# baby rat with half-open eye



## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

I have a friend who doesn't have online access, and had a momma and 10 baby ratties. SOOOOOO cute, but she gave up on the care since momma was biting her when she went to check on the eepers. So I have them now.

No babies have opened their eyes yet, but one of the girls has had a hole between her eyelids for four days (I think it's 4). It's just like her eyelid started opening prematurly... The hole is getting bigger as she grows, and the eye is shiny and healthy looking. The baby is the biggest and most aggressive of the bunch right now, and there's only one who's at all runty (but BARELY). They are 14 days old today.

I just wanted to know what all to check for with the eye, in case there's something I need to watch out for. So far it's black and shiny, and mommy is taking care of all the babes. Thanks all!

(we'll take her to the vet if needed, but my hubby just had to have some emergency medical care and we have to be very careful with funds as we have his ongoing issues and everything else here)


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Sounds like she is about to open her eyes. They can start opening them from 14-17 days old 

little hoodie girl at 15 days









The next day









16 days, some open, some cracking, some not


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

Yeah, that's how this little girl is/was - tho it took 4 days for the eye to open. AND the other eye is completely shut! All other eyes are still totally shut, too, on the other 9... But She's got that sleepy look to her, but the eye is fine - hubby is playing with her right now, tho she seems to want to climb on me already!


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

Well, that girl's eye opened up a couple days ago and all, but other's started opening their eyes last night! Today, all eyes are open except for the runt's (she's just a smidge smaller than the others - always has been smaller since about day 4 or 5, I think...) But it looks as if that membrane is starting to crack! It was just so weird that the one girl's eye had that hole for so long, and then it took 2 days for everyone else to really get their eyes to start opening... 8O


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Rats like to mess with our minds 

My runt was behind in her development as well. She still had the pink bare belly when the others had the overall fuzzies, she was the very last to open her eyes (2 days later) but now she is the same size as all her sisters and you would never know she had issues in her eeperhood


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

heh - that's them. can't seem to get them to hold still for a moment anymore for pictures - have to have them in my hand and get a 10% chance of getting a semi-decent pic! And them running around everywhere and threatening to eat my hands!!!! AHHHHHHH!!!! ATTACK OF THE RAT PUPS!!!!!!!! :lol: It's so cute, even if it's a little jolt of pain and shock sometimes! :roll:


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

okay seriously guys. i have a cage large enough to house 9 more rats, please do NOT post pics of such ridiculously adorable creatures!  <333

click!:


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

LOL!!! That's my problem, too - I HAVE the room (or coule fashion up a cage if needed in about 5 hours tops (getting toddler ready, get to store, get stuff, wait in line, pay, bring home, toddler with snacks and drink, build cage)).

My husband is thinking of keeping TWO girls and TWO boys from our rescue pack, espcially since one home backed out (allergies...). But all others are set, and now we'll have 18.... I can hardley wait to get the big cage built!!!!  Well, I just hope I don't get too much GGMR then... lol!

from 4/20/08:


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

omg... that is WAY too cute! <333 LOVE the markings. -steals the eepers and ruuuuns away!-


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

NONONONONO!!! You can NOT STEAL MY EEPERS!!! *steals them back*... lol!


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

Eeeer... -steals the little blazed hoodie [or variegated? can't tell] in the bottom right, then, and leaves the rest-


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

That's Tain - a very rambunctious little boy! Yeah, he's mismarked either vereigated or hooded... Hard to tell. Here's a better shot of just his face and back today:  








and his back...  So you can get a better idea


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## melon (Mar 27, 2008)

awwww they`re all so adorable!!! bet you want to keep them all lol


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

Omg, I want him so badly! I hope the high white markings don't put them at a risk for megacolon, I hate to see any of the cute eepers die. <3


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

Nah, I think that blaze is recessive, and no babies have any signs yet - all back legs are full use... and none of the babies at the pet store I've seen have had megacolon (I've asked Mark, who bred the parents...). And the grandparents were both black/silvered berkshires, so I'm 99% sure it's a recessive trait...

OK, Momma Mia (the momma rat) is a sister of my initial crew, and the father of the babies is a brother. My friend bought two rats a day or two after we got ours, and she THOUGHT she got two girls, and didn't really notice anything until much later... Too late for the momma, so she had babies... And then Nik couldn't handle a nippy momma rat with all the babies, and I got them! So I have 6 sisters and a brother (my male Blaze) from that litter of 13! Plus the babies....

and YES I want to keep them all!


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

MY KEEPERS/LIKELY KEEPERS:

Runt is the capped, Juicy is the bareback with the spot. Both are blue dumbos! I'm keeping Runt for sure, maybe Juicy since Tony likes her.









Here is Blue Velvet (veriberk blue MAYBE keeping) and Ripple (silver capped, keeping for sure)


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## CeilingofStars (Apr 21, 2008)

omg, it's kind of painful how adorable those eepers are. They remind me of those dalmation chocolate bars you used to be able to buy.

Hmmm, you're in FL, huh? *sneaks over and scritches the babies*


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

Uaaaargh -steaaaals- If only... XD If I ever have rat eepers, I won't be ABLE to give them up, I'll end up having to keep 'em all. I do not do well with selling pets... lol


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## Buggzter (Feb 13, 2008)

CeilingofStars said:


> Hmmm, you're in FL, huh? *sneaks over and scritches the babies*


heh - From here it's just over an 8 hour drive to Athens, GA... Meet you half way? :lol: I wish, but the human eepper (she's 2) wouldn't like the drive...


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