# thought I would never be here =(



## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Alright so I got two boys for christmas from the hubby and after finding Nibs the escape artist out of the large cage the first night I got them, decided to divide my large cage in half the cage as it stands is 50x23x35 ish it is divided with the shelves that came with it and then I sewed up some liners for it. 

The first night I had the boys in the bottom and the girls on top I probably stayed up till about 4am and then continued to wake up at any sound and it seemed escape proof. Nibs got out of the cage the day previous because I hadn't covered the back of the cage yet with hardware cloth and my sister had pulled it away from the wall to vacuum and didn't push it all the way back [that is fixed now] 

The second night they were in the cage December 23, 2012 I felt better and went to bed at my normal time 2am [I work evenings] I was awoken by loud crying sometime in the night and I rushed over to see Nibs had her toe caught in the hardware cloth, I helped her get free. The only issue was that she got her toe caught while climbing *back* into her cage/side. She was able to squeeze between the landing and the 'wall' of the cage where it wasn't as close, this is a used cage and got into the boys cage. 

I closed this gap quickly and haven't had any issue sense but I counted out days just to be safe and weighed her and claire both the next night which was Nibs - 217g Claire - 228g at 12am they were the same the night after at 12am I started giving them more protein eggs, tuna, and a couple pieces of dog food and an almond each every other day or so. I only thought Nibs would have have a slight chance of pregnancy. I kind of lapsed on weighing them but continued to feed them extra protein. Then one morning I noticed Claire's nipples where showing more, so I looked at Nibs and her's were the same, and their bellies were starting to round so I weighed them last night January 6th at 12:30am and Nibs - 230g and Claire - 247g

So I decided to open this thread so I have some accountability on weighing them everyday because that seems to be the trouble i have >.> 

Here are belly pictures, which were actually really hard to get, I eventually had to bribe them with food to stand!














Date Claire Nibs
12/23/12 228g 217g
01/06/13 247g 230g

Anyone have thoughts on when I should separate them? Due date should be between Jan. 12th and Jan. 15th right? They have always been 
nest-ers so that hasn't changed, though they are making a nest in a box that they have but are always sleeping in one of the hammocks together. 
Also could it be the extra protein that is making them...well fat? thanks for the answers/questions/support etc.

Alisa


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Honestly they don't look pregnant to me. Did they get into your boy's cage?

I would separate them on the 10th just in case of an early birth if they are pregnant.

And yes extra protein would lead to them being fat depending on if they are still growing.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Thanks, yes as mentioned above I found Nibs [the PEW] climbing from the boys cage back into her cage. 

Nibs is probably 8 or 9 months old and Claire is about 14 or 15 months old so they aren't....well at least Claire isn't growing any more, not sure when rats really stop growing.

I'll keep weighing and praying [hey that rhymes!] I really don't want to have to deal with babies lol they are cute don't get me wrong but I don't want them.
Alisa


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

The protein will increase their weight so the weight increases you're seeing could be either. Some rats don't start showing their pregnancy until the second week, some the third, some never really look pregnant so you won't be out if the clear until those 23 days pass.I'd keep up with the protein and look out for nipples- if they start becoming more prominent then you've probably hot a pregnant rat on your hands.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

sounds good 

Date Claire Nibs
12/23/12 228g 217g
01/06/13 247g 230g
01/07/13 258g 230g


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

From those weights Claire Could be pregnant (10 grams in 24 hours seems like a lot in my opinion but I'm not good with rat weights), and Nibs probably isn't. Rat's can't mate through the bars so if she didn't actually get into their cage, they shouldn't be pregnant.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

oh jeeze i forgot to weigh them last night, I had to pick a friend up from the airport and ended up going out for a drink. I'll make sure to weight them tonight.

I thought I had read that rat's can't mate through bars so that's good lol plus i think it would be difficult to do it when the boys would have to hang from the ceiling haha [sense the boy's ceiling is the girl's floor]


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## SaraBRattie (Aug 29, 2012)

If indeed they are pregnant. Look for people in your area that are looking for feeders or pets. I hate saying it but a lot of people need rat pups or pinkies for food. I can't do it but i've heard of people sticking pinkies in the freezer in a plastic bag and just waiting. They fall asleep and die. Yuck. When I got Plum she gave birth the day I brought her home. They all died though. Good Luck.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Clarice - That's ok. Keep us updated the best you can though

Sara - That is actually a Horrible Idea. These rats were not bred for snake food.


