# You've Got to be Kidding Me!



## MyrtlesMom (Oct 7, 2014)

So Myrtle was doing a lot of ear wiggling the other day and I giggled at it so much until Parker started trying to mount her. Now obviously I panicked, thinking Parker was a little boy whose danglies hadn't dropped yet since I've read about a boy who didn't drop until he was eight weeks. But I flipped her over and three holes. She's definitely a girl. Apparently they do that sometimes when one girly is in heat. But what really freaked me out is Parker has a belly.

Seriously, is this a joke? I'm stressed out enough finding homes for the spiny mice and their babies and I'm literally crying right now just thinking that she might be pregnant. I've been weighing the three of them ever since and in two days both Parker and Sophie have gone up 20 grams! Myrtle is only going up three a day... Tonight Parker's little nippies are poking out much more as well. I was careful. I made sure Sophie was a girl and checked Parker for little rat balls before i took the two of them home. I dont want babies, but I distinctly remember at least two baby boys in that tank (their brothers) when I picked the two of them up. I though they were too young, now I'm reading they can get pregnant as early as five weeks?! 

These two are only six weeks old. I am so furious right now. I called around to a bunch of vets in my area who see rats and no one I talked to is comfortable doing an emergency spay. A couple do neuters, but not spays, which kind of kicks my plan of having the three of them spayed once I'd saved up enough to do it in one go... I asked about galastop (sp?) but none of them seemed to know it. For now I'm giving them extra protein and lots of healthy extra goodies, but I don't know what else I can do  I'll know for sure by the fourth of November because they'll have been with me three weeks by then.

Ugh! I feel awful. This is ridiculous. I feel like some animal hoarder who just keeps having babies and I know that's ridiculous because I don't even have any boys but I don't understand why this is happening. Please just be about to go into heat Parker and that's why your nipples are pokey. You don't need to have babies. Momma has you; she doesn't need babies.


----------



## Perocore (Jan 6, 2014)

Yes, rats can breed as young as 5 weeks (most breeders separate boys and girls at 4 weeks). If they were still with their brothers at 5 weeks, I'd be worried, especially if the nipples are poking out. 

I wouldn't be comfortable with an emergency spay that young, but others who know more about that can help out more. If the vets are not confident they can perform the surgery safely, then it is likely for good reason. 

It's not your fault! Countless people end up with young animals winding up pregnant by accident, and you knew enough to check to make sure they were all little girls, so you're being as responsible as possible. Whoever had them before should have separated them. If it was a pet store, you can try talking to them and see if they'll take the babies once they're weaned if any are born. Hopefully it's nothing but hormones. I don't own females, so I don't know anything about how they act when they're in heat, so someone more experienced will be able to help more, I just wanted to reassure you that it isn't your fault, and it is clear you love your little girls and care for them greatly.


----------



## Lita (Jul 10, 2014)

Its not very likely for them to get pregnant at 5wks, highly unlikely really. Usually you seperate at around 5wks, 6 is the "you have to seperate by this point for sure or else!". Mom is finishing weaning at 4wks. If your worried you can take them to the vet and look at your options if they are. If they are only 6wks you really don't want them to go through with the pregnancy as it will likely end badly for them.


----------



## mimsy (Jun 8, 2014)

I soooo feel for you!!!! I understand completely, with my going from 3 females to now 12 new babies. I'm so paranoid of any one getting pregos. I have my calender on my computer ready to set off alarms when they reach 4 weeks. Everyone is getting separated then. I'm way too scared of more. Rats can multiply way to young and way to fast.

In your case, your babies are so young, I am really hoping they aren't pregnant. It's enough to have an unexpected litter, but to have to worry about the Mom too is awful. I wish I had some advice for you, but all I can do is wish you the best.


----------



## Ilovemybabyrats (Feb 5, 2013)

Don't panic. she may not be pregnant at all. I was monitering the local pet store that's developed a reputation for irresponsibly mixing males and females. They mixed them again and I made sure they got seperated. It may have been too late, I wasn't sure. I checked back and yup- a belly on one of them. But then a rescue I contacted to save another girl in the tank, one with an ear infection, and she took all the girls. time passed- and no babies. It's been long enough they would have been born. 

If she is pregnant, best advice I can give is try to contact a good rescue. My Nippy was pregnant when i bought her, and I raised all but two of her babies, who found a good home. eventually I worked out a system, and now cleaning, feeding, and general work take no time at all.

another piece of advice in case: socialize, socialize, socialize. You may think you're good friends now, but once teh babies come unless you've had her awhile she can and will see you as a threat to her babies. I'd had Nippy two weeks when the babies came, and she didn't know how well she could trust me yet. couldn't reach in the cage without bribing her with carrots until the babies were weaned. If she is pregnant don't be afraid to at least pick up each baby every day. I handled Nippy's litter right from birth and the bond we've formed is amazing.


----------



## MyrtlesMom (Oct 7, 2014)

I've been talking to vets about options and basically all I'm getting is if it happens it happens. No one I've called will spay them. I even had one vet tell me not to panic and they'd be fine to be pregnant this young. Won't be going to that one, that's for sure.

I'm just really hoping that Parker is only going into her first heat since Myrtle's nipples also became a bit more obvious and a couple days later she'd vibrate when I pet her. This could be nothing, but I am sooooo worried. Shes starting to look like a little pear. Maybe im feeding them too much? I wish it was the fourth already and there were no babies.


----------



## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

Your babies are likely at an awkward period and going through a growth spurt. Mark the day you got them on a calendar and if in 3 or so weeks one is indeed pregnant, just give her the same treatment that you'd give an older pregnant lady but watch for complications. I've seen very young rats give birth and be perfectly fine (my Freyja for example was just a baby herself when I took her and her babies in). Try not to fret too much and keep doing your normal thing with them.


----------



## Adeliek (Jul 28, 2014)

I had a little girl that was 5 weeks old when I got her and had been living with at least 6 other boys, she then stayed with a male for a further week until I realised she was a girl. I started to panic as I swore her nipples got more prominent and I thought she was getting bigger in the tummy area. Luckily there were never any babies, younger girls can be deceiving because they're growing so their natural growth can make you paranoid. Fingers crossed!


----------



## MyrtlesMom (Oct 7, 2014)

Thank you guys. I feel a little better. I have my fingers crossed that she's just growing. The two little girls have shot up another 9 grams since yesterday. But Myrtle also went up about 8. If I wasn't fairly sure I'd seen her in heat the other night, I'd be worried about her too, considering she comes from the same pet store we got our "all girl" spiny mice from. Hopefully this is just the three of them filling up on the home mix of healthy seeds, rolled oats, rat blocks, and dry, whole wheat pasta plus extra eggs that I've been giving them. They are 16 weeks and 6 weeks respectively. As of today Myrtle (16 week old dumbo according to the pet store) is 261 grams and both younger girls are 139 grams. I have no idea if that's normal for their ages though.


----------

