# Babies dying?



## Shawna (Dec 1, 2007)

Sorry if this has been asked before.

We got one of our female rats, Chile, from a pet store about a month ago. After we had her for a few days, my boyfriend realized she was pregnant. About a week later she has the babies. First she had 5, but later that night my boyfriend found 2 more babies, but they were dead and kind of deformed, I guess. He said one was only a head or something, and the other one wasn't fully formed at the bottom. 

Anyway, a few days later, one of the babies died. We just thought it might be because it was her first litter, but we weren't sure. 

Then they started getting fur and everything, and another baby died. When we found it, she had started to eat it. I was devistated. 

So then she only had 3 babies, and last night we found 2 of them dead. Now I'm really upset. She only has one baby left, and it's still alive right now, but I don't know for how long. They all had fur and were starting to crawl around. They seemed pretty healthy, too. I don't think it's the mother killing them because there aren't bite marks or anything like that, but I don't know what's wrong with them. I'm so afraid this last one is going to die.

Does anyone know what might be causing it? I don't have the money to take them to a vet right now.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Is the mother sneezing or the babies sneezing? Are their stomachs enlarged and out of proportion to their body? Do you see them feeding?

There could be a number of reasons why this is happening. It could be illness passed down from the mother. It could be a genetic disease. It could be they aren't getting the food they need from their mother. If they are not eating you may need to suppliment the remaining child. I would do so just in case. Are they on pine or cedar bedding? I doubt that would kill a baby but phenols in those bedding COULD as they are dangerous to rats lungs.

Could be a number of things and unfortunately there is no way to tell unless you are a vet looking at them ): I would definitely recommend a check up if you could get the funds together and if you can't try supplementing the remaining childs diet. The mom could of had many litters before this and just not of gotten the right nutrients into this one that they needed or it could be genetic. Unfortunately with pet store rats they have a great number of genetic factors going against them.

Good luck.


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## Shawna (Dec 1, 2007)

I haven't seen them sneezing, I haven't noticed their stomaches looking enlarged, and they were feeding. The one that's left is still feeding.

And we don't use pine or cedar. I forgot what the bedding that we use is called, though.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

Then I would guess it's just bad genetics ): And it doesn't look like megacolon. Keep feeding that mom some eggs and keep an eye on the one that's left. All you can do is keep an eye on them and hope for the best.

Good luck with the baby again, and sorry for the loss of the others.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

It does sound like rotten genetics.  I'm sorry you have to go through this.


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## Hippy (Jul 23, 2007)

This is a good example why pet store rats should not be bred, I know you didn't do it, and I am sorry you are going through this, hopefully the last baby will grow up healthy to some degree. 

=[


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

With deformed wee ones who died soon after birth, its definitely genetic, you may never see what the problem was. I would say if almost all the litter has passed, be prepared for the last one going too.

It sure can't be MC since the babies are still nursing, they would be showing failure to thrive right now but not dying yet.

I am sorry.


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## Ratty1100 (Nov 17, 2007)

It is a genetic disease. 
Nothing you can do.
I dont think its megacolon, because then the baby rats belly will be huge, also it comes out when they arent fed by their mother anymore.

But there are many genetic deseases. Always they dye one by one until all those who got the bad genes are dead. The only thing you can do, is to hope that the last one is an exeption.
Im so sorry...


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## Shawna (Dec 1, 2007)

The last baby died the other day.  Chile (the mother) was hysterical. I've never seen a rat act like she did when her last baby died. It was so sad. We put her back in with our other female rat (they shared a cage before Chile had babies, but we separated them to be safe). Her and Chile have been snuggling up together and everything, so I guess Chile's calmed down a lot. She still won't let us hold her, though.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Let Chile grieve and be with her former cagemate. She'll come around one day. They have very sad eyes when they lose a litter like that. Its heart wrenching how depressed they can be. 

I am sorry.


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