# My Baby's little surprise! *update day 1-2*



## Fiishies (Aug 29, 2008)

I have a little girl rat named Baby and she is almost two years old, but still is healthy and active. I have two other rats, both boys, who have been caged with her for a while now, i dont even remember how long. I made sure she was old enough that she would be barren so there were no little surprises. Everything had been good and they get along wonderfully. I walked into the bedroom earlier today and i saw a little pink body inside the tube! Yes, only one. I searched to make sure, but there is only one tiny baby in there and hardly any blood, just one dime sized spot. I put mommy and baby into a small carry case and into a nice familiar area. The baby has a milk band and mom let me handle it and take it away and bring it back without protest. I believe it was born last night since i can see it is probably a boy. I just want to make sure she is mothering it correctly...the fact that she was so relaxed makes me think maybe she doesn't feel the mother-baby bond? And how normal is it that they only have one baby? I dont know what to do if she wont feed it. Anyone have any suggestions? I have never had a rat baby before. Here is little momma, she is quite small actually and is full grown in the picture. =]










Here is the little baby on day 1. So small! 








Day two isnt much difference, but if i look closely i can see little fuzzies coming in. =]


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## ScootersPet (Sep 4, 2007)

*Re: My Baby's little surprise!*

Could be wrong, but i dont think rats go barren at a certain age. I would keep her seperated from now on so you dont have any other suprises, and it is not at al healthy for her to be bred at that age, there is more of a risk of comlications/death. The males may have eaten the other young, they may have been still born and she did away with them herself, i dont think it is very likely that she only had a single pup. Or, she may still have some stuck in her that she is too exhausted to push, or maybe stuck...jut throwing ideas out there. 

If the baby has a milk band than she is feeding it, and probably will do wonderfull as there is only one to care for. You have been her mommy for 2 years, she is relaxed because she trusts you. when we had a suprise litter, Molly didnt care that we took her little ones out to hold them.

Let nature take its course with the little one. But keep a close eye on momma for any signs of distress or sickness.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

*Re: My Baby's little surprise!*

Rats may never go barren until the day they day. The only insurance against bubs in a mixed sex colony is fixing one gender.

If the bub has a milk band, she is feeding it right now. I would leave them be for a bit. Some mothers allow you to handle their babies, others don't. Depends on the rat. One bub is uncommon, but possible.

Move Momma and the baby out of the big cage and into a nursery cage, look through this section for ideas for that. It will keep the baby from getting attacked by the boys or getting lost through bars or somesuch and it may keep Momma from getting pregnant again.


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## Fiishies (Aug 29, 2008)

*Re: My Baby's little surprise!*

yeah, when i saw there was one i looked for more blood or some sign that there had been more babies and the others had maybe eaten them, but there was hardly any evidence that there had been a birth at all. i am also inclined to believe that there is only one because i didnt even notice that she was pregnant and she is a very small girl. i was proud of her though, because having a baby at her age can't be easy especially at her size. i have read about rats pelvic bones fusing together at a certain age, making it harder for them to have a first litter after that. im so proud of her though, the baby is so perfect. =]


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## beanieboo-rattles (Jan 3, 2008)

I thought it was only guinepigs whose pelvic bones fused ?

Anyway lucky you with just one bub ! Good luck !


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## lovinmyworm (Feb 18, 2008)

Ummm rats can get pregnant up until the day they die. I'm glad it was just one though, hopefully a girl so momma and daughter can be housed together AWAY from the boys.


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

Actually no... they have menopause just like people.


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## beanieboo-rattles (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah but it can be vey late in their life. so unless a female rat is spayed never assume she is infertile.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

there is no concrete evidence that a rat will enter menopause at a specific age... only a vet doing bloodwork can determine this event. So if the logic being used is that a rat enters menopause just like a human does then that logic has to carry right over to the times you've heard about women that are in their 60's & get pregnant. Our biological clocks are not all ticking away at the same rate of time. I've read of women going menopausal at 30 & about some who have been fertile right up into their late 60's.

I've heard of many cases of rats being 2 to 2 1/2 or even a tad older who got pregnant

There are more than a couple reasons why this is rare & why you won't hear about late stage pregnancies. The number one reason is that it is extremely unsafe for the old female to become pregnant so most human caretakers don't risk an accidental pregnancy by keeping their old females away from males.


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## beanieboo-rattles (Jan 3, 2008)

Any update on the baby ?


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## Fiishies (Aug 29, 2008)

baby is doing wonderfully. we have named him squishy and he is snoozing on my shoulder right now.








there he is wearing a cheese hat. he is to be weaned soon and it appears that he is himalayan. =]


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Squishy is adorable!


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## Amyshizzle (Sep 7, 2008)

aww he is so cute!


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## Fiishies (Aug 29, 2008)

*Re: My Baby's little surprise!*

thanks. =] for more on Squishtastic and his friends visit
http://s344.photobucket.com/albums/p350/nightwolf1515/Ratties/
yay! im so glad everything turned out ok.


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## Fiishies (Aug 29, 2008)

oh and also you can see the videos on you tube under my username fiishies if that's faster.


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

you should neuter him when he's old enough so he can stay with mom for life


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## Amyshizzle (Sep 7, 2008)

I agree =]


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## Fiishies (Aug 29, 2008)

I was totally thinking the same thing because whenever he is with his soon-to-be brothers they are very sweet to him and they groom and kiss him but he isn't ever as outgoing as when he is with momma and the girls. He is probably a ladies man.


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