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## Eden10 (Aug 11, 2012)

Good luck! Keep us all posted!


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Thanks yeah I don't think I could do that, I mean I've had snakes when I was younger but they were actually my dad's and fed them and I can't do that...I can't even put a worm on a hook when I go fishing lol. Though I do have some potential family members that want rats, so they will be first to pic.

Date Claire Nibs
12/23/12 228g 217g
01/06/13 247g 230g
01/07/13 258g 230g
01/09/13 263g 235g

Weird thing that I found *Nibs* in the boys cage not Claire and Claire seems to be the one gaining weight. 

Clarice's temperament is the same, on the go, begging for treats, rushing to get out of the cage and play with the cat. Nib's temperament has changed almost dramatically, before she would rush to the door to get out or get treats but never really liked me holding her, now she lays in her hammock even when I open the door, lets me give her scratches and loves and lets me hold her for a few minutes before squirming away which is nice. Oh and they finally figured out how to work the roll of toilet paper hanging in their cage so it's all over the place.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

They could both be pregnant? I'm not sure anymore. This has me confused ???

Guess we'll see what happens this weekend then. (Note: I only said not to give them as feeders since they weren't bred for feeders, ect. you get my point).


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

yup I do, I'll weight them in a couple hours and take photos and upload them I honestly have no clue and am scrambling to make the ladies rat cage safe enough for one to have babies in because I only have one ready to go tank for the other. Just need to get another water bottle [wish I wouldn't have thrown away one when I moved in august =( lol]


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Date Claire Nibs
12/23/12 228g 217g
01/06/13 247g 230g
01/07/13 258g 230g
01/09/13 263g 235g
01/10/13 274g 235g

pictures of Claire's belly, Nib's wouldn't stay still for me and didn't want treats bad enough to stand up haha.













Claire's belly seems to have gotten bigger and wider? and Nibs may have gotten slightly bigger but not as noticable as Claire's Tomorrow morning I'm going to pick up another water bottle. When do you think I should separate the ladies? 'Due' date is between the 12th and the 15th...oh jeeze I didn't even think about how the 12 is only like 2 days away! I'll separate tomorrow after I get the water bottle so she has a chance to make a nest and what not. Time flies when your stressed about babies!

Alisa


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

She looks a bit pregnant. If you need a baby safe cage make a bin cage. they're lighter, easier to clean, and have more ventilation then tanks.

My friend's rat (How I got my 3 boys) didn't look pregnant till well, she came home and there were 10 babies making noises. you never know.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

true that! When I got my first rat as an 'adult' I got a hairless from a shady pet shop and she seemed fine, skinny etc and then I came home from my Great Gandma's memorial and there was 6 babies in the cage!

I got both of them set up in safe cages. I have a cage that is less then 1/2 inch spacing and then their regular cage is covered in hardware cloth I just removed all the hammocks and shelves and stuff so their are no injuries etc. I don't have any way of making a bin cage [making the ventilation] but they should be fine. I'm just hoping the weekend/week passes with no babies.

Alisa


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

No weigh in tonight, I usually weigh them at 12:30am but I had to go pick my hubby up from the University from a party, poor thing is throwing up in the bathroom now.


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

aw, poor thing.

Well according to the calender today is one of the pop days, how are things going? anyone showing any more signs of being pregnant? A lot of rats like to swell up the day they have the babies or the day before.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

well, Claire took every scrap of tissue and cardboard and stuffed it into the box I gave her, I'll have to take a picture it looks so funny, I can't even see how she get's in! Nibs seems to have made a nice nest too but not like claire. I'm think Claire is most likely pregnant and Nibs is not but I'm going to wait to see, you never know!


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

she couldn't get the large cardboard piece in there so she is chewing it down! And there is a roll of toilet paper hanging from the side of the cage that leads into her nest XD I cut the bottom of the Kleenex box out so that is she made a nest in there I could lift it up and check on the babies or whatever but she tipped it to the side and use that as another exit. 

