# Can rats mate through cage bars?



## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

Kinda a long story but here it goes, I have 2 females rats and had 2 males, one of my males died suddenly not sure of what:/. Anyway all my rats were from the feeder store because I have no breeders or even pet store rats in my area. So obviously they are all very skittish one day I was feeding the girls and my female Lucy got out. I've been trying to catch her for 3 weeks she runs about my room and if I even get close she high tails it away. and I've tried making safe rat traps and nothing has worked. I've seen her go out my window before but my window is a balcony that I don't think she could get off, sometimes I see her climb on my males cage(critter nation). and they interact and my window seal is level to his cage so she sits on it. I literally cannot catch her and I know I sound a little bit dumb like how hard could it be to catch a rat? This rat is smart and does not wanna get caught. . Anyway so today I managed to get somewhat close while she was climbing the cage and saw that her belly is huge and her nipples are popping out. I suspect she's pregnant  I'm praying it isn't half wilds and that somehow they mated through the bars although I don't want babies at all its way way easier to home full domestic rats. I'm plotting ways to catch her right now and coming up with some ideas any input on any of these subjects would be greatly appreciated


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## Kelsbels (Aug 12, 2015)

She might have slipped through the bars of the male's cage, but they *cannot* mate through the bars of the cage. It is a myth. 

It's very possible that she could have gotten pregnant from a wild rat.

Others here can chime in for the rest since I don't consider myself an expert. I hope everything goes well and you're able to catch her.


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

As Kelsbels stated, mating through bars is a myth. Alot of people swear it happened or have a friend of a friend lol but most of the time rats are actually going through bars or someone else in their household put the rats together or worse the people are just lying because they don't want to look bad. Rats have to be in a very specific angle to mate and it just is not possible through bars. There is not a single credible source that claims it is possible or given any proof. 

Also I have a single rat room with both sexes. There is always one sex out and they love to sit on each others cages. No mating through the bars and my girls are skanks lol

It is probably from a wild rat  

I would make it your priority to catch her before she has the babies. if she has the babies you might not have an opportunity to catch her if you can't find the nest. And then you may end up with babies growing up in your place and they will mate together and you will have a serious problem.

Go to a hardware store or tractor supply and buy an actual trap. Bait it with peanut butter.

I'd also suggest taking her to the vet when you catch her and having the pregnancy terminated.


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

First, I'm not sure I understand how long you have had the pregnant girl, is there any chance she may have been pregnant when you adopted her? 

Being pregnant she's eating and drinking a lot and likely very food motivated... A snickers bar or warm apple pie will go a long way to coaxing her out. 

Wild rat is possible, if you have wild rats in your home. but odds are that if you do have wild rats, she might have left with them rather than hang out in your room as she's apparently not bonded to you and not going back into her cage anyway.

As to rats getting pregnant through the cage bars, I just had someone tell me it personally happened to him and he seemed convinced and sober. As he said, rats are very creative and determined animals... and there's a vast variety of rat cages and enclosures to account for when saying it can never happen... So as I'm no longer entirely convinced that it can't happen any more... depending on a poorly designed or constructed cage and a very unusual rat.... but I'll agree with the foregoing comments that it is very very very unlikely.

Half wild rats are usually very similar to wild rats in temperament... usually but not always. They have to be socialized, literally from birth in order to make good pets for certain people. If you don't recover mom before the birth and put in a lot of time with the pups, they are likely to be too feral and dangerous to handle by the time you want to adopt them out to people you don't want to see hurt. Our part wild rat had a complete wild rat skill set and lived outdoors on her own for 5 months before we got her back, but I'd strongly discourage you from turning them loose when they are old enough to fend for themselves.


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## raindear (Mar 3, 2015)

Some animal shelters will loan a live animal trap with a deposit. If you catch her in a live animal trap be aware that she will be totally freaked out for a while after the trap snaps shut, so wait for a while for her to calm down before trying to remove her from the trap. Also, try to take the trap into an escape proof area like a bathroom to get her out of the trap. If you lose her trying to get her out of the trap she very likely will not enter the trap a second time. When I had an escapee this happened to me. I had to think of another strategy to catch him. He had been housed in a top opening cage. I wound up opening the top of his cage, putting peanut butter on a spoon on the bottom of the cage, tying a string to the cage door and sitting in the dark waiting for him. He eventually went after the peanut butter and I was able to pull the door closed with the string and catch him that way. Good luck with this.


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

Thank you everyone for the helpful replys, I've had my girl for about 2 or 3 months so she def wasn't pregnant when I got her she's extremely skiddish so hoping to catch her tonight with a humane rat trap that has a closing door. If the babies are half wild not sure what I will do at this point as I've never had any before and have no idea where to start with making them good pets I've had a few accident litters by getting already pregnant moms so I know the basics of rat babies. I'll update if I'm able to catch her tonight! She's a smart one. Anyone know any more about pregnancy termination? If there's a limit on how far along ? From the looks of it when I managed to shine my flashlight and see her belly clearly she is about 2 weeks along, (enlarged nipple/losing hair around them)
Belly isn't huge yet but pretty plump and round. Thanks so much for the help everyone!


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

And also I sometimes wake up and she's next to me on my bed not sleeping but just sitting on my bed one time I woke up and she was on my boyfriends head (he was fast asleep and a little creeped out when I told him the next morning lol)! It's just weird to me she's so afraid of letting me pick her up but she will come sit on my bed? If I wake up and try to reach my hand to her while she's on my bed she scampers off :/ I still leave food out for her and some water In a bowl. Hoping to catch her tonight, getting her to bond with me is going to be a challenge and a half!!


