# Rescue might be pregnant!



## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

So I saved this really cute and really sweet little girl from a feeder bin at a local pet store. Only problem is that I think she is pregnant. I just went through this not that long ago and am still trying to find the mom and her one remaining daughter a home. I'm just hoping she has a small litter if she is pregnant. If anyone has any advice I would love to hear it, thank you.

Oh and I live in Federal Way, WA 98003 so if anyone is interested in adopting a 6 month and 3 month old pair of female agouti hooded rats (mother and daughter) or reserving a baby in case I wind up having a litter with this new girl let me know!


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Okay I'm about 90% positive she is pregnant. She might be shy but she is super sweet and I pressed my finger up to her belly and felt movement like kicking/wiggling...I have a feeling anytime now I'm gonna have litter eepers  If anyone wants rats PLEASE let me know!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

When you feel that much activity from the eepers then labour will commence soon, usually within 12 hours or more.

Make sure her cage is safe for baby birthing, NO kleenex or toilet paper as these will stick to babies when they are wet right after birth. Quality white paper towel or carefresh makes a good bedding, I have used fleece and paper towels and gave mom the choice. I usually don't use houses anymore since my rescue mom's didn't like them, or if they were heavy sometimes mom would heave it on top of one of the babies trapping it. 

Make sure she's got lots of food, proteins, good veggies, and a quality lab block. I like Ensure and baby cereal for my mom's, they love it and its extra nutrients and calories for them.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Oh boy lol thanks for the tips! I'm guessing by tonight maybe then since I hear they give birth at night...


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## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

Judging by looks of momma,,,, those are gonna be some cute eepers


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Try putting her with mostly paper towels.

When my girl had her babies, a big chunk of carefresh got stuck to an eeper. And momma hurt his frail skin trying to groom his bum.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I've got her in with a towel and paper towles on top which she is having fun shredding. I'm so glad she is sweet and seems to be staying sweet if not getting even sweeter!


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Any babies yet? She must be really close if you can feel them moving so much!


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Nope, no babies yet...I hope I'm not just paranoid ROFL I think I convinced myself she was pregnant because of the fact that she was burried underneath these huge male rats. I've actually started getting excited and now I'm looking forward to babies so I almost kinda hope she is, but of course more practically hope she isn't.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Babies are defiantly exciting thats for sure! But a lot of hard work and it can be hard to find home for them in some areas. Are you planning to keep any? 

Does she look huge? She should look like she swallowed a tennis ball, literally. 









My girl TR Stella Artois about a day and a half before she gave birth to a litter of 9.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

She is about the same size as my 6 month old girls but her tummy is deffinitely bigger/rounder/harder and I sware I feel movement in there!


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

If shes around 6 months old and was housed with males.... I would be very surprised if she was not pregnant. 

When I could feel lots of movement, I could usually see them moving around inside as well. And this was in the final few days of the pregnancy.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

She is very sweet, but also pretty squirmy and since I don't want to hold her too firmly I can't get a good long look at her tummy to see any movement. Just taking it one day at a time. I'm so glad they're only preggers for a month, makes the waiting game less hard.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

And if she is visibly huge, they are most likely coming soon


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I sure hope so! I'm unemployed now :-\ so I'm saving up for hammocks/cubes/tents and such....


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

No sign of any eepers yet? Is she visibally round in the belly? Is she building a nest, hoarding food or doing anything out of the ordinary.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Rat gestation is only 21-23 days not a month. If you actually felt the movement like you said she should've given birth by now. How is she acting?

See how active Lilith's bubs were? The video was taken about 7 pm, and she gave birth about 2:30 am.


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## Alethea (Jul 14, 2010)

Wow, that mama is one beautiful rattie.  

Is that babies moving around in there or is that me seeing things?


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

If no babies come soon, does the OP have to worry about her rat reabsorbing the babies?

Could that be harmful to the mom?


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Okay now you guys are making me nervous >.< She likes to stay in one particular corner of the cage now and she is being real grabby with me and then shoves me away after giving a very light nibble. With my other rat I had NO idea she was pregnant until I found little pink things in her cage under her!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

PEG said:


> Okay now you guys are making me nervous >.< She likes to stay in one particular corner of the cage now and she is being real grabby with me and then shoves me away after giving a very light nibble. With my other rat I had NO idea she was pregnant until I found little pink things in her cage under her!


