# Possible pregnancies. Please help!



## ryanxav (Sep 16, 2010)

Please help me identify if my rats are pregnant.
Sorry I can't provide pictures.

I have 4 females and 2 males. I had the 2 males neutered, but tonight I have noticed that all 4 females are showing signs of pregnancy.

The darker females show 2 protruding nipples, but I can see 6 or 8 on the lighter furred. I've never noticed their nipples as much before. The youngest is 12months and the oldest: 18months. I've had them all since 6weeks, so I know how they usually look.

I think I can tell a difference in their size, but I wouldn't bet my life on it.

I'm concerned that they are all pregnant. I have a gigantic cage and have split it into 3 so I can house the 2 males together and 2 lots of 2 females.

Are they pregnant? And is this cage layout OK?

I have a smaller, separate cage in which they can be put when giving birth or if any other needs be.

Honestly, I have no idea what to do and I would appreciate all the help you can give me. But at the same time, please don't give me links to rat pregnancy info - only because I've read a lot of them and would much prefer advice based on this particular predicament. 

Thanks in advance!
ryanxav


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## ryanxav (Sep 16, 2010)

I should also mention that there has been some hair loss around the nipples


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## Elizabethm (Sep 10, 2010)

1. if you have a scale that measures grams that would be great for starters. it would give an idea on weight gain. you should also seperate the females if you have two who are pregnant because i was told the females may steal each others young which could start a tug of war and hurt the babies. showing nipples are a pregnancy sign as that was the first thing i noticed on mine too. weight will give us a better idea. it will be a very noticable weight gain if they are pregnant. hair loss around nipples was my first sign too

*jojo's weight and pictures with dates*
9-12-10	210 grams
9-13-10	221 grams
9-14-10	225 grams (bloody show in cage)
9-15-10	230 grams 

my girl is due sometime this weekend possibly tonight. 

9-11-10









9-12-10









9-13-10









9-14-10

















9-15-10


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

How soon were the boys put in with the girls after their neuters? They can still be fertile for like a month after surgery. 

It does sound like your girls are pregnant. You should start preparing yourself for lots of babies.


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## ryanxav (Sep 16, 2010)

@elizabeth: thanks and good luck!!

@ema: you've no idea how careful I was. I waited 2 full months after neutering before introducing them. 

Thanks for the advice, I will definitely start to prepare! I've separated the males, and also put 2 females in one compartment and 2 in another, just to be sure.

Not that the money is what I'm bothered about, but it was £40 per neuter and it isn't fun when you don't get what you've been promised! Especially when there's so much at stake.


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## Elizabethm (Sep 10, 2010)

you should have all 4 of your females in seperate cages. or 4 sperate sections. if they all have litters they could mix them together, have them seperatly and end up stealing each others younge which dcould lead to injury or even death to the pups. thats what i was told by other members on here


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## ryanxav (Sep 16, 2010)

Ok thanks I will do so! 
Would you be able to tell me how long it will be until they birth, even if it's an estimate, given the information I've given?


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

If you didn't get the neuter you paid for, you have a very good legal standing against the vets in question. 

Take your boys to a different qualified exotic vet and get them to sign a document as to whether the boys still have intact testicles or not. 

The females really need separate living quarters so they don't accidentally damage babies if they try to steal them from each other. Fingers crossed they are not pregnant though! :-\

Gestation is approx 23 days.


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## Elizabethm (Sep 10, 2010)

lets hope that not all 4 are prego at least. 1-2 mothers are managable but all 4 . thats alot of babies. a prego rat can have 1-22 babies but 12 is the normal amount from what ive been told and read. good luck and best wishes


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## ryanxav (Sep 16, 2010)

All four show pregnancy symptoms so I'm a little worried lol
But excited, too! I've separated them as best as I can. The main problem is providing water, which I can't do if I split them into separate quarters.

Thanks for your help. It's very much appreciated


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## Elizabethm (Sep 10, 2010)

im having that issue with my males. i have 3 cages and two water bottles. so for the males i use a short plastic food storage container big enough to fit a whole sandwich. it works just fine and they know just how to use it. just make sure its not really tall because while they try to drink they could turn it over


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## ema-leigh (Jan 24, 2010)

Get more water bottles? Provide water in a dish and change regularly even once throughout the night until you are able to pick some up.


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## Elizabethm (Sep 10, 2010)

any new updates on your girls. weight, etc?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Did the boys testes shrivel up and get smaller? Or do they look identical to when they were intact. IF they are smaller, and you still think your girls are pregnant you may have a wild rat daddy out there 

Honestly, 4 spays will end up costing less than 4 litters.


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

lilspaz68 said:


> Did the boys testes shrivel up and get smaller? Or do they look identical to when they were intact. IF they are smaller, and you still think your girls are pregnant you may have a wild rat daddy out there
> 
> Honestly, 4 spays will end up costing less than 4 litters.


This. Look into having e-spays done on all or even some of your girls at a more qualified vet than your current. It'll have a great health benefit for the girls as well. Far less chance of developing mammary tumors


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