# Sexing Baby Rats



## lilmiss_paradox

I have gotten into contact with a man whose rat had an accidental litter. This was his first experience with baby rats, and he seems to be in completely over his head. When I inquired about adopting two of the males, he said that he had no clue which were which and therefore could not guarantee that I would get two males. I found this extremely concerning, since I know how young rats can start breeding. I have gone through an accidental litter before myself (my rat Hana was pregnant from the place that I got her) and was successfully able to sex all of the babies and rehome them, so I have offered to help him out. My only problem is that a) I went through rat babies when I was 17, and am now 23 and b) with all of Hana's babies it was VERY easy to tell. 

Does anyone have any tips on sexing rats? I really don't want to make a mistake here and leave this guy, or future owners, with more unwanted litters.


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## Keelyrawr

I'm pretty sure the space in between the urethra and anus on the females is a shorter distance than males. So the only real way to check is to get them completely still and just check. Pictures would probably help too. This is pretty informative. http://www.hapk.com.br/little_mammals/twister_saibamais5_lm.htm


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## lilspaz68

How old are the babies?

By 4 weeks boys have their testes dropped and the girls don't...that's the late method LOL

5 week old girl









5 week old boy









20 day old girl (see the small space?)









20 day old boy (space is twice as wide)

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## Korra

You can sex as early as the day they are born. Thefunmouse has a guide to sexing pinky mice. But rats' butts look remarkably the same


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## lilspaz68

Korra said:


> You can sex as early as the day they are born. Thefunmouse has a guide to sexing pinky mice. But rats' butts look remarkably the same


I have pinkie sexing pics but most people don't care to


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## A.ngelF.eathers

Binx's nipples are actually quite clear now.
Depending on their age, those can be checked for!


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## Maiden

Well now that you have the pictures I might suggest you meet with him and help him sex the babies, just to be sure. One mistake could lead to seven new babies in the best case scenerio. Best case being a girl ends up with the boys. Worst case, a boy ends up with the girls. The you have at least twenty babies easy.


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## lilmiss_paradox

I should be going this Saturday to help him sex them. I absolutely don't want to see any more unwanted litters, especially with whomever should be unlucky enough to adopt a pregnant baby girl. They won't be ready to leave their mum until the 25th, so this seems like the perfect time. It should help him to find homes for these babies too, if he can say which is which. Thank you so much for your help everyone! I greatly appreciate this, and I am sure that ratties do too ^_^


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## Arashi

How do you manage to hold them like that? Mine won't let me.


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## lilspaz68

Arashi said:


> How do you manage to hold them like that? Mine won't let me.


I had these babies from birth and have handled them since then. I carefully and gently do things to them that they get used to including dangling, pulling gently on their ears and tails, putting them on their back for just a moment, stroke them all over, so they are not hand shy, and also pretend to check their teeth, anything that you or a vet might need to do later on with an adult rat. A well socialized rat is hopefully a happy confident rat and won't be rehomed


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