# Unexpected surprize



## Crazy_Rat_Lady (Jun 4, 2009)

Ok, long story short, 10 days ago I rescued a rat that had spent 3 days defending herself against a snake in a tank. The socialization was going well until about 4 days ago, when she started acting strange, turns out she was just a little hormonal, as today she gave birth....

I did not intend to breed, and one of the conditions of me taking her in the beginning was that she was a female, as I have 2 females already, and didn't want to worry about pregnancy.

I put her back in the "isolation" cage yesterday, which is a 3 tier smallish standard cage, because i suspected she was pregnant.

I really have no clue what i should be doing, if anything...and would love any advise anyone has to offer.


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## tansy (Jun 2, 2009)

I ended up with a suprise pregnancy last month when I bought my new girls. So I have FRESHLY gone through this.

First thing, if you can get one of those rubbermaid bins for storing stuff in and drill a hole JUST big enough for the waterbottle spout thing to go in, and then a bunch of holes in the lid (make sure the bin is deep and that the holes are small) you will have a perfect place for her to raise the babies until they are big enough to either go in the main cage or to go to new homes.

Handle the babies daily so they will already be socialized when they get big enough to sell/give away/put in main cage. I had to use treats to "trick" mama off the babies and then block her from the nest so I could grab them in the beginning. She still isn't too happy about me taking them out, but I don't have to block her off anymore. Just give her a treat so she doesn't get mad.  My girl wasn't really socialized either. And I had her for a total of 5 days when she gave birth. We have to work on that once the boy is no longer in with her... so like next week.

Make sure she has plenty of food and water. You might want to get a little dog food for added protine. The food I buy for my rats already has some in it though. For her nest, I cut up paper towels into squares and just placed them in the bin with her and let her figure out where she wanted it and how she wanted it made. Try to keep her in a quiet place to keep her stress at a minimum.


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## Gabrielle B (Jan 16, 2009)

I doubt a plastic tub with "a bunch of holes in the lid" is going to have enough ventilation. You need to convert a tub (cut a hole in the lid, and holes in the side, and cover with small mesh) Dont keep the babies in a cage for the first 2-3 weeks of age as there will be the possibility of escape, a tub is a much safer option


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## Crazy_Rat_Lady (Jun 4, 2009)

We are on day 5, lost 1 of 11, and she wasn't quite right from the start. The rest are growing like mad and as cute as anything i have ever seen. I love that u can see the patterns their hoods are going to have!

I have them in a large rubbermaid tub, and just don't have a lid on it...I know this will only work for so long, but so far it's ok. I have it on top of the big cage i house my rats normally in, and so far the other 2 dont seem bothered by it...I move the whole container to the couch for freerange time and let mom let herself in and out, while i take the babies out to check them and socialize them. Also i've let the other 2 quickly meet the babies. The first was an accident...i was holding one of the babies and saw what i thought was mom going to check on them, when she came out i realized it was one of my older girls, who has a quite similar pattern and color hood as mom....nothing seemed to have come of it, so today i let the other one take a quick sniff.

Although alot more work than i had intended for when i agreed to take and try and tame this poor rat, which given her circumstances was alot to begin with, I am loving it! It is a fabulous learning experience for the kids, and a way to get my non rat lover friends to get over it, cause they are ADORABLE!!


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## tansy (Jun 2, 2009)

I'm glad things are going so well. My girl had 9 babies and by day 1 we were down to 4, then by day 9 we only had 2. Those 2 are doing very well.  And hopefully next week I will be getting the new cage for the boys (CN! keep your fingers crossed for me!) and then the girls can all move in to the boys' old cage.


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## Crazy_Rat_Lady (Jun 4, 2009)

http://www.facebook.com/p.php?i=649380250&k=Z6146WRZS3YAUCCHPAV2VTQ

I dunno if this is going to work, but i am going to try, I will delete the post is it doesn't.

I have been posting updated pics in an album, there are like almost 60 pics,. started at day 2....last updated about 10 minutes ago....

Hopefully u can see my babies!

_edit_Ok it appears only people with a facebook account will get to see.....


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## adoraluna (May 9, 2009)

For some reason when I click the link it takes me directly to my inbox on facebook.


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## Crazy_Rat_Lady (Jun 4, 2009)

hmmmm....i dunno then, 

how about if anyone wants to see the album u send me your email addy and i will send a link that way to it....or there is a group on FB called Rats! link is http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=14804172995&ref=ts

I have daily updates of pics on there and u can link to the rest of the album from any of those pics.....mine are the only babies of recent uploading...and all pics posted here are the babies on my hand....


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## adoraluna (May 9, 2009)

Crazy_Rat_Lady said:


> or there is a group on FB called Rats!


I just joined the group!!! The babies are adorable!!!!


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