# The Girls....



## Marilynx

Alfa / Blaze / Zoom: Blue Agouti Capped With Small Blaze







Bayta / Badger: Agouti Berkshire With Large Blaze 







Gami: Agouti Berkshire 







Delta: Black Berkshire Dumbo







Epsi / Smoke: Charcoal Capped With a Small Blaze







Zayta: Black Hooded







Ayta: Black Self Dumbo







Thayta/ Fawn: Fawn With Broken Hood Standard








All names subject to change as I get to know their personalities! Currently working with the Greek alphabet, just to have something to call them. First attempted cage cleaning is taking FOREVER! Mainly because the girls have not yet learned to come into the transport cage, and I am not yet comfortable with catching them.


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## moonkissed

did u just get all of them together? thats alot 

They are very pretty. I'd love a black self. I saw one in a pet store once but I really shouldnt have gotten anymore so I didnt get him. Maybe someday


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## Marilynx

moonkissed said:


> did u just get all of them together? thats alot
> 
> They are very pretty. I'd love a black self. I saw one in a pet store once but I really shouldnt have gotten anymore so I didnt get him. Maybe someday


I drove up to Baton Rouge (90 miles away) to get them from a rattery. Fawn was born on 1 April -- no wonder she's a joker! -- and the others were either born on 27 or 29 April. Since they were going to be in a house with active dogs, I wanted to be sure of calm temperaments, and that's one of the things this rattery breeds for. 

I didn't really pick them by colors -- I put my hands in the breeder's pen and let the ones who wanted to come to me do so. 

Alfa/Blaze swarmed up the side and right into my hands before I could even reach for them, and she likes grabbing my rings. She thinks my long hair would make a good nest!

Yes, eight is a bunch. I was thinking of four or five, but my husband said, "Well, you got that huge CND, how about a nice round number like eight?" (He may regret that with the fun we had catching them today!)

Blaze, Badger, and Smoke have definitely figured out that I come bearing neat treats, like homemade jerky, homemade dried fruits, fresh romaine lettuce, other fresh veggies, and homemade yogurt. Fawn will sit on my hands as long as they are in the cage, but when I try to bring her out, she jumps back in.


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## moonkissed

lol I have 11 (well 15 currently with new babies born) 7 of which are girls. I could not imagine starting out with so many at once lol! It is alot. I get swarmed by my girls. Whenever I put them away in their cage at night I have to count them all like 3 times to make sure I have everyone accounted for  

But having to drive a bit for them it may have made sense as rats are addictive 

Mine love my rings too lol


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## Marilynx

moonkissed said:


> lol I have 11 (well 15 currently with new babies born) 7 of which are girls. I could not imagine starting out with so many at once lol! It is alot. I get swarmed by my girls. Whenever I put them away in their cage at night I have to count them all like 3 times to make sure I have everyone accounted for
> 
> But having to drive a bit for them it may have made sense as rats are addictive
> 
> Mine love my rings too lol


Oh, gracious! New babies? I've heard of some folks who have had intentional litters -- and the moms popped 18 at a time. That would be scary! I can't imagine having that many of ANY critter!


The rattery had another twenty or so available... it was hard to choose! As I said, I put my hands in, and let the rats choose whether or not to come to me. I could have had some from a local gal whose rats proved that "where there's a will, there's a way!" as the cages with the girls and the boys were set too close together. (The mind boggles at the notion.) But knowing that they would be sharing the house with my Hounds, I particularly wanted rats who were raised with a calm temperament, and who were already used to dogs -- and these were.

Blaze and Badger like licking me. It tickles. It is hard, keeping track of who is who. In particular, I'm not yet familiar enough with the subtleties of colors and I have trouble telling Gami, Delta, and Ayta apart. As is evidenced by the fact that they don't yet have names other than my working ones.

Blaze grabs my Medic Alert bracelet and tries to make off with it every time!


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## gotchea

Such a pretty crew! I couldn't hang with 8, but it's always neat to see a huge rattie family. Congratulations on all your new babies.


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## lost_whisper

Oh my! 8 babies at once! It sounds as scary as funny! I am having troubles naming my new girls because they are 3 identical pew sisters rescued from a lab. So far, I named one, chose a second name but haven't decided who's taking that name, and I have a third whose name will remain a mistery for a bit longer I guess. 

