# Rescuing pregnant rat?!? HELP!!



## mrsblazer_x (Jun 20, 2014)

Okay so heres the story. 
I found a lady on craigslist who wants to rehome her boy rats. AWESOME just what i was looking for!! She then procedes to tell me she has a pregnant female who she put with the males (WILLINGLY) on June 21st while she went out of town so she wouldnt have to clean 2 cages when she got home (WHAT??) I told her I would take all 3 because she was going to let the little lady go outside if she couldnt find her a home. 
So, i am taking her in. never delt with a pregnant rat. WHAT DO I DO? I need advice because i am freaking out!! I just want her to have a good home (which she will with me) and her babies be well taken care of and happy.


----------



## isabelleharris (Jul 15, 2014)

Make sure she has her own cage, plenty of bedding or whatever you use. Count down the days and clean it out right before you think shes due as you wont be able to touch the newborns for about 4 or 5 weeks. If shes a docile trusting rat she may let you handlle her babies but most likely she'll be very protecting.


----------



## EmilyGPK (Jul 7, 2014)

She'll probably be a tad freaked out so I suggest a deep nestbox with an open front.  So she can feel safe and you can still see her and know she is okay. Or one made out of transulent red plastic as this will seem opaque to her.


----------



## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

You're going to need a ten gallon tank with a mesh top and cage clips. Fill the tank with soft bedding, such as carefresh (I used a off brand that was white so I could see when she went into labor). DO NOT put a hidey box in the tank, it makes it difficult to check on mummy and the pups. She's going to need a higher protein food, Oxbow mouse and young rat food would be a good food for now along with wet cat or dog food high in protein, scramble an egg for her every so often too. When she has them you're going to have to check for milk bands, count how many there are and remove any that didn't make it. In the first 24 hours only mess with them to count, check milk bands and remove the dead. After 24 hours you can start messing with them but only briefly, say five minutes for the whole lot of them. If mummy is aggressive then lure her out with some yogurt on a spoon so you can check on the pups. 
When they grow older and start to get their peach fuzz you can handle them longer, I recommend letting mummy out for a few minutes to free range and stretch her legs but no more that 20 minutes at a time because you don't want the pups getting cold. Once they start getting mobile you can let her let more often. When their eyes open she can free range for longer stretches at a time and this is about the time that the pups can start free ranging too. I would make a play pin for them or let them play on the bed or a couch, somewhere you can monitor them and keep them safe while playing. 
Hope this helps! Also the pups and mummy are still going to need a high protein diet, mummy should be back to normal oxbow (if that's what you feed them) after the pups are weaned but the little ones should continue to be on the Oxbow young rat and mouse food till about 12 weeks, which is 4 months.


----------



## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

Also, separate the males from females no later than five weeks. I separated mine at 4.5 weeks. At day 19 you'll be able to tell who's a boy and who's a girl.


----------



## Zabora (Jun 8, 2014)

I handled the babies for 20 minutes a day for the first week after 48 hours but no longer then that. At week 2 it was 30 minutes 3-5 times a day at we 3 they free range for a few hours. They are vary active and love to run. You can tell when she's about ready to give birth because she will be nesting. It's about 21 days for pregnancy. Have the birthing place ready. I did not include a place for her to hide like a hutch because it makes it harder for her to keep track of the babies.


----------

