# i need help!



## granuccibar (Jun 28, 2008)

Well i went to the petstore two days ago and i fell in love with the most sweetest girl ever! I knew she was pregnet but i couldn't just leave her there, so i got her. Im pretty sure she is probley about to deliver in a week or two. The problem is she was a feeder rat and you know feeder rats get shitty food and what not, they just have a shitty life. Well i have a few questions.

1. She squeeks when ever i pick her up, is that normal?
2. She was a feeder rat and im pretty sure she was on blocks all her life (i have her on a mix rat food diet now) do you think she would be able to produce good milk? 

i am really nervous but excited.
I already have a few homes waiting for them when they hit 5-6 weeks & of course im keep one. :lol:


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

1. The picking up + squeak is probably a sign of not being comfortable being picked up, either she wasn't handled much before (likely, since she's a feeder) or that it's uncomfortable for her.

2. Blocks are not necessarily bad food... in fact most mixes are worse. Which block was being fed would make the difference and which mix (homemade or store bought) would also change things. I'd supplement her with more protein right now, some bits of cooked meat, some kitten food, whatever, now and while she's nursing.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

most pregnant gals don't really care to be handled roughly, regardless of species

you say she is due in a week or 2... 3 weeks is the entire length of gestation so if she looks noticeably pregnant right now... she is most likely ready to drop the litter any day now

please make sure you have her in a clean single level enclosure right now & that she has a box or igloo or something large enough for her to get in & room to spare so she can nurse babies. Since she was most likely left with a male unchecked, expect a large litter & large litters inevitably can mean some loss, so don't freak if you find dead or half eaten babies. The eating is not her killing them but most often cleaning up remains so not to attrack predators (in her mind).

Do not attempt to clean the cage for a few days to a week after but if it is a messy delivery you can spot clean with Mom permission & just add a bit of bedding or shredded paper towels to the cage & let her fix things up to her liking.

Now that bit about with Mom's permission.. Mother rats will bite you to the bone so don't put you hand in the cage or you will get bitten. Also too much involvement will stress Mom & she may abandon or harm babies because she feels threatened.

Please read as many threads in this section as you can & learn by others as to what worked & where they went wrong

Most of all... good luck with it all & be sure to repost on this thread any questions you may have rather than create a new one each time. This will greatly increase everyone ability to address issues because all the info will be in one spot


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## granuccibar (Jun 28, 2008)

she had her baby's this morning. 
Ekk! She had 12 babys.

And now i can pick her up without squeeking.


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## 2boysloose (Jun 27, 2008)

Well congrats. Are you well prepared? Hope everything goes well with your new 12 peepers!!!


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

granuccibar said:


> she had her baby's this morning.
> Ekk! She had 12 babys.
> 
> And now i can pick her up without squeeking.


told you she was getting ready to pop


take a look at my earlier post because that will give you a basic run down on some important things

even though she isn't squeaking now when you pick her up you really need to leave her alone so she can tend to her babaies

she has been through a great deal... she was in a store, then moved to a strange home with a strange creature (you) wanting to hold her... now she has 12 hungry mouths to feed... so don't over stimulate her... she needs to rest & tend to her babies.

Your job will be to feed her yummy foods for the next few weeks. But in a week or so you can make more visits & spend more one on one time with everyone. After two weeks you will actually get a chance to play with babies. After week 3 you'll have your hands full keeping track of the zippy little popcorning babies

Just give Mom some space & some extra foods rich in protein & nature will take care of everything else.


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## granuccibar (Jun 28, 2008)

<center><a href="http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p128/granuccibar/?action=view&current=img109.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p128/granuccibar/img109.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a></center>


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## granuccibar (Jun 28, 2008)

http://i127.photobucket.com/albums/p128/granuccibar/img109.jpg


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