Do you have a scale you can weigh her on daily to see if she's gaining steadily?

I don't think you felt eepers before or something would be happening by now, either mom would be on top of pink things or she would be ill/dead from dying babies inside of her.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I just searched and found one! She weighs 10oz today at 4:30 pm

I'll weigh her again tomorrow at the same time


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

PEG said:


> I just searched and found one! She weighs 10oz today at 4:30 pm
> 
> I'll weigh her again tomorrow at the same time


does the scale have the options of grams or shall I convert for you?

10 oz = 283 grams


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Oh no lol it doesn't that I know of so if you could convert that would be great, thank you!


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

New Pics


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

She does not look pregnant lol.

She would be a ratty whale if she were.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I thought the same thing about my other rat Diedre...I convinced myself she wasn't pregnant just to find out she was! She never looked pregnant not even the day before she gave birth but then again she was about Pipers size then and still growing so I don't know if that has anything to do with it...


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

She really does not look pregnant, could you get some belly shots?

Does she have very visible nipples? Is she nesting?

Is she being nippy? (not all rats get aggressive during pregnancy but alot do)


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

She nips me very gently when she is sick of getting attention, and she gets grabby and pushy a lot with my hand. I can see her nipples way more then my other rats.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

PEG said:


> She nips me very gently when she is sick of getting attention, and she gets grabby and pushy a lot with my hand. I can see her nipples way more then my other rats.


How long have you had her now? I would say she's not pregnant from those pics.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Its hard to tell with those pics, but shes doesn't look like shes about to pop them out any day soon. You never know, it may be a small litter, or this girl might just be gorging herself on good food 

Keep weighing her and keep a close eye on her and her behavior. I thought when you said you looked and found one.. that you found a baby! lol.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

She deffinietely seems to be getting bigger


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

How long have you had her for now? 

Was she underweight when you got her?


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

No she was not underweight when I got her. I have had her since August 25th so that is 14 days now.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Idk, it seems so unlikely that she is pregnant.

if she was there, she was probably there for a few days at LEAST, so it's not like she would have gotten pregnant the day you got her.


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## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

Heyy, kikos back.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

LOL where did I go?
I have been here xD


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## eddricksmommy101 (Jul 16, 2010)

idk, lmao


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Actually I disagree....This is a pretty popular, cheap petstore and I doubt she was there for more then 48 hours MAX before I got her. Either way I'll know in another 10 days or so for sure if it's okay to start introducing her to the other girls or not.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

Considering rat breeding takes place in a few seconeds.

I hope she's not, I had that happen to me It was a nightmare. I love all my rats, but at the time I was not situated to have 15 rats, lol!


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Rats go into heat approx every 3-5 days. So if she was in there for 48 hours max, there is a chance she is not pregnant. However, rats are highly fertile randy little buggers... like Kiko said all it takes is three seconds of contact technically and you don't know for sure anything about her before she was the pet store. I would continue to treat her like she is pregnant, they sometimes don't show at all until the final few days and you've only had her for 17 days. 

Are you still weighing her... any increase? They should gain approx 2g every 2 days.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

ema-leigh said:


> Are you still weighing her... any increase? They should gain approx 2g every 2 days.


2 g??? At 17 days she should be at 6-10 grams daily even if not showing much.

Lilith (last 10 days of her pregnancy)
Aug 4 - 145 g
Aug 5 - 154 g 
Aug 6 - n/a
Aug 7 - n/a
Aug 8 - 174 g
Aug 9 - 171 g (a stall and slight drop in weight is actually normal)
Aug 10 -189 g 
Aug 11 - 212 g 
Aug 12 - 217 g
Aug 13 - 231 g
Aug 14 - 241 g (birth at 2 am)

A bigger girl Bronwen (last 10 days again)
Aug. 11 – 267 g
Aug. 14 – 279 g (8 g gain)
Aug. 15 – 289 g (10 g gain)
Aug. 16 – 302 g (13 g gain)
Aug. 17 – 319 g (17 g gain)
Aug. 18 – 329 g (10 g gain)
Aug. 19 – 346 g (17 g gain)
Aug. 20 – 354 g (8 g gain)
Aug. 21 – 364 g (birth) (10 g gain)


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## rattiesalem24 (Feb 21, 2010)

So, are there any new updates?


