# Rat suddenly went into labor, first baby not moving much or squeaking



## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

My rat lulu suddenly went into labor. About 5 minutes ago she delivered a baby, it is sitting out in the open and is not moving much and it's not squeaking. She is in the middle of delivering a second, still no squeaking. I'm extremely worried!! 

As I typed this, second baby came out and is squeaking. The first one she picked up in her mouth and turned around, can't tell if she was trying to eat it or cleaning it but it seems to be in one piece laying next to the second baby now. Second baby is moving around a bit, first one is barely moving...


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

Second baby is squirming around but no longer squeaking. Lulu is laying in the corner of the cage, doesn't seem to be delivering any more babies...is it normal for laboring rats to lay down as if sleeping inbetween delivering babies, or should they all be coming out one after the next with no down time inbetween?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Cleaning it. They are quiet and immobile for the first couple days, despite no one mentioning it.
She may need to push, but if it is more than 20 minutes call the emergency vet asap.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Signs of pushing is labored breathing pinched sides her squeaking.


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

Okay....so to backtrack a bit, around 1:10 PM I heard her squeaking a lot inside of her hut thing. I left it in the cage for privacy. Though now I regret it because I can't see anything. Anyway this went on until about 1:26, then I started filming with my phone because I was going ot post the video to show what her squeaking sounds liike, because I wasn't sure if it was normal.

about minute into the video, lulu came dashing out and laid in the corner closest to my camera. I watched her deliver two babies. Only one was squeaking really. Then she just laid on her back and seemingly went to sleep.

A minute ago I checked on her again, she was laying in the same position not moving. I said her name. No reaction. I said her name again. No reaction. At this point I thought she was dying. I opened the cage door, and she immediately sat up like "Why did you wake me up?" Then, she went inside of her hut and I immediately heard a bunch of squeaking.

So I'm under the impression she delivered most of her babies in the hut, but for some reaosn they weren't squeaking. I didn't even know they were there. I thought the two babies I saw her deliver were the first two. So now she's inside the hut, I hear intermittent squeaking of babies. The first two babies I saw her deliver are still sitting outside the hut together, out in the open. 

Is she going to come back and retrieve them or can she sense there's something wrong with them and has left them to die??


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

I'm really kicking myself for leaving the hut in there, I keep hearing squeaking and have no idea what's going on. Should I remove it or would that be too risky so soon after/during delivery? I don't know if she's still delivering more babies or if she's done...


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

I'm really nervous about the two babies sitting outside, it's like she went to sleep and forgot they were there. not sure how much human intervention is necessary this early on but I hope she realizes they're out there soon...


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

Anyone?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Hi sorry had to move to go to work. I would move the hut tomorrow. The squeaking is likely them eating, which is the only time they make too much noside for the first three days then they don't stop for two weeks haha. I think you startled her and she came out to deliver. There are two options which I used, one is to draw her attention to the babies (call her over and point) the other is to gently pass them to her (she will take them from you).


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Peek in the hut tonight though just to check in.


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

Thank you....I'm worried about putting my hands in there, I figured she was going to deliver today because this morning she was biting me while I was attempting to spot clean the cage, and she's been perfectly sweet and licky up until that point. I'm worried I'll get attacked as soon as she senses my hand in the cage.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Use a spoon to draw her attention to the babies (doubles as a pinkie carrier if you are careful). You'll need to use the spoon later with yogurt to get her to go into something else while you fuss with the cage and babies if she is still like this. Was she biting, nipping, grooming or attempting to pull you to her nest?


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

Basically, I put my hand in there to pick up the droppings and she opened her mouth really wide, put her teeth into my hand with very slight force, sort of backed off on the force, then let her teeth scrape down my skin without fully biting me. Like she was starting to bite me, then realized she didn't want to hurt me. She let her teeth scrape down slowly, so it was like a half hearted 'I'm thinking about whether I want to bite you for real" bite. It didn't hurt at all and didn't draw blood or break skin. Then she would lick my fingers for a second as if realizing who I was, then she would mock bite my fingers (again, not hard and not painful). It's like she was confused about whether she was supposed to be attacking me or not.

So I was going to give up on getting the droppings out of the bedding, but I saw some ddroppings in her food dish and decided I at least wanted to get those out of there...went to do that, and she leaped across the cage and bit me a bit firmer and faster. So at that point I was like "okay, I'm outta here" and left the cage be.


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

A few minutes ago, she squirmed out of the hut a bit with her head poking out, she's laying on her back with her belly up and I can see a couple of babies nursing. She appears to be sleeping or just laying with her eyes closed. I want to put the other babies in with her but I don't want to disturb the ones that are feeding. How long can newborn babies go without nursing, do you think? I don't want to intervene too quickly, there's a chance once she wakes up from her birthing stupor she'll realize the other babies are out there. I'm not worried about them getting cold at least, I have two computers running in this room and it's always warm in here.


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

Thanks again for being my personal advice giver, no one ever responds to my posts except for you!


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

More importantly, the babies need the warmth from either the rest of the nest or her every twentyish minutes. They don't need her except for every three hours. They actually lose warmth really fast -- think new born baby with no clothes. And I mean literal newborn. Unless your room is like 80ish I would be concerned and try to get her to take them back. My girl wasn't always fantastic with noticing stray babies so I would show her or give them to her. I would again use a treat or noise to draw her attention to the babies. This would be the chance to take out the hut if you show chose.

I think the bites were her warning you a bit, which is why she was firmer a second time

And no problem -- it was really nerve wrecking when it happened to me, so I just want to help others.


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

An update, I took a plastic spoon, opened her cage very quietly and used the spoon to rustle some of the newspaper near the babies. She popped her head out immediately like, "WUZZAT? WHO'S THERE???" then, upon recognizing there were babies next to her face, she gently picked up one and brought it into the hut, then came back for the other. I think she just legitimately forgot she gave birth to two of the pups outside of the hut.

But, they're now warm and hopefully getting fed. I really want to know how many babies are in there because it seems like there aren't that many despite how much weight she gained. But, I suppose that will wait until tomorrow.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Like I said, my girl wasnt awesome at noticing. Congrats on finding your new job for the next two weeks haha. 

There could be several babies. I luckily managed to pull out things before my girl gave birth or before she cared to nest...
View attachment 79266
View attachment 79282
She wasn't huge before birth either. But in the first picture she had 14 babies.


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## CindrDoLLy (Oct 3, 2012)

Wow look at all those babies!

Yeah, this totally caught me by surprise. I noticed she'd built a nest this morning and seemed more agitated by my presense, but I assumed she'd give birth maybe later tonight or tomorrow. It is just barely the 21st day technically. Then all the sudden WHAM, babies. It took less than half an hour from start to finish. I'm partially worried somehow she didn't "finish" giving birth or something but she doesn't seem to be in pain or anything and was very responsive when I rustled the newspaper, so I'm going to assume she's all done.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

My girl gave birth very quiet, no signs. I peeked in and there was something weird. It was a pinkie. She pulled out a second. I ran off to announce it (quietly) and came back to five. I ran got the phone and rang my boyfriend up and she had ten. Very quick, no fuss. Moved them fed them and everyone rested.


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