# Odessa with her surprise and me coping with first times.



## Serbear (Apr 25, 2013)

A long time lurker, my new rat has made it so that I can't hold back from joining and posting. All because of her gift to me of little ones. 

I bought her unplanned when I went to get some feed and new bowls for my current fancy. I had been planning to bring in a new female since the one i had for almost two years passed on and I know my fancy (Willow) would need a new cage mate. Walking into the pet store I always went to the rodent section and wound up falling in love with a blue dumbo they had that was all alone herself. I couldn't keep myself and took the little girl home. 

i kept her in her own space for a week and watched her closely, having done quarantine 3 times. When no signs of infection came forth, I started the meeting. Willow and Odessa hit it off well, even leaving them in the tank for three hours on neutral ground. I came back in to find them grooming each other. I cleaned and moved them into the big cage and was happy to see them playing and moving about. 

In this time I handled Odessa daily and noticed nothing odd from her or any actions that a pregnant one does. She let me play with her, hold her, was very active running around and despite all the fluff in the cage didn't nest or get aggressive. She had a little bit of a tummy, but no more then my fancy. Last night I had gone to bed without my usual routine of going over to the cage and petting them and checking everything. I was simply too exhausted and just fell into bed promising to do it in the morning. 

When I did, I was greeted with the sound of squeaking, my first instinct being that they were playing. This turned out to be wrong when I saw one on the high ramp and one in a low corner. Odessa was standing over her thirteen babies and nursing them. it was a shock but now I can't stop staring at them. I moved them and her from the wired cage into a big fish tank with plenty of bedding and nesting options which she has now decided to use. 

I have read through this forum like crazy since I found out, but there were somethings I still am unsure on. 

-Not knowing ancestry of either side, how long should I wait before visiting my vet for health checks on the kittens? 
-How long before I introduce Willow back to the babies and Odessa? Willow has never shown aggression toward any living creature, save for the one time she let a puppy know she had enough licks and bit his tongue. 
- What accessories can I put around the cage? Would it be smart to put a heating pad under the glass as she keeps them on the floor? Some of the kittens seem to wiggle away accidentally and I don't want to come home to a cold dead baby or have one sick because it got lost.

Thanks ahead for any answers


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

1) You don't need to do a vet check unless you feel they are sickly. "Well-checks" for babies are often redundant as most health issues don't show up until later in life. Just be sure to let the future homes know that this was an accidental litter, the father is unknown, and you just recently acquired the mother so you are unsure what genetic health issues the babies might have. Honestly, except for a propensity towards cancer, there's not even much you could know even if you knew the history of the parents. 
2) You'll want to wait at least 3 weeks before Willow gets to meet the babies and hang out with Odessa again. Your best bet is just to wait until the babies are weaned, though, as about a week after Willow could meet them the boys and girls would need to be separated anyway.
3) Hidey-houses and nesting material are it until the babies are moving and playing on their own. When that happens, toys are always a good bet.  Don't put a heating pad under there--Odessa will bring any strays that wander away back to the nest on her own and she will keep them warm. A heating pad could (and probably would) cause them to overheat very quickly which you do not want.


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## Serbear (Apr 25, 2013)

This is why I ask. I did pull Odessa out for a little time on her own a bit ago to feed her some treats. She ran up to the cage Willow was in as soon as I placed her on the floor. It seemed both were eager to see one another, or perhaps Odessa wanted company that was bigger then her pups. I gave her some fresh veggies and half a hard boiled egg while she roamed, planning to give her the other half tonight when I take her out for a bit again, In total she was only away from the pups for 15 minutes before returning to them. i managed to pick a few up in the time and check the count again to make sure all the pups were alive and well. 

Happy to say they all are and have nice little milk bands and still make lots of noise. Lots. And Lots. Odessa is a bit thinner, but is eating well and drinking her vitamin enriched water. I have money put aside already in case an emergency visit is needed. She is still herself, a bit shy at handling but is happy to run and explore and nest in my hair. Managed to get a couple pictures of the litter and the mama, mostly due to my friend coming over right before I was ready to put Odessa back in.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc1/734012_195176353963797_96256729_n.jpg
[URL="https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/936314_195176370630462_602124774_n.jpg"]https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/936314_195176370630462_602124774_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-prn1/11771_10201081843430311_1003769439_n.jpg

[/URL]I have plenty of toys for the little ones to play with and a good sized cage for them to wander in when they get big enough. I'm hoping to have rehomed the boys before they get too big and I have to bring out my old cage for them to home in. I have some people already helping me look into good homes and proper shelters willing to help adopt out and teach the way to screen homes.


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## socal_sarah (Mar 5, 2013)

AWWW, I wish you weren't so far! I had my eye on a blue hairless dumbo girl, so I know how you can get suckered in! Congrats on the new babies & make sure to take LOTS of pics!


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## LightningWolf (Jun 8, 2012)

Aw, looks they are doing well. I'm not going to be a broken record and repeat what rumy said though.

Long time lurker? Then I guess you already know what I'm going to say, do you want to know what colors/varieties the babies will probably be 

Also more pictures, and if you want me to tell you what will probably appear in the litter a picture of mom's belly will probably help for markings.


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## Serbear (Apr 25, 2013)

Mommy Odessa eating
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/946474_198387683642664_1038282154_n.jpg

and being curious about the phone invading her home
https://fbcdn-sphotos-e-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/944266_198386923642740_1488182020_n.jpg

All the babies cuddling
https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/940968_198387400309359_708644042_n.jpg


A couple individual shots that I was able to get before it was time to return back home

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/390674_198387363642696_1065682768_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/945300_198387173642715_1982109904_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash3/945300_198387173642715_1982109904_n.jpg
https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash3/944308_198386770309422_992553690_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/321425_198386716976094_675433410_n.jpg
https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/190559_198386946976071_659337610_n.jpg


Two of the little ones crashing together
https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-frc1/321356_198386796976086_2003323217_n.jpg


All of the little ones are healthy and starting to squirm around and drive their mother nuts with moving from where she lays them. Thankfully she trust me enough to handle them and take them out even when she is in the cage, though she has nipped any one else who has tried. All of them appear to be dumbos, and have a pretty silver sheen to their coats. I have a few buyers lined up and am happy to know they will go to good homes. I will hopefully get more individual shots when I get home from work tomorrow.


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## RosesRufflesandRats (Apr 25, 2013)

They are so precious, perfect, and velvety looking!!!! They are too sweet! I love the name Odessa by the way.


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## Serbear (Apr 25, 2013)

So, with life happening I have nit had the chance to update here with trying to solve some personal issues and work. However I am pleased to say that every single baby made it alive, mostly due to the hard work and diligence of Odessa. Currently I am redoing her trust training as she backed a bit while her hormones were raging my fingers unfortunately show the truth of it). However we are back to her only mouthing my hand when she wants attention. Still squeak and make a protest though which gets her to back off.

Now at over 6 weeks, they are running, playing, and great little escape artists when Grandma and Grandpa are trying to clean the cage or put the water bottles in. As soon as I get back home I will post pics of the little rascals. they all have homes waiting for them when they turn two months as they have been entered in Grandma's Bootcamp of Basic Training. Mostly just their permanent name and to come when called for the inevitable escapes.


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