# Boy rats have nipples too... right?!!



## SmileyDJingles (Jan 9, 2010)

Please tell me boy rats have nipples too. And my Moe is not a Molly. Moe is the smallest and the most active of my four "males". They are four to five weeks old.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Nope....  Separate them until you can be certain


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## SmileyDJingles (Jan 9, 2010)

Aw, shoot!!! Evil pet stores and their idiot breeders!!!! Now Moe needs a new friend or two, a cage, and a new name!

Thanks!


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## SmileyDJingles (Jan 9, 2010)

So... How old does a female need to be, to be spayed? She would be easy to reintroduce, right?

I think I'll keep her name Moe. Eenie, Meenie, Miney, and Molly just doesn't sound right.


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## AvaAdoreSmashing (Dec 31, 2009)

That would be a great idea to get her spayed so she stay with be group. Obviously separating them for now is your only option :-\


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## SmileyDJingles (Jan 9, 2010)

Spaying Moe will cost $200. I think I'll just get her two new friends. Will interduchions be easy with 5 - 6 week old females?


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

SmileyDJingles said:


> Spaying Moe will cost $200. I think I'll just get her two new friends. Will interduchions be easy with 5 - 6 week old females?


Even though spaying would cost $200... remember getting another two friends doesn't necessarily mean they are going to stay or be healthy and vet bills could easily add up to that $200 or more. More rats unfortunately tends to mean more vet bills! Good luck whatever you decide


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## [x]RaeLovesRats[x] (Feb 7, 2008)

You should be aware it is likely she is pregnant??!


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

RatWitch said:


> You should be aware it is likely she is pregnant??!


They are 4 to 5 weeks old, so hopefully not if the ages are correct.



SmileyDJingles said:


> Please tell me boy rats have nipples too. And my Moe is not a Molly. Moe is the smallest and the most active of my four "males". They are four to five weeks old.


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## SmileyDJingles (Jan 9, 2010)

If she is pregnant, what do I look for, and how long until I'll be able to tell?

She misses her brothers so bad!!


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Well, one of the first ways to detect pregnancy is steady, fairly rapid weight gain. But since she's still so young and growing that is to be expected regardless. Gestation is 21-23 days, but rats don't show their pregnancy until a couple days before they are ready to give birth. They basically balloon out, and you can see the babies squirming around inside. Pretty much any time after 5 weeks of age they can become pregnant, but it is fairly dangerous to their health, especially if they are small or not in the best health... And I remember you saying they were sick. Having her spayed would solve that problem but she is too young, I remember reading somewhere that spaying is recommended in 3 months or older. What a predicament. 

I would prepare for the worst - get a connection with a good exotic vet in case there are complications and set up a nursing cage or tank and watch her carefully. My fingers are crossed that they are too young but I suppose time will tell...


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

Good thing you noticed in time (hopefully). You could post a picture and people could tell you for sure if it's a girl.

I had my 3 girls spayed even though I don't have any males (not yet anyway). It drastically reduces their chances of getting tumors although it doesn't guarantee it won't happen. But that's another thing to consider in your decision. 

"Mo" without the e is a girl's name, short for Maureen.


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## olddeadpig (Jan 6, 2010)

I'm absolutely not an expert myself, but my exotic vet (who seems to know his stuff where rats are concerned) thinks that the evidence for spaying does reducing the later incidence of mammary tumours is not really there. One of my does has had a mammary tumour excised about a month ago and we had a chat about it at the time. I would think twice about an operation which is not necessary to preserve your doe's life, although it is of course your decision. 

Obviously you do need to do something to stop her being permanently pregnant though, if she is going to stay with her brothers. If money and space allows, keep two separate cages, one for does and one for bucks, and get at least one more doe to keep the current baby company (rats do not like living alone). If this isn't an option, then sterilisation either for the doe or all of the bucks is surely the only "kind" thing to do (the op is much simpler and less risky for the bucks than it is for does, just like in humans - ouch, I am a man and I feel guilty for my fellow men giving this info, but it's true!!). 

I'm not sure anyone else has posted this, but male rats do not have any nipples at all, unlike male humans, so if you've got nipples, you've got a doe, full stop. Bucks do have a bit of mammary tissue for some reason, so they can still get mammary tumours (as can male humans), but it's pretty unusual. Does have a huge amount of mammary tissue, covering much of their underside from their neck to their tail, although you can't necessarily see their nipples - you can't see 'em on any of my does, and I know for certain they're does! Mine are very furry. 