Congratulations on your new brats and I hope you figure the names soon!


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## Marilynx

gotchea said:


> Such a pretty crew! I couldn't hang with 8, but it's always neat to see a huge rattie family. Congratulations on all your new babies.


Well, I wasn't _PLANNING_ on eight, originally, but then I had this huge CND, and space, and all the ratties were so dang cute...! 

I hope I can get everyone's names tagged to them properly!


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## Marilynx

lost_whisper said:


> Oh my! 8 babies at once! It sounds as scary as funny! I am having troubles naming my new girls because they are 3 identical pew sisters rescued from a lab. So far, I named one, chose a second name but haven't decided who's taking that name, and I have a third whose name will remain a mistery for a bit longer I guess.
> 
> Congratulations on your new brats and I hope you figure the names soon!


It is scary. My first (and last, until now) rattie was a lab rescue. He got a rough start as an experimental rat in the nutrition department of my university, then came to the psychology department for maze experiments. At the end of the quarter, I was told I could keep him, or he would be euthanized, as he was no longer maze-naive. He got me an A! How could I leave him? 

I'm having trouble sorting Gami, Delta, and Ayta (tentative names). The rest I'm beginning to figure out.


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## lost_whisper

The good thing is that your girls have different colours and markings! With these inbred wistars I am having a hard time telling each from the others  I am honestly considering putting a little drop of food colouring on their shoulders so I can get used to tell each other apart so I can properly name them. Wistar rats are really good at learning tricks but if I can't teach them even their names I'll be at loss. 

I actually intended to adopt just one lab rat to keep my lonely girl company but then the person that adopts them out from the lab convinced me to accept a second one and later she told me the last one was the only that hadn't found a home and she was going to be put to sleep if I didn't take her. I just couldn't so I took them all and I don't regret it a bit. They are so happy now T.T


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## Marilynx

lost_whisper said:


> The good thing is that your girls have different colours and markings! With these inbred wistars I am having a hard time telling each from the others  I am honestly considering putting a little drop of food colouring on their shoulders so I can get used to tell each other apart so I can properly name them. Wistar rats are really good at learning tricks but if I can't teach them even their names I'll be at loss.


Oh, heavens, I was thinking of food coloring on the three who look gray to me, even though one's an Agouti Berkshire, one's a Black Berkshire Dumbo, and one's a Black Self Dumbo. I mean, the dumbo ears help sort those two out, but... but...

And yes, if I can tell who's who, how do I teach them tricks? Badger, Blaze, and Fawn I can tell easily. Fawn's a bit shy, but Badger and Blaze are right there when I open the cage. The Girls are beginning to learn that I am the Bearer of Tasty Treats. They have their Oxbow and water in the cage at all times, but they only get romaine and zucchini and carrots and pecans and lentil crisps and dried liver treats and other such items when I hand it to them. And I'm trying to make sure that each girl gets a treat.



lost_whisper said:


> I actually intended to adopt just one lab rat to keep my lonely girl company but then the person that adopts them out from the lab convinced me to accept a second one and later she told me the last one was the only that hadn't found a home and she was going to be put to sleep if I didn't take her. I just couldn't so I took them all and I don't regret it a bit. They are so happy now T.T


Well, as I told you, Rescue was how I ended up with old Baron, my rat of some 40 years ago. Glad your crew are happy -- may they live as long as Baron did! He was still running around up to the day he died.


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## Marilynx

Well, the Girls have decided that the Human can be trained.

They have their rat chow and plenty of fresh water, 24/7. I've been reserving the Good Stuff, like lettuces, zucchini, fresh green beans, other veggies, fruits, jerky, almonds, cashews, occasionally cheese, and black bean pasta for when I come in to play with them. The first day, only Badger came to me. Last night, six of the eight were right up there!

This morning, just about Treat Time, I had to answer the front door. Which meant I came into the rat area. Everyone was there... and the Human had no treats for ratties, because she wasn't coming to play!

I had all eight of them chittering at me indignantly, bounding around the cage and giving me baleful looks.

So I reached over and got a handful of the black bean pasta and offered that, and the chittering became crunching, and they were satisfied. The Human had answered the Orders About What Is Suitable For Ratties.

