# How to tell if a rat is pregnant?



## ~shopoholicfreak~

I just bought a rat at a petstore that was with a male for a few days and she is a little big. does any one think she is pregnant?
How do i know if my rat is pregnant?
what would be the signs of a pregnant rat?


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## SugarLovesRats

well if she is over 5 wks old and was with a male for a few days there's a good chance she is preggers! Pregnant rats usually make a nest, so if she's nesting that's a possible sign. Also if you hold her up and look at her belly a pregnant rats belly takes on kind of a pear shape. Anyway best of luck, I hope she's not but if she is good luck with the babies!


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## ~shopoholicfreak~

SugarLovesRats said:


> well if she is over 5 wks old and was with a male for a few days there's a good chance she is preggers! Pregnant rats usually make a nest, so if she's nesting that's a possible sign. Also if you hold her up and look at her belly a pregnant rats belly takes on kind of a pear shape. Anyway best of luck, I hope she's not but if she is good luck with the babies!


She was already chubby! We don't know the age!


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## alexhuff

I would sugest doing some research on the net to know for sure and start making arangments (ie:new homes)


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## Squishy

All my rats I have previously owned have all built nests, pregnant or no even the males. you will find they are only pregnant for 20 - 25 days so by 15 days into the pregnancy you should be bale to feel little lumps in her tummy but be careful not to press too hard.


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## ratwings

When you hold the rat up you can tell if she is pregnant because her nipples are bigger than usual and her stomach is round and bulging around the side. Keep us posted on how your rat does!


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## Squishy

nah The nipples arnt the best thing to go by, stomachs the best because sometimes females just get big nipples anyway, ive had a few of them.


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## ratwings

yeah, Ill have to agree with ya there. Sometimes they grow pretty big though. After Angel gave birth, I noticed they became pretty big. I think another sign would have to be if your rat is big and lethargic. Angel was laying around the day before she gave birth. But that could mean different things for other rats.


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## rattusnorvegicus

if she is over eight wks old and if you turn her over gently to look at her belly and it is faintly pinkish or if you feel something jiggling, it might be babies. and the nipples _do_ get a little bigger when the mother rattie is pregnant. keep watch for changing emotions or signs of pregnancy, because they can change fast. sometime ratties will react by biting or doing something other that upsets you if they are pregnant. keep us posted if she is pregnant.


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## mopydream44

WOW I saw the same icon, and I really thought you might possibly be insane to be giving yourself advice on a question you asked. 

PHEW........... 

It seems we have a popular avatar!  It's playing tricks with my mind, so who wants to have an avatar party? New avatars guys?? any takers??

anyhoo about pregnancy. You might see a change in her mood, she might even be nippy. Building nests is a good indication as people said. When my Oops mom was pregnant she looked like she swallowed a baseball but I've heard people say they might never show. You should research, and have everything set up just in case. The best way to tell is weigh her every day.

there are some excellent threads on what to do just poke around the accidental litter section


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## Darksong17

I don't know if she's pregnant but I can offer some information in case she is: 

http://www.petinfopackets.com/rats/ratinfopacket.html#genderandbreeding


She'll need more protein and such if she is (eggs etc.) and she'll need a safe place to give birth (a 20 gallon aquarium works well) with lots of stuff like paper towels to nest with. Male babies will need to be separated from female siblings and mom by five weeks of age.


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## miloandroxie

Look for nest building, unusually aggressive tendencies, abdominal swelling, enlarged nipples, and eating more frequently. Good luck with your ratty.


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