# Rat had babies yesterday, suddenly very hyper



## ratjpg (May 9, 2014)

My rat, Maggie, delvered eleven babies yesterday between about 4:20 and 6:30 am. Ten survived. may the other rest in peace. Now, it is 8:09 am and I woke up to loud noises to find she had squeezed through the bars of the hospital cage and was climbing up the side of the ferret nation. This is totally normal behavior for her before she had the babies, so is she just back to herself and needing a break? I checked on her babies and gave her some cold boiled chicken and some rice infant cereal and banana oatmeal cereal and she only ate a little bit. she just seems so hyper suddenly? shes around 7 months old as well.


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

You probably need to get her into another cage with different bar spacing or a tank. She was probably still in heat after giving birth and was looking for males to get her pregnant again. Also, since she can fit through the bars, she might try to move the babies to a new location. Also, when the babies are old enough they will be able to get through too


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## DustyRat (Jul 9, 2012)

Not a tank though, poor air circulation.


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## ratjpg (May 9, 2014)

The bar spacing on my hospital cage is so small, it's seriously like half an inch and she can still get through. the only cage I have that she can't get out of is a wooden DIY one with three shelves and a wooden frame door covered by chicken wire. I thought about moving her to it but I am worried about her babies getting hurt if she tries to move them between levels. I can take the middle and top floor out with ease, but then that doesn't leave her very much room at all and I think she'd go crazy.


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Yes, they get frenzied after birth. For the entire nursing period really. As many times a day as you can let her out for twenty minutes. She probably would love to see her old cage mates too. But leave the babies in the cage. 

She will move her nest if she can get out, I had this happen. It's not fun. They like small burrows so naturally my girl went under a 100lb book shelf. Not. Fun. 


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## ratjpg (May 9, 2014)

I've had her out for quite a while, abour 40 minutes now, I put her in the cage with lucy for a little but when I see if she's ready to be backbwith her babies she isn't. I am worried about them getting cold or hungry


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## ratjpg (May 9, 2014)

Would buying her a wheel to burn off some of this energy be wise or no?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Tht is why it is no more than twenty minutes. Much longer than that and they'll die. 

She has to put up with cabin fever to a point. A wheel is too dangerous with the kits. 


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## ratjpg (May 9, 2014)

okay, I'm gonna give momma little bit more time with her cagemate and during that time I am going to remove the top shelves of the diy cage and put fleece down. I am not going to move the babies quite yrt in case this helps her calm down enough.


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## ratjpg (May 9, 2014)

thanks for all the replies!


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## Korra (Dec 11, 2011)

Tanks are fine for about 2 weeks when pups are tiny.


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## Lina13 (Apr 28, 2014)

Just as a heads up. I keep both of my nursing mothers in 55 gallon tanks, they an't get out cause there is nothing for them to climb on and they get plenty of air circulation.


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