# Our pet female may have gotten impregnated by our foster boys! Lots of questions!



## eyeonsparrows (Mar 7, 2012)

Hello. I was fosteringa few ratties (my first time fostering or anything), and my two young sons were up a few hours before my husband and I woke up. They're not supposed to have any rats out without supervision, but the older son (age 5) walked in on the younger one (age 3), and in trying to make things right, confiscated the at and deposited him back in th male foster rats cage, having identified the rat as one of the foster males. Here's the problem: it wasn't the foster male, it was an extremly similar-looking rat, my son's pet....a female (name is Peanut).Our best guess is that she was in there for maybe 2 hours, maybe up to three. When I discovered h in there and moved her back to her correct cage, my rat, another female, took an EXREME interest in Peanuts undercarriage. She just plain couldn't bring herself to extract her nose from Peanut's crotch for the next several minutes, which heightens my worry that something happened with that part in the male cage. As I was reading the next day, I read about copulatory plugs, and ran and looked for one on her, though I assumed it was pushing too late for one to still be present. I sifted around in the bedding a bit, and still didn't see anything laying around that looked like that, so I'm wondering if maybe that's a good sign I can't find one? Like maybe she didn't have intercourse? Or am I being naive and it's still really common to never see a copulatory plug, or could she have eaten it or something like that?Knowing these facts (legnth of time in male cage, her crotch being extrodinarily fascinating her cagemates upon return to her cage, and never finding a copulatory plug th next morning) is it PRETTY likely, maybe-maybe not likely, hardly likely, etc. that she got impregnated? I don't have a little scale to weigh her on, but if it's pretty likely and scales are pretty decently priced, I'm interested in getting one, but if she's likely not or if it's no big deal that I don't, I prefer to pass on the purchase and use the money on more bedding and stuff anyway.Also, I have two tanks, a small one (20gal?) and a 45gal breeder. Which one would be a better 'delivery room'? I was leaning toward the 45 gal, spacious one, but then I started to wonder if there's pros to the smaller one that might outweigh the use of the big one (if they start out in the small one, of course I'd move the family to the big one when everyone needn't stay so close to mommy anymore).Also, one question has been on my mind about birth. How do I know when they're all safely delivered? Will after a last one is delivered, she just stop being in labor and commence doing something else? How would I know if there's still babies in there that haven't been birthed? There were four males in the cage where she was placed. Could they ALL potntailly be the fathers, or is it more likely that it was just one of them? She is a beige berkshire, as is one of the males. There is a blue hooded, a black guy with dumbo ears (she's standard eared), and a standared-eared black guy with some wite creeping up the sided of his tummy. Would the appearance of the babies help me to know paternity, or will it just forever be a great mystery? I'd like to know as best I can, because the males have four entirely different temperaments,and I'd like to able to share with new owners as best as I can about parentage. Peanut herself is a sweetheart, and the boys range from the ubershy to really outgoing and affectionate.Also, I read to give a pregnant female extra protien. Is there anything else that would be good? My youngest son is on a regimen of high-cal pediatric formula (basically Pediasure/Kid Essentials, just stronger in calories....it's called KidEssenials1.5. I've given her some (a milk cap full) for it's wealth of everything, but if those more expert thanme think that's not a good idea, I won't do it again. It SEEMS like a god idea, but I'm no expert.I've never overseen the pregnancy and delievery of any animals (and never raised any baies other than humans), so this is all really new to me. I've been reading up on things and doing the best I can, but I feel so unprepared! Any answers to any questions I've discussed earlier would be wonderful, and any pointers are appreciated.I plan to work to make the babies as social and healthy as I can, and offer them new homes when ready.


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## JessyGene (Feb 27, 2012)

Sorry I don't know the answer to any of your questions about rat pregnancy. I just wanted to say that I got a small scale at walmart for 5 dollars. Its not digital and the top part of it was too small for my rat to comfortably stand on so I just taped on a piece of cardboard. It works just fine for weighing my rat but it kinda takes two people: one to make sure the rat doesn't just hop off, and one to hold the bottom of the scale (so it doesn't tip over) and to read the weight. The one I got goes up to 500grams, with 5 gram increments so it is easy to notice fairly small changes in weight.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

It's fairly likely she is pregnant if she was in heat. Watch her vulva in the next week or two for signs she is in heat (color change, appearing more open or shiny). If she goes into heat you are in the clear. 

I'd let her birth in the 20 gallon, and you should start supplementing her diet now with foods like scrambled eggs and dog food just in case.

If she is pregnant the color of the babies may be some indication of who is the father, but there are no guarantees.


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## Lucys_Mom (Feb 27, 2012)

Hello! The best advice that I got was that the Mom will know exactly what to do, and they really do. I have had a few litters in my life, first when I worked at a pet store, I cared for pregnant moms and babies, and a recent accidental pregnancy in my rats. I would go with the large tank. Do not put any bedding in there that can stick to them. I have seen the kind of bedding that is made from tissue paper get stuck to the mouths and noses of the babies. As for the plug, I have never seen that in all the pregnancies I have dealt with. I can tell when they are pregnant fairly early, because they get an abmormally round belly, and their nipples will start to stick out, especially if it's their first litter. Also, they will start to make HUGE bedding nests, piling all the bedding into a circle. It's good to give them extra protein, but other than that, they should be fine. If you have a pet store nearby, I would recommend picking up a can of kitten milk, just in case one of them isn't eating well. You can tell if they have been fed, because they will have a white band on their belly, called a "milk band." As for labour issues, I have never experienced issues with their labour. They ususally have their babies during the day, and you will see the mom laying on her side. She will stand on her back legs, and reach down to pick up the baby. Do not be frightened when you see a little bit of blood in the cage. I would say that more than a tablespoon is not normal. Less that that is ok. She will eat the placenta and chew the ambilical cords off, and clean the babies. When she lays back down and starts to feed them, she will get really sleepy. That's when you know she is done with having all of her babies. She will most likely not lay down and feed them all until she is done giving birth. If she is still not relaxed after 2-3 hours, she is having trouble with her labour, and needs a vet, but like I said, it's very rare. As for the paternity, rats have such a huge range in colors, that it's difficult to tell. The dumbo dad will result in some dumbo babies, so that's an easy one. Good luck! Don't forget, Momma knows exactly what to do.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

If she was only in there a few hours, there's a big possibility she's NOT pregnant. They go into heat for a few hours every 4-5 days...and if the timing wasn't right, she didn't get pregnant. Males will check girly undercarriage and even boy undercarriages if they are new...so don't think that's a sign of being in heat. Was she kicking him at all?

If you know how to tell your girl is in heat, then just watch her carefully for the next 4-5 days. 

Also how old is your girl and how old are the boys?


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