# Help!! What i must do now?



## manolis (Dec 27, 2011)

One month ago, i decided to buy one more male rat and i went to the pet shop that i had bought Ozzy (the big one). I told to the pet shop that i would like one more MALE,and they gave me a female. Yesterday afternoon she gave birth and now i have 9 more baby rats .. I don't know what to do with Ozzy... I need some help with the babys!!! Is possible the female to eat the babys??? Can i put Ozzy with them because i don't have a second cage??


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

If you leave Ozzy in with the female she will get pregnant again, at the same time she is nursing a litter. That could put her or both litters of pups at risk of serious health complications or death. They need to be separated now.


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## RatMama13 (Aug 20, 2011)

They definitely need to be separated. Being pregnant while nursing is REALLY hard on rats (well anyone really)


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## shawnalaufer (Aug 21, 2011)

Uh oh! 
I know whenever I look at ratties, I always double check the sexes! When I got Scarlett, I had also gotten a beautiful little black berkshire rex "female". Now granted these are 5 week old baby rats we are talking about and all the other male rats already were showing their family jewels but I checked very carefully and discovered there was no vulva! No opening! But there was a soft squishy little patch of flesh and fur right where they should be so we were indeed looking at a little boy...a late bloomer I guess. I exchanged him for Chelsea, the PEW I have now. It happens! I still have to been on baby watch since this little man was in with both Scarlett and Aniston. I adopted them on 01/28.


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## manolis (Dec 27, 2011)

Ok.. I left him free in the room but i must buy a cage.... I can't believe it yet... till yesterday i thought she was a boy too... And now....


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Yup... it's unfortunate that you can't trust the advice/knowledge of a lot of pet store employees. There are so many unnecessary rats born due to their ignorance about even such simple subjects. It's a good idea to get a second opinion about sexing and whatnot on forums like this.

Good luck with the little ones. Make sure to separate boys and girls at 5 weeks of age to avoid any more pregnancies. Girls can stay with mom and boys can go with Ozzy. Please try to find them homes on your own - if they are returned to the pet store they will probably suffer the same unfortunate fate


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## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

Hello, I've been advised to get a second rat due to their social nature. I only have one right now.

After reading this thread, I'm a little uneasy about buying another one as they might give me a male if I asked for a female (I've been informed that my rat may be female.) and I don't have room for more than two rats. Any advice? Is anyone interested in helping me identify the sex of my rat? I've posted a couple of pics of my rat's genitals in a previous post, if anyone is up for the task. I'm hopeless at the moment with telling the genders apart.

Anyway, once that I'm sure of the gender of my rat, I can start looking for another one of the same gender. Hopefully I can find a pet dealer that would give the right gender lol


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## gypsy (Feb 4, 2012)

@ Arashi you definitely have a girl. I found this site, it may help you. http://www.ehow.com/how_2105369_determine-sex-rat.html


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Yes, there is really no need to fear missexing your rats as long as you look around a little bit. Do your research. Personally, I can tell the gender of a rat or a mouse just by taking a 1 second look under their tail. Though balls can hide in the abdomen easily, you can't hardly ever mistake the vaginal opening.


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## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

Thank you very much for the link, gypsy, it will come in good use when I'm looking for my second rat.


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## manolis (Dec 27, 2011)

I already, find homes for 2 pups and i am keeping ask my friends if anyone wants one OFCOURSE FOR PET ONLY.. for the rests, I have in mind to seperated them , as soon as i understand the gender..


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Arashi, one thing that I always do when I find a pup that is a little hard to sex is to turn them upside down in your hands, where their butt is in the air and their belly is facing you. It may be tough with a nervous rat, but ya gotta do it!  Then, put one finger right under the clitoris or penile sheath then begin to gently run your finger toward the rats head. This will pull the vagina(if you have a female) open slightly. If the rat is a female and in heat, it will be a big open hole, if she is not in heat, it will be a tightly closed hole. Boys do not have anything underneath their penile sheath. I can try to make a quick video to help you if you want?


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## Arashi (Feb 4, 2012)

Korra said:


> Arashi, one thing that I always do when I find a pup that is a little hard to sex is to turn them upside down in your hands, where their butt is in the air and their belly is facing you. It may be tough with a nervous rat, but ya gotta do it!  Then, put one finger right under the clitoris or penile sheath then begin to gently run your finger toward the rats head. This will pull the vagina(if you have a female) open slightly. If the rat is a female and in heat, it will be a big open hole, if she is not in heat, it will be a tightly closed hole. Boys do not have anything underneath their penile sheath. I can try to make a quick video to help you if you want?


Thank you very much for the information and for the offer to make a video, but I won't want to trouble anyone . I also have reference pictures to help differentiate between the genders, so in addition to the information you've provided, I think it would be a lot easier for me now.

Also, I plan on finding a rat maybe a bit older than the age of a pup, so it would probably get along better with my current rat. Would I be able to tell its gender by looking for the presence of testicles? Or is this unreliable, because they can pull those into their body?

I haven't begun looking for another rat yet, but I'm making plans (currently reading on how to introduce rats to each other). Once again thank you, the help is appreciated.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

I wonder if you could emphatically demand another cage from the pet store for selling you the wrong sex rat?! Good luck raising and homing them, I imagine the experience will be both stressful and wonderful. Your boy should be happy to live with one (or maybe 2) of his offspring. Depending on finance, you could maybe have the girl spayed and keep her too (depending on how attached you become. Of course, if you spay and keep the girl, you don't have to keep offspring anymore, but you certainly still can if you want to).


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## manolis (Dec 27, 2011)

Korra said:


> Arashi, one thing that I always do when I find a pup that is a little hard to sex is to turn them upside down in your hands, where their butt is in the air and their belly is facing you. It may be tough with a nervous rat, but ya gotta do it!  Then, put one finger right under the clitoris or penile sheath then begin to gently run your finger toward the rats head. This will pull the vagina(if you have a female) open slightly. If the rat is a female and in heat, it will be a big open hole, if she is not in heat, it will be a tightly closed hole. Boys do not have anything underneath their penile sheath. I can try to make a quick video to help you if you want?


Thank you, too,... because now with the 9 pups, a mistake will be more problem than before...
Oh i just think to put with the females a male by mistake.. that will be a disaster...


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## manolis (Dec 27, 2011)

The babies are 14 days old right now, and they have already start to walk... But i must clean them up because i can't stand in the same place...My question is if it's possible now Garu ( the mother) ,stop their breastfeeding and leave them alone??


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## aurag2 (Dec 12, 2010)

You should really wait until they are 4 weeks to seperate them. This is when the babies get fertile. They need every second before this to learn skills though like eating, playing, scavenging, and just regular behaviour. At the most you give them until 5 weeks but they must be seperated that DAY


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

14 days is too young, 21 days bare minimum (and as said, 28 total maximum).


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## Jaguar (Nov 15, 2009)

Separate them at 4 weeks minimum, 4.5 weeks or 5 weeks on the dot is even better.


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## 1a1a (May 6, 2011)

What Jaguar says  The longer they stay with mum, the healthier they will be.


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## manolis (Dec 27, 2011)

Ok, i will let them together for 4-5 weeks and then i will separate, boys from girls...


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