Boy rats are really obvious by 5 or 6 weeks as they have the most enormous testicles compared to their overall size! If you've got a big pair hanging out behind the rattie, you've got a boy! I have a ridiculous picture of an old buck, now sadly gone, named Boris which you can find here - he used to love showing off the junk in his trunk. This is standard behaviour for the bucks I've known. I think ratties are just the funniest things, as well as being the sweetest, most beautiful and most intelligent pets going. Enjoy living with them, and enjoy the fantastic free advice you get on this forum!

Boris picture: www.flickr.com/photos/olddeadpig/4347244976


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## clarry (May 19, 2008)

i have to agree with olddeadpig, spaying a femal is an extremely evasive procedure, I bought a lonely girl and wanted to inroduce her to my boys, I was advised that it would be more ethical and probably cheaper or as much to get both my boys neutered rather than getting just her spayed. Because the operation includes the vet operating inside females she would have to under go longer under anesthetic, meaning she would have to have a larger dose than the males would, which makes it potentailly more detremental to her health. It also takes longer for females to heal from the procedure than males and she could be in quite some pain for a while. 
It is completely up to the individual but I personally would get Moe one more little friend, I can't see that intros at that age would be too hard as Moe won't be massively territorial, she will also probably be happy and greatful to be with someone again. You could call the vet and ask if they have a female from the same litter, that way she'd be with someone she knew from before


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Although spaying a female is a more invasive procedure than the neutering of a male, spaying has the benefit that it greatly reduces the chance of future tumours for females. For me, if it was a choice between spaying the female or neutering the males I would probably opt for spaying due to the potential health benefits.


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

I was amazed at how quickly they recovered from the spays. Of course being young and healthy and having a good, experienced vet were important factors in that. I was nervous about whether it was the right thing to do, but fortunately it all turned out very well. So now, besides the health benefits, I can get some boys and they can all live together. I haven't found any available yet though (other than pet stores) and I'm a little worried about upsetting the good group dynamics they have right now by introducing new rats. But if/when a boy or two becomes available in my area I will probably do it. Good luck with your ratties.


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## smokeybear (Feb 18, 2010)

Lea said:


> Good thing you noticed in time (hopefully). You could post a picture and people could tell you for sure if it's a girl.
> 
> I had my 3 girls spayed even though I don't have any males (not yet anyway). It drastically reduces their chances of getting tumors although it doesn't guarantee it won't happen. But that's another thing to consider in your decision.
> 
> "Mo" without the e is a girl's name, short for Maureen.


Or Simone...


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

I agree spaying is probally the better option. Vet bills get expensive so if you have more rats it means more money. Spay her and save her tumors adn you money haha


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## SmileyDJingles (Jan 9, 2010)

Mo should have about a week or less left if she's pregnant. (Thanks Lea for the suggestion to change Moe to Mo!)

Jaguar, Mo was the one that didn't get sick. Maybe she didn't get sick because she is a female? I read that females handle stress better than males. Everyone is great now, even little Eenie who was the sickest is doing great! ;D

I got busy and forgot to post. I bought Mo a friend and got reminded about posting today. 

I tried to get the pet shop to order me a young female, but when I got there all the young ones were males. I looked over and saw two adults in another cage. I bought a black hooded female. Her name is Lucky because she's lucky not to be snake food. That's what they were selling her for. She is super sweet! I said hi to her this morning before church and noticed she looked fatter in the belly. I checked her out more after I got back. She is defiantly pregnant!

I didn't plan on running a rat farm. : I already have up to 3 possible homes for baby rats.

Thanks for all the help!!


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## vivianelizabeth (Feb 24, 2010)

Lea said:


> "Mo" without the e is a girl's name, short for Maureen.


Or Mohammed


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## SmileyDJingles (Jan 9, 2010)

Lucky's having her babies!!!! She has 7 so far!! ;D


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## lee (Aug 3, 2009)

just wanted to say, i think eenie meenie minie and molly would have been ADORABLE.


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## Lea (May 15, 2009)

So, did she have the babies?


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