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## Ratlettes (Mar 29, 2016)

So she's been loose around your room for 3 weeks?! Sheesh, I thought my rat was a jerk hiding in a homemade hole in the bathroom for like 12 hours but that's just messed up


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

tell me about it  i love her but she just loves the freedom i guess??? just put out the rat trap hopefully she takes the bate!


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

Part wild rats are just like domestic rats except you have to work with them a lot to make sure they will bond with you.. it's not that they will get to like people... some won't, but they will learn that you are part of their family. Wild rats have a kind of us and them mentality... we like us and we hate them... so you have to be part of us so they don't think you are one of them.

Beyond that most are like pet wolves... mostly they are sweet and amazing, but they are stone cold killers underneath if you scratch them deep enough. Domestic rats adapt to you, which is true up to a point with wildlings... with wild rats you want to set boundaries early and follow rules... they like rules and they don't like surprises. In an orderly predictable household they are actually more likely to act like a domestic rat than a domestic rat will... Throw them a curve and upset their little world and strange or bad things happen fast.


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

She walked in the trap onto the thing that closes the door and ... Nothing happened  I guess she's to light to set it off. Sigh


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Yep, rats from feeder bins are very skittish...it isn't something you have done- she just doesn't trust you at all so she is avoiding you like the plague. Is there a chance that the trap isn't working properly? Is it new?


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## Rat Daddy (Sep 25, 2011)

If the trap has two doors leave one shut... sometimes this makes the trigger work more freely, you can also put the bait behind the trigger pan that way so the rat has to walk over it =... also you can lubricate the joints and set the catch right on the edge. I have one of those traps in the attic... Mostly I used it to get rid of squirrels in the attic years ago... but last time I took it down it almost needed and elephant to set it off, I tweaked it for about an hour and it worked right again... It's pretty much tweak and test, tweak and test and sometimes bend stuff or wet sand stuff until it works as advertised, but then I've had my trap for many years and I got it used.

And not just feeder bin rats can be skittish... any rat that hasn't been socialized is going to be afraid of humans. Rats aren't born knowing humans are good. But no, it's not likely something you have done.


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

Perhaps if you put a small item on the trigger she might add enough weight to set it off... if the trap is older, you might need to check the moving mechanism to see if it needs oiled


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

Hey everyone just to update the trap worked and set off cuz I woke up and it was shut and the tator tot in there was gone lol. Yet she must of managed to get out, cuz she wasn't in there I'm going to attach a pic of the trap so you guys can see it. I'm losing hope  could anyone link me to some good home made traps if you know of any?


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

And also about the skiddish thing, this feeder breeder I met says he picks out the ones with good temperaments and sells those to pet stores, and then takes the skittish ones and those go to the reptile store. I'm guessing almost any rat can become a good rat just extra hard work for the scared ones. I've gotten feeder rats that were amazing and you would think have come from a breeder. Just wish she wasn't so afraid they treat them like sh*t at the feeder store. I understand completely that other animals have to eat but they could at least treat them decently until they are going to be eaten. Sigh


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

Where has she been getting food and water?


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## Sushigirl (Sep 10, 2015)

I'm not sure if this would work, I know it sounds ridiculous and you'll need time and patience. Take away food and water for 6-8 hours so she will be hungry and thirsty If you get a big tub (smooth sides so she cannot jump back out) put a ladder on the outside leading up to it and a bunch of high value, strong smelling treats and water inside and then wait. Hopefully her hunger wins out over her fear and she'll go in fairly quickly and won't be able to get back out


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

I leave her out food and a water bowl and she drinks and eats but that's actually a great idea! I'm going to put food and a latter in a tub and try to catch her that way thank you! Gunna try as much as I can til I get her


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## RatAtat2693 (Jan 13, 2016)

Something like this might work. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/141846709785?

Stick some cheese and chicken in the trap. The more it smells, the better. And every rat I know of loves chicken.


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

The tub idea is great. Remember that scared rats can jump really high. Maybe a plastic hamper or empty trash can would work


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## Sushigirl (Sep 10, 2015)

I'm curious, update? Did you catch her??


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## ellieratluvr (Jan 10, 2016)

Hey everyone, to update, I found her but not the way I would have liked to. None of the traps worked. I walked into my room on Sunday (yesterday) and found her lying in my closet. Her breathing was extremely heavy and it seemed she had a tumor like mass of her side. As she is a rat from the feeder bin I'm guessing due to there poor health she possibly had cancer or a bad respiratory infection. This is a rat that would bolt at the sight of me and she couldn't even move. I scooped her into a bin with a blanket and lyed her down. She was so far gone already that as I was calling around to see if any vets would take her as little do exotics near me she passed away within 10 minutes. The lump on her side was big. I was so sad to see her go although she has been escaped for a while and I never even got to really bond with her I always admired her smarts and maybe she just really had been mistreated and didn't like people. I kept food and water out wich I would see her drink and eat late at night. I think I'm going to stay away from the feeder bin as all feeders I've owned have died of some horrible illness. I'm sorry that the news isn't happy everyone she went peacefully wrapped in a blanket. Just as a side note be careful with the feeder bin. And if you do decide to purchase a feeder be prepared for a much shorter life in most cases thank you everyone for the help, hopefully my girl is with her sister who also died of a bad respiratory infection, may all of our passed ratties rest in peace <3:,(


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