(We can deal with this, say Badger, Blaze, Fawn, Smoke, Zayta, and the other three whose names I haven't sorted yet. This Human is trainable....)


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## Marilynx

Tonight, I went to take the Girls a carrot, cut in lots of small pieces, along with the carrot greens. It was later than usual, but by the time I'd refilled their water bottle (glass, they chewed a hole in the plastic fill-from-the-top one, so I ordered three more glass ones) I had seven of the eight on the upper level for treat time, and the eighth was sticking her head out of the pod. 

Badger was _determined_ to come play with me. I picked her up and petted her as I usually do, and she pushed out of my hands and ran up my arm into my hair. I untangled her and set her back in the cage, and she turned and jumped out to me while I was petting Blaze. She rather rudely climbed _over_ Smoke as I was petting _her_, and back up my arms. 

So I carried her with me while I filled the food dish (a nice trick, opening the canister one-handed!) and got them fresh water. I petted her again while she climbed up and licked my fingers and palm. 

Meanwhile, the Dachshund and the Beagle were at the gate, feeling miffed. So I put Badger back in the crate and gently shut the door, and promised her we'd play again tomorrow. I think I need to get out the exercise pen.


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## Marilynx

Well, life just got interesting. I am down to 6 ratties from 8, but only temporarily.

On 26 July, I texted Tory, my Girls' breeder, about what I thought was a hernia on Ambrosia, my black self dumbo, who turned chocolate. Hence the name, for a very fine chocolate factory from Milwaukee. On 8/3, I mentioned that Ambrosia had suddenly put on a growth spurt. She was quite a bit larger than her sisters.

Well, this weekend, we had a dog show on Saturday, so the Girls' cage didn't get cleaned. That had to be on the agenda for first thing Sunday. First I caught the Girls and put them in the transfer cage. Can't risk one of them scampering away and getting caught by one of the dogs. I love my Harper Dachs, but he _would_ kill them! 

I noted again, as I did so that Ambrosia, the black self dumbo who turned chocolate-colored, was much larger than her sisters. 

Removed the Wodent Wheels and cleaned them. Removed and cleaned the trays. Got down to the lowest level, picked up the space pod and noticed it felt heavy. I opened it to see what I needed to clean and discovered... a litter of baby rats!

Eek! Panic! Either one of my Girls WASN'T, or we'd had wild rats in through the dog door!

I hastily called Tory, the breeder that I got the Girls from. She offered to come get the babies, as she had a mama who gave birth about two days ago who had only 3 babies. When she arrived, I pulled out Ambrosia, and said, "IF there's a culprit, I think this one may be it." Tory and Chad looked at HIM and said, "Late bloomer. Happens now and again." 

Tory determined who was Mama, and then looked the other Girls over. Ambrosius had been busy. Three more pregnant mamas to be. (Probably figured he was in hog-heaven -- nice big Critter Nation Double to roam, his own private harem of seven, plenty of food and treats, what more could a Guy Rat want?)

So. Fawn was one of the pregnant girls, and personality-wise, she just hasn't been working out. Tory brought Badger's half-sister, also a fawn-colored one, who was sweet as could be, so Fawn will remain with Tory and Faline will stay with me. She also brought a gray-silver one, whom she had named Bluebell as a replacement for Ambrosius. 

The other two pregnant girls, Snow and Blaze, are going back with Tory, and once their litters are weaned, will come back to me. She texted me when she got home that Snow was in labor! Not sure what I am going to do if Badger and Zayta and possibly Gami are _also_ pregnant! As Tori said, 12-15 weeks is a _very_ late bloomer!

Well, now I know why there's been a bunch more eeping and cheeping from the girls the last couple days. Tory said the babies were no more than 48 hours old. (I always play with the Girls on the upper level so I had no idea they were there!) 

It also explains why Harper has been having conniptions... he chewed through a wooden gate to reach the Rattie Cage. He is now much calmer, having determined that the eepers are gone.

Mama Smoke has taken Faline and Bluebell under her paw in lieu of her litter. I will be checking the other Girls in a week or so to determine just HOW busy Ambrosius as been!

There's something really nice about working with a proper breeder!


