# Accidental little bundles of joy.



## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

So, at the beginning of January, I decided to get a rat, then after reading up on them, decided that rat should have a companion. I now have Da Vinci and Picasso. Before, I was certain they were the same gender, and both male. Now I'm still certain they're the same gender, but they're both girls! While Da Vinci has been with me for a month now and no babies, I got Picasso a couple weeks ago and imagine my surprise, I went away for a weekend and came back to discover a litter of babies in a box after hearing the box squeaking. Clearly, Picasso came to me pregnant. While she's doing a great job taking care of them (I can see milk in their bellies and she insists on putting lots of warm fluffy stuff in with them, I wonder if I should be concerned about having another female rat in the cage with a new mother?


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## nativemic (Jan 24, 2007)

no worrys. i keep 3 females and 1 male together at my store when i breed. all the females will nurse all the babys without discimination.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks! Yea, the pet store said Da Vinci might help her out, but then they also said to bring them to the pet store at 2 or 3 weeks, and everything I've read says don't ween them before 4 weeks. So I think I'm going to give them away myself, and keep two females, along with the two I already had.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

that's probably a good plan. most rats go as food for other animals in pet stores. i don't know what the figure is in your area but its over 90% go as feeders in mine. where are you located? how many babies are there? maybe we can help find homes for them with you.

oh, and here's a few sites i used when deciding how to raise BOTH (each litter a day apart. bought 2 rats ended up with 24 extra....) of my accidental litters. 
http://www.worldofrats.com/ROUSBreedingFAQMain.html this one is my favorite. 

http://www.ratz.co.uk/ this has a little bit of everything and a way for you to sex your rats while they're still pinkies. 

http://www.fancy-rats.co.uk/information/breeding/ this forum will be able to help you with any concerns about rearing babies that you haven't found the answer to in the above links. its a breeders forum so they're all well experienced. 

good luck with the babies and remember to have fun between all the worries.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

Thanks for the sites, I'll be sure to check them out. I live in Fredericton, NB. I got these two from pets unlimited so I'm pretty sure alot go as feeder there.. especially young ones which are cheaper. I'm a vegetarian for one so I don't want to send little creatures off to their doom (though I'm not naive, I understand that it's the circle of life) but it seems kind of hypocritical to love the mom and doom the babies. I plan on keeping at least two, though since there seem to be 15, I'll keep three females so I can give the rest away in pairs. I've been checking on them and so far have found NO dead ones! And from a first time mom from the pet store. That's my little Picasso.  she's a good mommy. They're very vocal so I think that means they're healthy, and I've seen her feeding them. I don't know how old they are because I went away for the weekend. I'm looking forward to holding them, but Picasso is a little bitey just now, so I'm going to wait till at least tommorow. If there is anyone in Fredericton who would like a pair of pet rats at the end of March, that would be awesome, so far my reactions today from friends that I have asked have been to the extent of "ew, gross, why would you keep vermin as pets." so not good prospects.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

So I just took the babies out for the first time. Fifteen squirmy squeaky little babies with milk in their bellies.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

jeeze you're not too far from me. i live just in saint john. and there's a rescue in moncton. i wish i could take some of the babies from you myself but i keep telling myself i have to cut back to 2-3 and not get more... *chants* must resist... must resist... but i'll give you the contact info i have fr the rescue in moncton. i'm not sure they'll be able to take any in but i;m sure they can help advertise them. the rescue is call Angel's Heart Rat Rescue. the owner is Clark Graham and you can contact him by phone 506-855-8813 or email [email protected].


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## nativemic (Jan 24, 2007)

did the store you buy them from have "pets" seperated from "feeders"?
i only ask because we charge $10 for our mainly hoodie fancy rats and less then half of that price for feeders so i would think they would not just sell them as food if they could make more money selling as pets.
i understand most pet stores do not do the right thing as far as rats are concerned but they all want to make the most money they can.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

They came from pets unlimited, so they were seperated. I'm also worried about what kind of person they'll go to though, like a bratty little kid, or someone who thinks they can have just one alone and it'll be fine.

On another note about it, Picasso (the mom) is being really agressive towards me and Da Vinci if we go anywhere near the babies. With Da Vinci it's if she goes in the box, with me it's if I put my hand in the cage, I have to distract her to put food in and such. Before the babies Picasso was the more sweet affectionate one. Da Vinci liked to explore, Picasso liked to sit on my shoulder, and curl up under my hair. Will she go back to that? I'm just scared that having the babies will change her personality.


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## twitch (Jan 4, 2007)

she's just being protective of her babies. human mothers can be the same way though they can tell us no with their voices and don't have to bite to get their point across. she'll probably go back to her normal self when the babies get a bit older. as for the babies going to good homes that something you have to make sure of. screen the people that come looking at your rats. ask lots of questions. if you're concerned for thier living conditions then go visit the new place before they go there and check for yourself. you have the right and obligation to deny people rats if they are not going to take care of your grandbabies properly. if they just don't know better educate them. that will keep a rapore between you guys and you'll know how your babies are doing later if you decide that they are ready for your rats. pm me your contact information and i'll send it to a couple of my contacts in your area and they'll be able to help you out more then i can from here. if you still have them come march break would it be if i come visit them? i'm going down that way for a couple days then.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

Unfortunately I won't be in town during march break, I'm going home to Nova Scotia for the week. I don't plan on giving them away till the end of march.

Picasso is confusing me now, she started to change nests but now she's shoving everything back into the old one except there are still babies in the new box without fluff! I want to step in but I'm afraid she'll bite me.


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## STUgirl55 (Feb 6, 2007)

never mind, they're all back in the tube, though she seemed to almost forget two in a different part of the cage and one almost fell through the bars so I had to lead her over to them.


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