Baby Rat Pictures!

[libertine]

Day one:

Day Two:

By the way;;
If you live in the Washington/Oregon Area and want a baby rat, PM me.

 

[geo7x]

aaawww they are so adorable!!!

as hard as it must be, i wouldnt get too close just incase.....

 

[black jack1]

You think they're cute?!

*Calls his cat over*

 

[geo7x]

*Calls his cat over*

*insert gasping smiley here* thats harsh!!!! yes i do think theyre cute

 

[WILDER]

I will like them abit more when they get some fur, baby rabbit look like that.

 

[grahamsokel]

They are .good luck with them,but as already said i would try and stay away from them just incase mum decides to Kill them

 

[WILDER]

Rabbits pluck there fur off them selves and line there nest with the fur, was cute watching her do that.

 

[Saedcantas]

Libertine, I already said this in your other topic and you havent taken any notice of it, please, please leave them alone unless you want her to eat them/abandon them or just all round suffer through the stress you are causing.

If you care about your pet and her babies please just listen and leave them alone to get on with growing.
Lotte***

 

[Synirr]

Libertine, I already said this in your other topic and you havent taken any notice of it, please, please leave them alone unless you want her to eat them/abandon them or just all round suffer through the stress you are causing.

Myeah... I know you want to show them off and all, but don't go taking pics of them every day or peeping in on them all the time, momma rats are highly likely to eat their offspring if stressed. When I was a kid almost every rat I'd get from the pet shop would come pre-impregnated and, being young and ignorant, was ill-prepared for that; in a busy house with loud noises and other pets about I experienced three separate litters in which the mother ate her babies. Don't think it's a joke or that it can't happen to you. It's not pleasant to go check on them, expecting to see babies, and instead find bloody remains. I'd check on them once a day at the most, just to make sure everything is ok, and try to take as little time as possible doing so until they are a bit older.

 

[libertine]

Libertine, I already said this in your other topic and you havent taken any notice of it, please, please leave them alone unless you want her to eat them/abandon them or just all round suffer through the stress you are causing.

Myeah... I know you want to show them off and all, but don't go taking pics of them every day or peeping in on them all the time, momma rats are highly likely to eat their offspring if stressed. When I was a kid almost every rat I'd get from the pet shop would come pre-impregnated and, being young and ignorant, was ill-prepared for that; in a busy house with loud noises and other pets about I experienced three separate litters in which the mother ate her babies. Don't think it's a joke or that it can't happen to you. It's not pleasant to go check on them, expecting to see babies, and instead find bloody remains. I'd check on them once a day at the most, just to make sure everything is ok, and try to take as little time as possible doing so until they are a bit older.

You have a point Synirr, I will stop and I would also like to thank you for not sounding comtemptous about it.

I'll cut it down to just checking on them.

 

[Synirr]

Glad to hear it, I'm sure momma rat will be glad too
They'll be growing like weeds before you know it! It'll probably be safe to start checking on them more when their eyes open up, but just to make sure I'd Google it, I'm sure there are plenty of rat breeding sites that say when it's safe to start handling them and all that good stuff

 

[Saedcantas]

Libertine, just so that you know I did not intend to sound "condescending" in any way, just serious in my message in the hope that you would take heed of it this time, for all of the very scary reasons that Synirr went on to explain in more depth

Lotte***

 

[KathyM]

You can handle the babies from the day they're born, it won't make her eat them as long as you're not disturbing the nest and poking a camera in their face - rubbing your hands in the bedding before handling can minimise the risk of stressing mum out when she smells the babies). It's imperative you handle them early, to socialise them properly, although it must be kept to a minimum at first. Rats eyes open at around 2 weeks old and that's leaving it a bit late for handling. When we helped with a foster litter, we were handling them from the day they arrived, which was when they were one day old.

The babies will need sexing and separating at 4.5 weeks to avoid any more. Any sooner and the boys will be away from mum too young. Any later and you'll run the risk of the girls, including mum, being pregant which would be very bad news for all of them.

So, you'll need to have at least two cages with small bar spacing (or Zoozone tanks with mesh over the lid) - it's best if they're large cages with plenty of floorspace and no shelves (in case she decides to take her babies upstairs). If mum gets worn out by the girls once they're sexed and separated, she can go back in with her female companion (I assume she has one, but if not it would be wise to keep a girl as company for her, or neuter your male and ntroduce him again 5 weeks after his operation).

 

[libertine]

You can handle the babies from the day they're born, it won't make her eat them as long as you're not disturbing the nest and poking a camera in their face - rubbing your hands in the bedding before handling can minimise the risk of stressing mum out when she smells the babies). It's imperative you handle them early, to socialise them properly, although it must be kept to a minimum at first. Rats eyes open at around 2 weeks old and that's leaving it a bit late for handling. When we helped with a foster litter, we were handling them from the day they arrived, which was when they were one day old.

The babies will need sexing and separating at 4.5 weeks to avoid any more. Any sooner and the boys will be away from mum too young. Any later and you'll run the risk of the girls, including mum, being pregant which would be very bad news for all of them.

So, you'll need to have at least two cages with small bar spacing (or Zoozone tanks with mesh over the lid) - it's best if they're large cages with plenty of floorspace and no shelves (in case she decides to take her babies upstairs). If mum gets worn out by the girls once they're sexed and separated, she can go back in with her female companion (I assume she has one, but if not it would be wise to keep a girl as company for her, or neuter your male and ntroduce him again 5 weeks after his operation).

Ok, I'll answer the questions in your post now, one by one.

I wasn't disturbing the nest, and I was NOT poking the camera in their face. I used the zoom feature on the camera. I handle the babies once a day while momma rat has her time with her female companion and time so I can make sure she eats and drinks. Then before she goes back in the cage I put them back, she probably doesn't know they left the cage.

Obviously the babies need to be sexed, as soon as I can I will sex them and then I was planning on seperatingwhen old enough. The baby girls stay with mom, the boys in a 10 gallon with a two story add on.

Once the babies are gone I will put Sandy and Kaylie back together. Also I'm keeping two babies, a boy and a girl. The girl will (obivously) go with her mom and aunt, the boy with Ziba(dad) in the tank that Kaylee is using as a nursery now.

Hopefully I've provided enough information so you don't feel the need to talk down to me again.

 

[geo7x]

sorry, i didnt mean to make you feel bad its good to hear you're looking after them well, please keep us posted!!!