# HELP



## tink_89817 (Aug 3, 2008)

Anyone able to tell how to tell if a rat is going into labor


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

She should look quite lethargic and lie in her nest looking considerably uncomfortable. Other than that, there's not really a way to tell.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

First sign... lots of bottom licking

then they will stretch & arch their back & you will see their sides sink in quite dramatically

you may see her move around quite a bit & reposition often like she is unable to get comfortable

Once the babies start to come out she will be in an almost sitting position so that she can clean her bottom & help with the delivery. Babies will arrive every 5 minutes or so

once this starts they should deliver all babies within 2 hours maximum, if not then you need to seek out a vet *immediately*

As curious as you may be about wanting to watch you need to back off & give her space. This process of delivering the babies places the mother rat in a mindset of fear of predator attack. If she is nervous about her surroundings then she may not do well or possibly destroy the litter.

You have wrote multiple posts about how nervous & ill-tempered this rat is. Give her some space & only observe from a distance.


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## Hallie-Mae (Jul 31, 2008)

I also hear that you'll notice the babies look quite low down in the abdomen ?


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## tink_89817 (Aug 3, 2008)

OK I was wondering, noticed last night she has nips showing & she keeps sitting up in a corner on her blanky & cleaning herself there. Her tummy moves but I can't tel if it's just her or babies and she seems to want attention when it happens.


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## ratsmice (Aug 20, 2008)

When my rat was about to have babies she would run around and start building a nest, then she would suddenly lay down for about 5 minutes and rest and lick her bottom and then go back to the nest building.
You may want to partialy cover your rats cage with a towel or something once she starts having her babies, it made my rat calm down considerably when I put the towel over part of her cage.


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