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## kksrats

Marilynx said:


> Well, life just got interesting. I am down to 6 ratties from 8, but only temporarily.
> 
> On 26 July, I texted Tory, my Girls' breeder, about what I thought was a hernia on Ambrosia, my black self dumbo, who turned chocolate. Hence the name, for a very fine chocolate factory from Milwaukee. On 8/3, I mentioned that Ambrosia had suddenly put on a growth spurt. She was quite a bit larger than her sisters.
> 
> Well, this weekend, we had a dog show on Saturday, so the Girls' cage didn't get cleaned. That had to be on the agenda for first thing Sunday. First I caught the Girls and put them in the transfer cage. Can't risk one of them scampering away and getting caught by one of the dogs. I love my Harper Dachs, but he _would_ kill them!
> 
> I noted again, as I did so that Ambrosia, the black self dumbo who turned chocolate-colored, was much larger than her sisters.
> 
> Removed the Wodent Wheels and cleaned them. Removed and cleaned the trays. Got down to the lowest level, picked up the space pod and noticed it felt heavy. I opened it to see what I needed to clean and discovered... a litter of baby rats!
> 
> Eek! Panic! Either one of my Girls WASN'T, or we'd had wild rats in through the dog door!
> 
> I hastily called Tory, the breeder that I got the Girls from. She offered to come get the babies, as she had a mama who gave birth about two days ago who had only 3 babies. When she arrived, I pulled out Ambrosia, and said, "IF there's a culprit, I think this one may be it." Tory and Chad looked at HIM and said, "Late bloomer. Happens now and again."
> 
> Tory determined who was Mama, and then looked the other Girls over. Ambrosius had been busy. Three more pregnant mamas to be. (Probably figured he was in hog-heaven -- nice big Critter Nation Double to roam, his own private harem of seven, plenty of food and treats, what more could a Guy Rat want?)
> 
> So. Fawn was one of the pregnant girls, and personality-wise, she just hasn't been working out. Tory brought Badger's half-sister, also a fawn-colored one, who was sweet as could be, so Fawn will remain with Tory and Faline will stay with me. She also brought a gray-silver one, whom she had named Bluebell as a replacement for Ambrosius.
> 
> The other two pregnant girls, Snow and Blaze, are going back with Tory, and once their litters are weaned, will come back to me. She texted me when she got home that Snow was in labor! Not sure what I am going to do if Badger and Zayta and possibly Gami are _also_ pregnant! As Tori said, 12-15 weeks is a _very_ late bloomer!
> 
> Well, now I know why there's been a bunch more eeping and cheeping from the girls the last couple days. Tory said the babies were no more than 48 hours old. (I always play with the Girls on the upper level so I had no idea they were there!)
> 
> It also explains why Harper has been having conniptions... he chewed through a wooden gate to reach the Rattie Cage. He is now much calmer, having determined that the eepers are gone.
> 
> Mama Smoke has taken Faline and Bluebell under her paw in lieu of her litter. I will be checking the other Girls in a week or so to determine just HOW busy Ambrosius as been!
> 
> There's something really nice about working with a proper breeder!


Wow, what a crazy story. I'm glad the breeder was happy to take them back and correct the issue though I can't help but feel like this could have been avoided. I was always extremely paranoid about rehoming litters and would check, double check, get someone else to check, etc. before I was satisfied that I was sending someone home with the right sex. Though, I suppose it becomes more of a task if you breed multiple litters at a time as I'm sure she does. I would have been so tempted to keep all of those bubs lol but you've already got your hands full, I'm sure.


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## Marilynx

kksrats said:


> Wow, what a crazy story. I'm glad the breeder was happy to take them back and correct the issue though I can't help but feel like this could have been avoided. I was always extremely paranoid about rehoming litters and would check, double check, get someone else to check, etc. before I was satisfied that I was sending someone home with the right sex. Though, I suppose it becomes more of a task if you breed multiple litters at a time as I'm sure she does. I would have been so tempted to keep all of those bubs lol but you've already got your hands full, I'm sure.


Believe it or not, Tory had carefully checked them all before she brought her available girls for me to choose my Eight from! I guess we can be glad he DID choose to come to me, because imagine if he had suddenly bloomed out while in with 20 or so other girls!

