# I hope not...



## Screechy (Dec 28, 2007)

Yesterday I brought home two new girls for my first rat, Serena. I posted pictures of all three yesterday! The new girls, Jenny and Blair, are pretty young still.....as you can tell in the pics I posted, they're much smaller than Serena, whose few months.....I was told she was roughly around 4 or 5 months. Anyways, to get to the point, I had the girls out today and I was watching them roam their rat proofed room, when all of a sudden, Blairs belly caught my eye. Either it wasn't there yesterday or I completely missed it..... :? She's a pretty young rat....I'm not 100% sure of her age, but if anyone has bought a 'small' rat from petco, thats pretty much how big(or in this case small) she is. When she's hunched up, she looks a little pudgy, and when she's walking or when she stretches out, she looks like she perhaps swallowed a golfball or something. I would wonder if maybe it's just ratty fat, but it looks to ALL be in her belly >.< I took a look at her belly, and it sticks out just barely passed the noticeable point. Her nipples are not exposed, but you know they're there, because they're covered with grayish black fur. 

Maybe I'm worrying over nothing, but I'm not going to take any chances, especially with such a young rat. I'll be going to see one of my friends soon whose a vet, and he works with small animals and such, especially rats because he has a huge hoard of them!! I gave him a call and he said if I needed anything he'd help me out for free, but he can't see her for a few days because he's out of town for the holidays! Darn NEW YEARS!! At least if anything goes wrong I have him on speed dial :roll: 

I'm kind of wondering, if she's pregnant......is she bulging because she's close to the due date, or because shes so young....? All I can do for now is hope and pray that she's NOT pregnant.....and I really hope that if she is, I can get her an appointment before the bubs are born. 

Any suggestions as to a new home for her away from the others? I was going to take her out tonight and put her in her own cage but I went to pick her up and she and Jenny were snuggled underneath Serena and it broke my heart to touch her.......Plus it gets cold in my room at night and I don't really have baby supplies yet......tomorrow will definitely be a 'possible' baby shopping day for me.....>.<

Thanks for reading this, any advice would be GREATLY appreciated! I'm a little confused as you can most likely tell, I keep rambling! So Im going to stop now heh.....thanks again

Brittany


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

first I will say.... if she is 4 or 5 months then technically she may not be "too young". It is best to go by weight as opposed to age so thats all I can say on that matter.

Post some pics & we'll see if you have a pregnant rat on your hands or not.

Let's all hope she isn't.


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## Screechy (Dec 28, 2007)

No, Serena is the one whose 4 or 5 months, and she's not the one I'm worried about. Blair, who is half of Serena's size is the one I'm worried about. She looks like she swallowed a golfball...somewhat. I will post pictures here as soon as possible!! I really hope she isn't.....its like a teen pregnancy! There would be so much strain on her body....


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## Screechy (Dec 28, 2007)

UPDATE:

I looked at Blair today and she seems to have gotten a bit bigger in the tummy area, and she's much more skittish and reluctant to being held. I put a shoebox in their cage for her, and she definitely ran straight inside and has pulled a bunch of stuff inside...which is pushing me more and more towards the belief that she's pregnant. When shes hunched over she's pudgy, and when she walks, her sides stick pretty noticeably.....where as the day we got her, she looked smaller than Jenny, and now she looks bigger! :? When she walks, she sort of 'waddles' so to speak......but for some reason she's still a jumper and climber....and will do just about anything to get away. I'm really starting to believe that she may be pregnant, and I have a new cage ready for her, and the vet will be home within a few days >.< It's kind of a both exctiting and yet frightenning feeling. I'm worried that the strain may be too great on her and that there may be complications....but the thought of having bubs.....it a tad bit exciting, but I'm way more nervous and scared than excited! 

I really hope its just fat, but by looking at her, all the fat is directed in her belly, and no where else. She has sort of a, inverted hour glass figure now, so to speak. 8O I'm trying to get some new pics of her up here but my camera died so I'll have to borrow my sisters tomorrow. Hopefully I'll be able to get more help and information soon when my friend/vet gets his butt home...... :roll: 

Brittany


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