# *Updated*Lucky number 13! (plus two)



## myboys2 (Jul 7, 2008)

I posted about picking up a male and female today with a litter and oh my. The owner said they are 9 months but they are so tiny! She said they've had them for 7 months but I'm not too sure. Either she's very much mistaken or they have been very poorly fed. She is a PEW and has 13 (i originally was told 10 but oh well) babies born yesterday. The daddy is a blue point siamese. I've gotten them home and seperated them (yeah, they were together in a 10 gal. aquarium). I think I may have injured her front foot when I was trying to get her moved into the cage. I wish I could have just left her in the aquarium but trust me, it looked and smelled awful! They only had a small piece of stale hot dog bun to eat and the water smelled stagnant. I PAID this woman for these poor little things! I just couldn't stand the thought of them living that way after I saw them. So I'll have babies to re-home eventually! Plus she may be preggers again since daddy was still housed with her, so I guess we'll be expecting another litter before long. 


What have I gotten myself into?? :? 


I loaded them up on pricey puppy food (solid gold barking at the moon), Suebee's mix and lots of fresh veggies. Hopefully they plump up soon! 

Photo of the babies before I moved them.


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## kalamazoo (Jul 25, 2008)

*Re: Lucky number 13! (plus two)*

Aweh. The poor babies! Hopefully they bulk up in good time and lots of luck for you and your little ones!


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## cinderella (Sep 10, 2007)

*Re: Lucky number 13! (plus two)*

If its not wise, someone please say so, but when Ive had nursing mommies Ive added as a treat scrambled eggs 2 x a week. 

If the male is under weight Id probably give him a small amount 1 time a week as well.


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## Neverstrayed (Jun 16, 2008)

*Re: Lucky number 13! (plus two)*

Hey you're a gem for taking them on!

I found with my babies and mom that soya milk baby formula porridge with a tiny bit of syrup mixed in went down a treat and as the babies got a little older and started moving around the cage they enjoyed this too (made quite runny for easier digestion) and this give mom a bit more of a break.

They say Egg is a brilliant source or protein for nursing mom rats


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## myboys2 (Jul 7, 2008)

*Re: Lucky number 13! (plus two)*

Thanks for the eggs idea. I'll whip some up today and give them to both of the new ratties. The daddy has no idea how to behave in a regular cage, he just sits on the one level curled up in a ball. He did manage to bring a whole pile of paper towels up there though! I checked on momma and eepers this morning and she had herself and the babies covered up with some shredded paper towels I had put in there. She also covered her food. 

I still can't believe I have 13 babies in my house!!


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## jazzybff (Jun 24, 2008)

*Re: Lucky number 13! (plus two)*

You did the right thing. Did she make you pay her? Did you explain to her how they should not have been kept in such poor conditions? Good luck.


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## myboys2 (Jul 7, 2008)

*Re: Lucky number 13! (plus two)*

I did pay her.  I thought about doing some educating but when I got there and saw what the general atmosphere was like, it would have done no good. It's in an area here where people aren't really known for their intelligence, if you know what I mean.

She also had a habitrail packed FULL of hamsters. There had to be at least 15 of them in there. I imagine just like the ratties, the boys and girls are all living together and inbreeding. 

She tried to give me a huge bag of aspen shavings but I decided against it since it may or may not have been full of fleas, mites, or whatever else. Plus I just don't use that type of bedding. It's funny to think before going there I was thinking of questions to ask her like if they will be okay drinking tap water. LMAO!! They are lucky to have clean water to drink here let alone whether it comes from the tap or a bottle!


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