# I think my rat had a miscarriage?



## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

A 1cm white rubber like object came out of my 4month old female rat. I have noticed she can open her cage door, and follows and tackles my older male rat.
Today when i picked her up i noticed some clear like fluid from her vagina and its was open more than a Y, i thought she was on heat then before i went to bed a white object was stuck there, i hold her to keep looking at it to see what it was, adventully it just poped out. It does not look like a baby rat with little legs or anything and it was not pink, and so far there was only one.
please what could it be, could it be a miscarriage?

This was the only picture i could take, when i zoom in my camera went blurry. I will try to take more photos just in case for a better view?


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

These are two more photos, it may look pinkish but its not, the camera makes it look that way.



















It is sad if it is a miscarriage.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Rats don't really miscarry foetuses, they usually reabsorb. Its very unlikely that is a baby rat.

Did she have access to any males though?


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

yes, my rats are to intelligent they know how to open the cage doors, and i find them together sometimes or let them both out together for awhile for socialize but i keep my eye on them when i take them both out.

I heard they can abort there own pregnancy, but i have no idea.
If its not a miscarriage or something, i have no idea what else can come out of her vagina??


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

you LET them play together? Ohoh...

Mating can take place in a matter of moments, much faster than you can stop them. You are endangering the mother's lives. How old are your rats anyways?


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

female 4month's and i think the male is 7month's.
yeah its bad for them to be together, but man i keep an eye out on both of them. mostly one of the rats is in my top, But yeah something can still happen.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Have you considered neutering or spaying one of them so they could live together?


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

yes and no, i thought of buying another female and male for them to have a buddy, but at this time of year money is an issue.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

CrazyBones said:


> yes and no, i thought of buying another female and male for them to have a buddy, but at this time of year money is an issue.


I would advise letting them out separately from now on. If you cannot afford 2 more ratties then the girl getting pregnant and having 10-16 more is even worse. Put locks or ties on your cage doors as well.


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

Yep, i let them out separately to, or put their cages next to eachother.
I found a new technique so they cant open the doors.

but it still dosn't answer what the object is.

thanks you though.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

You could refrigerate it and take it to your vet?


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

i will try that thanks.


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## KayRatz (Apr 5, 2007)

That could be the plug that rats have inside them for a while after mating, which then falls out.


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

Yeah i just found out they can have plugs, and im thinking it is a sperm plug and not a *miscarriage*.

The smell of it made me sick, and the site just brings it all back.
Now its a wait and see what happens to my baby...


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

when was the last time your girl and boy were together?

Was it just before you found this?


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

i found them together about 1-3 days ago
yes, i watched it come out.


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## Kellye (Apr 25, 2008)

It sure sounds like a sperm plug to me and if that is the case then you will have friends for your rats and then some for free in no time not that it's a plus. They can mate in 1-2 seconds so wtching them play is NOT going to be ok. You need to watch her and if she is pregnant you need to start lining up homes immediately. Unless of course you have the time, money, cages, and resources to take care of 16-22 rats besides the 2 you have now.


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## Forensic (Apr 12, 2007)

Time to invest in a nursery cage, some extra nutrition for mom, and start looking for homes.

And never let the boys and girls play together again...

The babies ought to be sexed and separated by 5 weeks old.


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

Yeah, i already have a spare cage for her, and i will be prepared whatever will happen.
Iv'e had experiance with mice when they are pregnant, and mice and rats are sorta the same.
I aslo have more hands to help, and i know some homes to give them.


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## Kellye (Apr 25, 2008)

Just remember that you will have, usually, about 16-22 babies from the liter. I'd make sure that there were a lot of homes lined up plus few extra incase some fall thru which they will. I barely got Moe, my blacked siamese...but the girl that was originally going to take him backed out when told she could have him and the breeder that I got them from let me know. I wanted a red eye and a black eye to tell them apart and they are both brothers so they will be growing up together forever.


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

thats great,
It's a huge deal comming towards me.
so far there are 4 homes i have already arranged,
But its still a wait and see.


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## AlienMando (Jan 19, 2008)

CrazyBones said:


> The smell of it made me sick, and the site just brings it all back.



Ewww, that was disturbing just to read, I feel for ya! lol

I know this is serious. So that being said, I hope your rat isn't pregnant, if she is as it sounds like it, I hope you line up homes for everyone.

What's your new way of ensuring the doors stay closed is? Rat proofing techniques should be shared.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Average litter is 8-13 bubs...

Remember that the mom can be impregnated within 24 hours of giving birth, so don't house them together thinking its "safe".

Get yourself a food or postal scale that weighs in grams so you can weigh her everyday looking for Baby Weight. 

I have a chart of my Bronny's weight gain to show you what to look for later on.


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

Well for my door tecnique, i use paper clips. i have my way to make it in a hook, and when i open the door i can hook it up so the door dosnt slam down.
I don't use string cause they will chew it off, or pegs but i can use them, and someone in my family suggested to use rubber bands? and thats a big no no for my rats, they eat it.

One of my doors has a spring that you pull up, and my boy loves to push his head to lift it, and his solid so he can manage to lift and slide. So i put something heavy on it, but his strong and can lift it up a little, so i have to find something more heavy and not breakable, just in case he can push it off.

I have actully weighed my girl on a kitchen scale that i found, and im willing to check her weight probably everyday, and have my way on counting.
And i know she can get pregnant after birth, so i know not to put him in with her and i dont plan to.


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## irisfreamon (Nov 19, 2007)

My previous pair learned that if they threw themselves against the cage door, they could pop it open. I tried twist-ties but after they chewed the paper off, they started chewing on the wire, and I didn't want them doing that. What I finally did was get one of those really small padlocks and locked the door. They tried to escape again, but after a few times of slamming themselves into the door, they wised up and it worked out great. If you do use the lock, make sure that you keep the key in a safe place. Because if you lose the key, you'll have a hard time getting them out.


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## BlueSkyy (Sep 27, 2007)

irisfreamon said:


> My previous pair learned that if they threw themselves against the cage door, they could pop it open.


That would be hilarious to watch. :lol:


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

That would be funny to watch, when my boy was in a new tank i had glass on the half side on top, and he would jump to get out but he would just keep hitting his head. I would be worried if he done bad damage so in the mean time i had to cover it.
But i used a fridge shelf instead for more air.
I would use a padlock, i had an old diary when i was little which didn't need a key you just lift it. But i can't find it.

But yeah, rats are intelligent and would find a way to get out.
And the fact they know the house from the back of their hand, but i heard the only way they know around is they leave pee. lol


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## SamAnthrax (Jan 5, 2008)

You might get lucky and not have that many, the three girls I took in were pregnant and two of them combined had 12 (they combined their litters before I could count them) and the other girl had six.  They were all pretty young.


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## CrazyBones (Apr 1, 2008)

I think my girl might have a small litter but i might be wrong.
She is small and i don't think she would hold up to 22 or more, but that wont stop nature.


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