# Rat due in a week, what cage to move her to?



## Pinkangelmystic (12 mo ago)

Myself: Vet Tech since 2000, new to rats as pets however. We have many pets and have had hamsters/bred Robo dwarf in the past. 
Backstory: we got two young rats for our older rat as companions. One was a girl not a boy. They were together from Jan 28th - 31st. She's starting to be very round a nipples are visible.
We got her a friend last week, a 5 week old female friend who she cleans and snuggles with. She really loves us more though.
I was told to take the levels out of her cage so the babies don't get hurt or brought up to an upper level. It looks as if she's making a nest in the bottom level.
Questions. Do I remove her and put her in her own cage? Will the other rat be ok by herself? If I do remove her, when can I put them back together? What type of cage do I put her in if I move her? I'd have to buy/make one.
I'd prefer to keep her in her current cage and keep them together but I'll defer to your opinions. If they stay together will the other one be upset by lack of levels?
She also has been barbering herself. When we first got her I noticed she had a short patch of fur just above her tail and we assumed she was picked on. It's still there and the skin is a little flakey but otherwise normal. 
She was a wiggly monster this morning and wouldn't let me get a belly pic.


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## Little rat beans (12 mo ago)

A singular level cage or a tank works best since rats love to be up higher and you don't want any of the babies to fall and get hurt. If you use a cage you can put the cages beside each other so the rats can still be close together and they won't get too lonely. The babies can be separated at 5 weeks. It's best to separate the pregnant rat since there's always a chance the other female may kill or hurt the babies as they are not her own. If you decide to use a tank just make sure it's well ventilated or it'll get pretty stinky. Lots of bedding for nesting and a hide for her to nest in. Plenty of food and water obviously cuz labor is hard work. I believe that's the basics you can also add anything she like to make her feel comfortable and less stressed.


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## Pinkangelmystic (12 mo ago)

Little rat beans said:


> A singular level cage or a tank works best since rats love to be up higher and you don't want any of the babies to fall and get hurt. If you use a cage you can put the cages beside each other so the rats can still be close together and they won't get too lonely. The babies can be separated at 5 weeks. It's best to separate the pregnant rat since there's always a chance the other female may kill or hurt the babies as they are not her own. If you decide to use a tank just make sure it's well ventilated or it'll get pretty stinky. Lots of bedding for nesting and a hide for her to nest in. Plenty of food and water obviously cuz labor is hard work. I believe that's the basics you can also add anything she like to make her feel comfortable and less stressed.


Thanks. I may make a small bin cage for temporary housing for her.


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## Little rat beans (12 mo ago)

Of course and I've seen those work just as well


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## Fofo (Oct 21, 2021)

I left my rat in her DCN with her cagemates when she had her babies. Levels and all, and it was fine. I think it can be really stressful to be forced into a new cage just before giving birth. Rats like their safe space, the home that they know. The mama also needs breaks from the babies, which can be hard to get if she is in a small one level cage with them. 

If your rat ends up building her nest on an upper level, you can use something to block off the edge to keep the babies from falling. I put a small travel cage with the door left open on the upper level and my rat built her nest in it and the babies were well protected. By the time they are grown and agile enough to find the door and climb out of the smaller cage, they are fine to explore the bigger one.
My other rats were so kind and gentle to the babies, and helped raise them. I think it's a myth that they will kill babies who are not their own.

Good luck with them! It's so fun to have baby rats around


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## Rats4All (Feb 4, 2021)

Fofo said:


> I left my rat in her DCN with her cagemates when she had her babies. Levels and all, and it was fine. I think it can be really stressful to be forced into a new cage just before giving birth. Rats like their safe space, the home that they know. The mama also needs breaks from the babies, which can be hard to get if she is in a small one level cage with them.
> 
> If your rat ends up building her nest on an upper level, you can use something to block off the edge to keep the babies from falling. I put a small travel cage with the door left open on the upper level and my rat built her nest in it and the babies were well protected. By the time they are grown and agile enough to find the door and climb out of the smaller cage, they are fine to explore the bigger one.
> My other rats were so kind and gentle to the babies, and helped raise them. I think it's a myth that they will kill babies who are not their own.
> ...


Yes, you can leave them together with the levels. It would be worse if she brought her babies to a hammock and they fell to the bottom then into a level. I have heard stories of other females actually help with the babies.


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## Clarkbar (Oct 28, 2020)

If you do separate her, you can bring her over to the main cage to visit and play with her friend after a few days. The babies will be okay without her for up to half an hour.


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