# Complicated Questions



## Ashabbie (Feb 22, 2013)

I have two female rats that I kept in the same tank while giving birth. They had two litters, 10 babies lived. So one rat stole the live babies away and wouldn't let us hold or get near them, and attacked the other mother. We finally got her separated today (it's been 5 days now) but I think they were share nursing. But, we wanted to get the mean mom out before she began teaching the babies how to be mean. So now the nice mom is by herself with the babies. Will she be able to nurse all 10 by herself? How can I tell if she is nursing them?


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## Phantom (Apr 4, 2012)

Rats usually have 12 nipples. (I'm saying usually because I have a rat with only 11.) She will be fine nursing all of them. Some rats can have litters as big as 24 and still manage to feed them somehow.


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## Rumy91989 (Dec 31, 2012)

She should be fine on her own, but that's exactly why you should never keep two females together while one is nursing. Its especially dangerous to keep two mothers together, and I think you've figured out why. I'm glad you've got the babies back with the mother who will let you handle them.


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