It appears that Ambrosia/Ambrosius was a late bloomer, which does, I understand, happen from time to time. As I said, I know precisely when his testicles finally dropped because (cough) I thought "she" had developed a hernia! I wasn't looking for boys' equipment on my GIRL! Tory was pretty amazed -- she says it DOES happen (late blooming) but usually, it's 5-6 weeks, and Ambrosius waited to 12-13 weeks! And then got at least four of my Girls pregnant.

Wow, was it a shock when I picked up the space pod and found 9 little less-than-48-hours-old babies in it!

And I'm having the uneasy suspicion that my sweetest girl, Badger, may be pregnant. Guess I'll know in a week or so!


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## Marilynx

kksrats said:


> I would have been so tempted to keep all of those bubs lol but you've already got your hands full, I'm sure.


With 8, I have my hands full. I would have had room for a few more in the Critter Nation Double, but I absolutely do not have space for another cage in order to keep males and females separate. Smoke had 9 babies, Tory just texted me that Snow had 10 babies, and we're still waiting to see what Fawn and Blaze have. As well as whether or not Mr. Busy Ambrosius got Badger, Zora, and Gami. And maybe got Smoke a second time! One lady I know who also breeds said a rat lady can get pregnant again within 48 hours of giving birth!


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## kksrats

Marilynx said:


> With 8, I have my hands full. I would have had room for a few more in the Critter Nation Double, but I absolutely do not have space for another cage in order to keep males and females separate. Smoke had 9 babies, Tory just texted me that Snow had 10 babies, and we're still waiting to see what Fawn and Blaze have. As well as whether or not Mr. Busy Ambrosius got Badger, Zora, and Gami. And maybe got Smoke a second time! One lady I know who also breeds said a rat lady can get pregnant again within 48 hours of giving birth!


I think I remember reading somewhere that it can be even less time than that >.< If that is the case though, I'm sure the breeder will have a surrogate on hand which would really be the best option since pregnancy while nursing can be extremely hard on a rat (never witnessed it myself, but I can imagine based on seeing girls with large litters look like their about to keel over from exhaustion).


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## raindear

This is my idea of a real horror story. I can only wish you and your girls (and Ambrosius) all the best of luck and health.

I do wish I was close enough to offer homes to a couple of the boys.


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## Mojojuju

I know! I'd take a few if you were close.

But I suppose the breeder probably wants all the oopsies for her own lines. : )


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## Marilynx

kksrats said:


> I think I remember reading somewhere that it can be even less time than that >.< If that is the case though, I'm sure the breeder will have a surrogate on hand which would really be the best option since pregnancy while nursing can be extremely hard on a rat (never witnessed it myself, but I can imagine based on seeing girls with large litters look like their about to keel over from exhaustion).


The first litter, which I discovered last Sunday when cage cleaning, was born on either the 21st or the 22nd -- Tory said they were less than 48 hours old. Smoke had hidden her babies in the spacepod on the very bottom level, and since I can't bend over well, the only time I check that level is when cleaning -- the Girls all come to the top level for treats and petting. 

Bless her, Tory drove down from Baton Rouge and picked up the babies. She said she's used to fostering babies because (I think) the Rexes often don't produce enough milk for their babies. Said she had one regular mama who had only produced three babies with this birth, and would easily be able to take care of nine more. I worried about Smoke, having her babies disappear on her, but she seems to have adopted Bluebell, the one Tory brought me to take Ambrosius' place.


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## Marilynx

raindear said:


> This is my idea of a real horror story. I can only wish you and your girls (and Ambrosius) all the best of luck and health.
> 
> I do wish I was close enough to offer homes to a couple of the boys.


Well, so far, the toll from Mr. Ambrosius' late blooming is 9, 10, 9 and 8. (BTW, in my picture in the first message, Ambrosius is the one I had initially dubbed Ayta, but then he turned chocolate colored, so I named him after a fine Milwaukee chocolate factory, Ambrosia. Then switched to Ambrosius when his late blooming was discovered.) 

He hit up Smoke/Delta, Snow/Epsi, Fawn/Thayta, and Blaze/Alpha. 

And Badger is getting awful chubby. I have to admit that I approached cage cleaning yesterday with trepidation, wondering if I would find another litter! So far, no. Since Ambrosius was separated from his Harem on the 23rd, I'd guess we should know the total by around the 14th or 15th of September. Tory has him in with three of her other males. He has apparently stopped sulking over the loss of his harem, and was grooming one of his cage mates today. It's good to know that even though he wasn't a match for our household, that he's living the good life.