Neither is excessively huge, but I'm suspected Claire has gotten a little bigger, not by much. When I get home from work tonight I'll weigh them and see what's going on with that.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Date Claire Nibs
12/23/12 228g 217g
01/06/13 247g 230g
01/07/13 258g 230g
01/09/13 263g 235g
01/10/13 274g 235g
01/12/13 277g 228g

Weird that Nibs suddenly dropped weight? Any thoughts on that?


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

I wouldn't count that as too bad of a drop, but Nibs could of reabsorbed the litter if she was pregnant.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

okay, No babies this morning. Claire is being very reclusive yesterday evening/this morning, though I'm usually never up this early in the morning so not 100% sure if it's normal or not lol


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Date Claire Nibs
12/23/12 228g 217g
01/06/13 247g 230g
01/07/13 258g 230g
01/09/13 263g 235g
01/10/13 274g 235g
01/12/13 277g 228g 
*01/14/13 281g 241g*

Both ladies have gained quite a bit in two days, well more nibs has gained and Claire has just gotten wider, both are making nests and Claire's nipples are showing more. I guess we will see if we have a litter soon or not, I'm not sure if they have gotten in or out later after she was caught in the cage so I'll probably wait till the end of the week to be safe then if they keep gaining or getting bigger in the lower abdomen I'll take them/her to the vet.


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## Flora (Aug 30, 2012)

waiting to see if babies come!!! ;D;D;D


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## Ivora (Jan 14, 2013)

I just cannot wait to hear about the little babies. I hope you will pic update in the future. =)


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Oh I most definitely will and I'm pretty sure Claire will have babies soon, not sure about nibs but claire is getting HUGE


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

both girls gained 1g each. Claire is 282g and Nibs is 242g I'll take a picture of claire because she is getting big


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## Ivora (Jan 14, 2013)

Aw yea it would be nice to see pictures of them with lil pop bellies ^^


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Claire's belly now, she is lumpy lol and a pic of her and I enjoying some baby food haha\

Nibs belly now looks like the previous pictures of Cliare, she isn't letting me take a good picture of her belly, running around like crazy!


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## Ivora (Jan 14, 2013)

Yea, I have trouble taking piccey's of my rats too. They move around a ton. Btw, cute pics. Yum yum baby food :3


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## Flora (Aug 30, 2012)

She still doesn't look TOO pregnant....


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Yeah, maybe she is hiding it well, but I don't see a pregnant rat in those pictures.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

I wish I had pictures of her belly before because she has always been really lean [even though she eats like a piggy] and now her belly has gotten very large, comparatively and even my hubs asked why she had had gotten so fat, then I had to remind him that we are on pregnancy watch >.> I'll have to look and see if have an old picture of her.


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

here is the best pictures I could find to compare, the first picture was about 3 or 4 months ago and looked like that until beginning of January 2013. Which is after we got our two boys as well. she's never been a 'fat' rat lol


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## Muttlycrew (Dec 21, 2012)

Rats are, of course, different in their pregnancies... But she doesn't look pregnant at all to me.. 
I've attached some pictures of a rat that was given to me last week. She was pregnant and I know have a bunch of bouncing babies, but this is more what a pregnant rat looks like:



















Again, she could surprise us all and just not be showing anything really, but I don't think you'll have to worry about any babies  

Either way it goes,
Best of luck! 


Sent from my iPhone using Petguide.com Free App


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## Maltey (Jun 26, 2011)

Isn't it past the 23 days now anyway?Chances are if she was pregnant she reabsorbed but the extra weight could also be from the extra foods they've been getting anyway


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## Flora (Aug 30, 2012)

Yea she still doesn't pregnant to me either.... but keep us posted!!


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

It's past 23 days from when I found them, well today is day 23 I thought it was 23rd I caught her in the boy's cage but I got the boys the 23rd and it was the 24th Maybe I'm just being a worry wart I really hope she just got fat from eating lots of yummy food, they are back to their regular diet now, which I'm sure Claire is mad about lol I will weigh Claire tonight and will post if she has gained. The only reason I still think she might be pregnant is the fact that she is getting round on her lower back and wide, but eh she might just store her fat weird.

Alisa

P.S.
Lets hope for no babies out of this haha 
Muttly I can't believe she just let you hold her like that haha my girls squirm like crazy!


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## HelloClarice (Feb 1, 2012)

Claire weighed 287g tonight.


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