# Ugh!



## RattieMomma (Jan 31, 2009)

Ok so I bought two rats that were a couple weeks old from a local pet store and I was told they were both male and at first they both looked that way. Now about 12 days ago my husband looks at me and says if I did not know any better I would say Steve was pregnant..... We looked down there for once and noticed there were not any boy parts! GREAT! So I kinda read up and find a little info to move her to her own cage and I set it up with newspaper so she can make a nest the next day I got 12 little ratties! So now I am not really sure when to start them on normal food do I help them with something soft on the way? I dunno shes doing well and they are all fuzzy now and adorable I check on them daily when I feed her and tend to kiss the cute little squeekers. I just want to make sure I continue to keep them healthy and if anyone is in the Lousiville area and wants a few new babes in the up coming weeks please let me know I don't want to give them back to the same pet store that got me in this ordeal.


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## AMJ087 (Aug 27, 2008)

Many people experience this scenario. Here's a list of things to remember and do.


- Besides newspaper give her paper towels or the store nesting 
material
- make sure she is in an aquarium or cage without bars or the babies 
could get out
- Feed the female extra protein. Nuts and yogurt are good options. 
Peanut butter is also good but some worry about choking
- Before the babies give her just a little (maybe a teaspoon)
-once she has the babies give her more (maybe 2 teaspoons)
-this is so shes not eating more to produce for the babies and 
bloating
- don't touch the babies for the first day (i didn't touch mine for the 
first 5) Play with them everyday after to get them used to people
- keep the cage clean, they will make a mess once they start to get 
older and mom doesn't take care of it
- they will wean naturally, you will notice them eating and drinking hard 
food and water on their own 
- i give my rats produce normally so i put in a little extra for the 
babies also, they liked it
- make sure there are no ledges to climb or the babies might fall off
but make sure they have things to crawl around and play in
- when they start moving on their own they are fast and sporadic so
be careful while holding them
- mom might get aggressive towards you if you are near the babies, let
her climb out of the cage on her own or use a glove to get her out
before getting the babies if she does become aggressive.
(Shell be fine once shes away from them)
- dont let mom be away from the babies for more then a half an hour at
a time but make sure she gets her full exercise in a day.
- around 4 weeks they must be separated by sex or the females can 
become pregnant
- do not put the male back in with your female until after they are 
spayed and neutered because she can beome pregant again as soon
as she gives birth. 
- last tip I have is have fun. They are work and you may happy when
they have homes but they are fun if you take the time and enjoy it.


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## begoodtoanimals (Dec 6, 2007)

Since you have to separate the male from the female., You'll have two cages. Why not provide each rat with a few of their same-sex kids? Solves your adoption problems.
Just make sure you don't put a male in with the girls......


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