# Babies are here!!



## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

My husband called me as I was getting ready to clock out at work and told me Merry was giving birth. I was so excited to get home and be near them, but I don't want to disturb the nest just yet, so I don't know how many there are. They have been squeaking a lot over the past hour. Should they be making that much noise? I figured they would be quieter if she's feeding them.


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

Merry came out to eat, so I managed to get a photo of the pups. There's at least ten, I think, but maybe more. They're asleep right now. :3









She seems super chill for having just given birth. Look how skinny she looks now compared to a couple days ago! xD


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## ratbusters (Aug 28, 2020)

Oh wow! Congratulations on the babies. They do tend to squeak a lot when they are brand new. Hope Merry is enjoying her new family.


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## DaisyWillowHazel :D (Apr 4, 2021)

Congratulations!! 
yes it is completely normal for them to squeak-when my rat gave birth they made a racket!!


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## SonicRat (Jun 30, 2021)

Congratulations to you all!🌟It must be a relief now they are finally here.I have never been in that situation.


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

update: the pups are doing well. I still haven't taken them out to do a proper count, but I think there's 15 of them! They're clearly being fed well. I held one earlier today (picked him up to put back in the nest after his mom dragged him out by accident, lol) and he had a fat tummy full of milk. Merry seems completely chill with us being around the babies, and even doesn't seem to care if Pippin goes in the nest with them! (I did try to separate them for the birth, but it really seemed to stress them both out, so I let them back together. I've been keeping an eye on them just in case there's any incidents.)

Also, now that she's not pregnant anymore, Merry is no longer aggressively taking food from Pippin and has instead turned to actively sharing with her! I gave her a nut earlier as a treat, and she immediately went to give it to Pip, so I gave her a second one which she ate. 💛💛💛


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## Enne (Dec 12, 2020)

Just for future reference for anyone else reading this thread, you should separate a pregnant rat from the group before she gives birth.


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## Tinytoes (Dec 23, 2020)

Congrats on your new babes!!!


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## *Patrick (Sep 25, 2021)

Congratulations! I just started following your past threads, I wish you a lot of luck! I also have two rats called Merry and Pippin! Did you plan to name the babies as LOTR characters too? 😄


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

*Patrick said:


> Congratulations! I just started following your past threads, I wish you a lot of luck! I also have two rats called Merry and Pippin! Did you plan to name the babies as LOTR characters too? 😄


Aww, thanks. 
If we keep some babies they will probably also get hobbit names, or at least other geek/fantasy names, but we intend to rehome most of them, so I guess their new parents can name them. One of my friends said she intends to adopt a couple and call hers Thor and Loki. :3


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

By the way, here's a recent photo of some of the babies. This small pile of beans for some reason crawled out of their nest and regrouped away from the rest of their siblings. Not sure why, but I support them. <3


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

Here's all the babies when I had to take them out to clean the cage today. <3


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## Tinytoes (Dec 23, 2020)

omg, they are adorable!! Very good looking litter ya got there. Wish I lived closer, I'd lurv to have a pair


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

Tinytoes said:


> omg, they are adorable!! Very good looking litter ya got there. Wish I lived closer, I'd lurv to have a pair


Aww, thanks. I hope I can find good loving homes for all of them. I do have two friends who are definitely wanting to get some and I know will take good care of them, so that's at least 4 babies accounted for.


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

more BABY photos! 
They're 18 days old now, and they're curious and cuddly and like to climb all over my hands and nibble my fingers. I've been trying to figure out how many of each gender there are, but they squirm around a lot and make it kind of difficult to see. But I've at least figured out some of them and will hopefully be prepared when the time comes to separate them. 
















I know for sure this one's a boy, and I've been calling him Maui because of the hook shaped marking on his back. 
















and I'm pretty sure this one's a girl. I call her Quest because she has a little exclamation mark and because she was the first one bold enough to climb up into my hand. I might keep her.









Here's more cute babies.


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## ratbusters (Aug 28, 2020)

Aww... The babies look lovely. They've taken after mum by the looks.


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## RatCrazyGirl (Feb 7, 2021)

Were are u located? I’m looking for 2 female rats!


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## SonicRat (Jun 30, 2021)

Careful there,if you start naming them all you will get attached and want to keep them ALL😆🐭💕


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## Tinytoes (Dec 23, 2020)

Gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme gimme 😅

I want babies again sooooooooooooooooooooooo bad!!


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## Tinytoes (Dec 23, 2020)

They are so precious when they are little and innocent all they know is that you love them 💕💕💕💕


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## RatCrazyGirl (Feb 7, 2021)

I would take 2 female but im in San Jose. You wouldn’t be willing to ship would you 🙃?


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

RatCrazyGirl said:


> Were are u located? I’m looking for 2 female rats!


I'm in Arkansas. I don't know where you live, but if you're close enough to come get some I'd gladly give them to you. lol


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

Yesterday I came home and found them like this. All the babies sleeping in a big pile... and at the bottom of the pile, that's not their mom. That's their aunt Pippin! xD 








so cute


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## AdrienVan (Sep 11, 2021)

RatCrazyGirl said:


> I would take 2 female but im in San Jose. You wouldn’t be willing to ship would you 🙃?


oh sorry, I just saw this. I would worry too much about the safety of trying to ship living animals.


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