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

It has been 17 days since I got her and still no babies but I'm not convinced we're in the clear just yet. So in one week (next Friday) if no babies I'll just assume she's a chubby little girl and start introducing her to my other rats over the weekend.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Pregnancies can last longer than 23 days.... Weighing her would be the best way to indicate pregnancy because of the steady gain. Have you noticed she is visibly bigger? 

Yes ignore the 2g, I forgot your at least 17 days in. Fingers crossed shes just a bit chubby... or that its a small litter for her and you.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Unfortunately my mom found out I was using her scale to weigh the rats and hid it >.< she can be very dificult...She deffinitely looks bigger to me but then again I can make myself believe things that aren't really there if I think about it too much ROFL and like I said with my other rescue girl I had NO idea she was pregnant until she gave birth, I mean there were NO signs at all. Since today is day 17 since I've had her when would it be safe to assume she's not pregnant and start intros with my girls?


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I love her so much. She is just the sweetest (slightly shy) little girl ever. She is also VERY smart. She picked up on using a litter box the very first day I put it in there. She poops in there EVERY time it's great!


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Are you noticing her having any heat cycles? She should get them approx every 4/5 days if she is not pregnant. You could test by scratching her shoulders and she may lift up her tail and back side if she is in heat. Or wiggling her ears? Although this is not 100% accurate obviously since you don't know if she did it before hand or not.... not all girls will. 

I would wait until day 25 just to be safe. Although if she is in QT just do the full 30 day QT time. But be aware, altho highly unlikely, rats have delivered on day 28 before. (Not any of my rats personally my longest was 24..)


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I was ignorant when getting her about QT and it wont happen again.


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Since you'll be doing intros I would actually just a full 30 days anyway... just to be safe in case she is pregnant. But if she reaches 30 days with no babies.. I would be confident she was not pregnant and if she was she has reabsorbed. Keep a close eye on her afterwards for infection. I recommend putting white paper towels in her cage so you can watch for blood spotting. It will be the first sign of labor. Also keep it in after you put her in with your other girl, it can also show you if shes developing an infection. 

Good luck, I hope she isn't pregnant.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I keep my girls on light colored towels so I'll be able to notice any bleeding ^.^ I'll wait until the 25th to start intros since that will be exactly a month since bringing her home. I hope she's not pregnant either, but if she is I have a few potential homes lined up, I can keep them as long as it takes to find them all good homes and I might even keep one myself. If she is pregnant I doubt she will have a large litter due to her size...or lack there of lol


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

As long as your prepared just in case, thats great. I'm glad shes in good hands now regardless of the outcome.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Thank you Ema and while I understand the negative views attatched with purchasing a feeder rat...I'm glad I did it and would do it again for her and my other girl.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Day 18

This is so nerve racking...She is the wierdest rat I have ever owned. She is really sweet, and very curious but spends most of her time burried under layers of towels that she has chewed holes into to make weird cave systems lol also she mouths me...I don't know any other way to describe it. She bites me but they aren't bites, they don't hurt at all but she's not grooming either. I just stick my hand in and she mouths me for a few minutes, expects me to pet her, waddles around the cage and explores then dissapears in her towels...


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Day 19

So I weighed her and she is 292 grams approx...She doesn't like to hold still...I'm gonna try again tomorrow and see if there is any change...


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

So she has gained about 10 grams in 10 days...so estimately 1 gram a day...Could that be possible if she is gonna have a really small litter?


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

I tried it again and this time I got a MUCH more accurate reading...She weighs about 294 grams...and I swear her nipples are more visable...


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Hehe you found the scales! Weigh her again the same time tomorrow and see if there is any increase. Their hair around their nipples will begin to thin out and they will groom it away to get ready for the babies. 

Since you don't know her history it may be possible that she has had a litter before tho and this would explain the more obvious nips and little belly.


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## PEG (Aug 19, 2010)

Very true lol and in that case she is just a chubby little thing which I would need to invest in a wheel for...I'll weigh her again at 2:00 pm tomorrow now that I have a solid way to do it on a better more accurate scale...


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