If I had the room, I'd consider two Critter Nation Doubles, one for boys and one for girls, but I just don't. I hated to send Ambrosius away -- he was a good boy, and liked to come and lick my fingers when I brought treats. And he was just getting used to being picked up, too!

I'm very grateful that I'm working with a breeder, since I don't have to find homes for 36+ ratties!


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## Marilynx

Mojojuju said:


> I know! I'd take a few if you were close.
> 
> But I suppose the breeder probably wants all the oopsies for her own lines. : )


"Close" depends on where in Florida you are... Pensacola is only three hours from me. I've been over there for a dog show. Baton Rouge is where the babies now are. 

It turns out that Fawn, although she was the first one to come to me on Choosing Day, decided she wasn't happy here. She will be staying with Tory, and Badger's half-sister, another fawn-colored one, has come to me. She named herself -- she's Faline, after Bambi's girlfriend. But Fawn, apparently, is a VERY good mama. Tory told me that Snow and Blaze were sleeping last night, and that Fawn was taking care of all three litters!

Snow and Blaze, after they've weaned their litters, will be coming back to me.


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## Marilynx

My adventures in rat ownership continue.

Sadly, my little ginger half-sister to Badger, my tiny, cuddly Faline, is no more. I noticed last week that she had what appeared to be a fatty lump on her side. I thought she was very young for those fatty tumors one reads about, and resolved to keep an eye on it. The next day, it had turned into something horrible and weird and I hastily snapped a picture of it and sent it to my breeder. I called my vets and established that both were out of town for the holiday weekend. The emergency vet wanted $150 just to look at her. And I didn't have it. So all I could do was cuddle her, and give her water and food. I tucked her in a little hammock I made just for her when I had to go take my Dad somewhere. When Harry got home, she was gone. 

I have since learned that ginger rats can be more susceptible to the bite of other rats -- and I have some Baytril on order. But I can't excuse the fact that my failure to have it on hand, and my ignorance cost my little girl her life.

Meanwhile, Badger popped a litter. Only one survived -- an agouti male who has gone back with Tory. Snow and Blaze have weaned their litters and are back with me. They acted very happy to be back in their big CND with two Wodent Wheels. Both popped out of their travel cage and ran up my arms, and across me and into the CND.

Two of the girls from the earlier round of litters from Mr. Ambrosius' late blooming are also here. I'm not sure who their mothers are.. Tory is going to send me the pedigrees a little later. I just know they're MY Girls' daughters. 

One is an all-ginger with a little bit of a white ring at her neck. I think she'll be a very prosaic "Ginger." Shades of Gilligan's Isle. 

Another has a gray cap with a lightning streak on her nose -- and she moves like lightning. If I didn't already have a Blaze... maybe Zip or Zap! She darted into the big cage and the last time I looked, she was dangling from the ceiling and running upside down! Maybe I should name her Jane, after Tarzan and Jane!

Plus, of all things, one of the little Rex girls who were fostered with my Girls came to stay. She is SO tiny -- not even the length of my finger, and her whiskers are already curling! When Zora and Patch come back, my total will be 9 ratties.

And... it has been 21 days since Ambrosius was removed from the CND. And yes, last night, it was obvious that one of his last activities here was to knock up Zora and Patch. They were looking chubby Friday night and I was suspicious. By last night, both looked like they had swallowed VERY large ping pong balls. They have gone back with Tory to have their litters. (I do wish it had been possible for Badger to do that, but I couldn't take her up to Tory, and Tory couldn't come down for her. Badger's markings are so unique!)

I gotta say... this is rather more adventure than I planned for when I set out to add ratties to the house!


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## Marilynx

Addendum: Patch went into labor while Tory was heading home. 9 total babies, including one set of twins, ie, two babies born at once, only one placenta. Almost literally in her lap. Total before Zora has her babies is 45 unintendeds.


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## Marilynx

And... Zora popped last night. 8 babies. One did not make it. So Mr. Ambrosius has serious passed on his genome in the form of 52 unexpected little ones, all of which have really gorgeous markings.


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