berk if that is what she is. Ill post a picture later and maybe make some educated guesses to what her babies will look like  guess that sill be hard without knowing who the dad is but I guess I'll know soon enough lol


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## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

So still no babies at 5am. I just checked on her and spent a while just watching her, petting her nose when she came to me and giving her a couple treats. I feel bad that she's stuck in a closet, in a small birthing cage but I know it's best so I'm trying to resist the urge to let her free roam and cuddle her. She seems hesitant to say hi, but much calmer than usual. She also backs away more if I touch her back or near her tail. I also noticed her pausing for about 20 seconds at a time and grooming around her belly and lower quite a bit. I know they groom hairs and also help pull out babies themselves so in hoping this is a sign that tonight is the night. Although its pretty late in the morning for her be only be starting labor, yes? I didn't see any obvious pushing but I have to visit her in the dark with the flashlight on my phone this late. She seems active and was eating and curious. But she also looks bigger than a few days ago. So I wonder. I only noticed she was preggers a few days ago but was kinda chubby when I took her in a week ago. She can't possibly have much longer. She for sure has the swallowed a base ball look but its still getting bigger. I'm trying guess which day but she's so big now id have thought she would have popped by now. I made myself stay up super late the last couple days incase she has problems but idk how many days I can make myself stay up this late.


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

Some mama's have them in the evening. Lilly went into labor late afternoon and had hers at 6 pm


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## 2roans1black (Jan 13, 2014)

Both my girls had their babies mid morning between 8am and 12pm (always when I'm at work! )


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## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

Hmm well I just checked on her again. She was back in the hut and it looked like maybe she was having contractions but she could have just been stretching. I reached in to pull out the toilet paper my mom had given her for bedding and she latched onto my hand pretty good so I'm a bit worried about handling the babies but I guess I'll just have to let her out each time. She's so big now though thats its amazing she hasn't popped. She can't even groom herself without rolling over lol so hopefully tonight is the night.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I'd remove the hut. As you learned the hard way, it is a bit of a liability in checking on them. You can cover the cage in a dark towel instead, and just peek through that to see her. It mimicks burrows and retains heat better any way. 

This way you can tell if she's having contractions. You want to be able to tell immediately if it's been too long with no baby or not. 


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## Andyurgay (Jun 10, 2013)

I guess that could be an idea. I just wouldn't want her getting wound up and defensive everytime I so much as lift the towel to check on her.but anyhow, she had them  around 9:45 last night. From what I counted she had 13-14. It was hard to tell so I'll do a better count tomorrow. Everyone looked alive and healthy though. Some even already had some darker color like future patterns. Soo adorable. Thats just wayyy too many babies


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## Ergala (Jan 23, 2014)

Babies!!!!!!!!!


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