# Help! Preparing for a potential litter



## reasonedmelody (Dec 16, 2010)

I brought home a gorgeous female today She's around six months old. I have been looking for a siamese dumbo for ages, and hadn't had any luck finding one. My first choice would have been to get a pair from a breeder or rescue but I had no luck finding any near me. I have been visiting her at the pet store near my house for the past few months and fell in love with her. I normally would never buy from a pet store but having gotten to know her over the past few months I couldn't leave her there any longer. She's the only rat I have at the moment although, once I am certain she is healthy and I've waited a full 21 days to make sure she isn't pregnant, I do plan to find a second female (from a breeder) to keep her company.

**I am prepared for the fact that she could have health problems and financially I'm able to pay for any vet care she may need. Even if she doesn't live a long life due to congenital health defects, I want to give her the best quality of life possible and for me, that meant getting her out of the pet store!**

Even though she doesn't appear to be pregnant right now and was alone in the cage when I bought her, I know she had one previous litter that was kept with her at least six to seven weeks and was sold maybe a week or two ago, so I'm assuming there's still a chance she could be pregnant? 

In addition to the cage she is in now, I have a 15 gallon long aquarium with a chew proof lid- would that be suitable in case she does have a litter? Also, I use carefresh ultra bedding, is that alright for babies?

I have owned rats in the past, but have always owned males. Thanks in advance for any advice!

On a happy note, she is settling in nicely. She's nervous, but has already started exploring her new cage and came out of her house to say hello for a bit


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

If there is the possibility that she's been housed with ANY males mature enough to breed at any point from the time she last gave birth to the time you bought her, then yes, it is possible for her to be pregnant. Her litter may not have been mature enough to breed with her, but if she came from a pet store you really don't know who came in contact with her. I honestly would not believe what the pet store says either... I have seen and heard of too many pet store employees giving out myths, half-truths, inconsistent lines, and outright lies. Ultimately a pet store is in it for the money, no matter what they say, they are NOT in it for the animals. Thus... they will say whatever they need to say to make a sale and get more money. Money is the bottom line for any business.

That said... the aquarium should be ok for her. I personally am not a fan, I prefer bin cages - they are easier to clean, transport, etc than aquariums, and are more versatile (can be used for nursery, hospital, or transport). Keep an eye on the silicon used in the corners of the aquarium where the glass panels meet - many rats will chew this. The carefresh should be ok for the babies also, but if you can find something less dusty that might be better. Personally I use soft sorb - haven't had any issue with dust or it sticking to babies. Dust is a major issue for babies because it can get clogged up in their little nostrils, mom can't clean it out, they can't clean it out, and it can lead to respiratory weaknesses if not infection. 

Make sure she is getting a good, well balanced diet. If a rat is pregnant, it generally needs more of all nutrients to carry a healthy litter to full term. Mothers who are deficient in some nutrients may lose their litter, or their litters may develop deformities or disorders.


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## reasonedmelody (Dec 16, 2010)

Thanks for the advice!

I definitely don't trust the pet store, hence why I want to make sure she's 

Are there any good links on how to make a bin cage? The aquarium was only $10 so I'd rather make her a cage that would be best for her. I haven't seen soft sorb in Canada, what company makes it? 

She's being temporarily housed in a large guinea pig cage with fairly small bar spacing until I get her permanent cage set up.

This may be a stupid question, but assuming she does have a litter is it alright to leave one or two of the females in with her indefinitely? As in, will there be any issues when it comes to weaning time?

Sorry for all the questions, I've only had males before- so I'm a little bit lost. 

Thanks again for all your help


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## Zenia (Dec 3, 2010)

http://www.bitterepiphany.com/bin_cage.html

Here is a guide. Just get the appropriate size for a rat. I may have an accidental litter coming up. I do have a tank, but it is kind of small. I made up a bin cage a while ago to temporarily put rats when I was cleaning (as they are such enormous pests if I clean the cage wile they are in it). I like the bin because (while I haven't done it yet, I will be) you can put a ventilation area with mesh in the side and you don't get that on a tank. Also, if you don't have the apparatus for dangling a water bottle inside the tank, you can drill a hole for the nozzle to stick into the cage, and two small holes to string a strip of fleece through to tie the bottle in place. This also helps the bin to have more room. 

Yes, you can let her keep any number of her female babies. I haven't heard of problems arising before.


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

Soft Sorb is made by Kaytee I think. If you can't find it, the carefresh will probably work fine, maybe just shake it out before putting it in the cage to try to remove as much dust as possible.

There would not be any issue with keeping her female offspring.


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## reasonedmelody (Dec 16, 2010)

The bin cages look fantastic! Thanks for the tip. I've noticed some only have a large ventilation grid on the lid of the cage and none on the sides. Is that alright? If so, I already have everything I need to make one


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## eluin (Jan 25, 2010)

reasonedmelody said:


> Thanks for the advice!
> 
> I definitely don't trust the pet store, hence why I want to make sure she's
> 
> ...


Just to be clear, we are talking about keeping a couple of females and having them live together forever and ever, not keeping a female or two with her while she is nursing the babies, correct? Because keeping a couple of females from the litter is fine, but having other adult females in with the litter while she is nursing can end very badly for the babies.


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## reasonedmelody (Dec 16, 2010)

I meant keeping a few of her female babies if she has a litter


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

reasonedmelody said:


> The bin cages look fantastic! Thanks for the tip. I've noticed some only have a large ventilation grid on the lid of the cage and none on the sides. Is that alright? If so, I already have everything I need to make one


Only putting ventilation in the lid is fine, as long as you keep the bin away from windows, vents, and out of any sunlight, and the room isn't too warm in general. As long as you keep the cage clean, the bin with solid sides will be fine, as long as it isn't too warm for the rats inside.

One problem with putting holes in the side of the bin is it can potentially compromise the overall stability of the bin. You need to be careful about how large the holes are and where they are placed.


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

You can read the sticky that says "information for accidental litters' There is a lot of good info in there.


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