Brenna is pregnant. Moving to pics and tails

[Willow Bean]

Willow's pregnancy cost a lot...
we spent $150 on an emergency visit after 2 hours of labor.
I was literally minutes from spending another $300 on an emergency c-section and spay.
The next day we spent another $45 on a follow-up visit to check on things.
but the biggest thing of all was, thankfully, one we didn't have to pay for. Even though Willow spent more than 6 hours laboring we didn't lose her. Money was no issue when it came down to saving our sweet girl.

Willow spent 6 hours laboring and finally birthed 1 HUGE baby (at least 3 times normal size...he was still-born.

Now we might have to go through it all again. Thankfully it isn't Willow this time... My brother was over this morning and was playing with the girls while I was taking a shower. I came out of my room after getting dressed and saw Brenna in the boys' cage!! :shock: :shock: :evil: I freaked out at him! How could he have let this happen?! But it really wasn't his fault... he was playing tag with Emma and had Willow on his shoulder. :roll: He didn't know that Brenna had gotten off of the couch and disappeared. She squeezed herself between the bars and I checked her over... she's been mated. :cry:

I'm going to the hardware store tomorrow to get more hardwire mesh and I'm doing the boys cage tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that Brenna won't be pregnant, that the mating didn't take, that I won't kill my brother. :roll:

I figured that the cage would be fine as long as the girls couldn't get out of their half and the boys couldn't get out of their's... I guess I never really thought about the girls getting into the boys'... :cry:

 

[AlexandraBoo]

Oh my.... :shock: poor gal. Poor thing... Im glad she is okay! :shock:

 

[Dahlas]

Oh I am so glad that Willow is okay.....I hope your other girl is not pregnant...I think if it was possible I would have her spayed right away. Much cheaper then going through something like that all over again......

These stories only reinforce my need to get my little boys neutered as soon as they are old enough...There just doesn't seem to be anyway to keep unentered males and females together without "oops" litters happening.

Sorry you have had such a rough time....Hope things look up soon.
Give Willow a cuddle from me....and shake a finger at that naughty little Brenna......

 

[Willow Bean]

So am I! I came RUNNING out of my room, threw the cage door open and grabbed her out! Magnus and Mariusz were in the cube sleeping so that only leaves one culprit... Moosh might be a daddy. One thing that I am very thankful for was that Brenna is in heat... usually she snuffs at the boys and puffs herself up. Moosh is a big guy... he could have done some serious damage. Brenna's no creampuff herself when it comes down to being mean though... She was horrible to Emma during intros... She could have made more than a small impact on Moosh... if only she had made some sound to alert Jeremy (my brother) that she was in there...

 

[SQ]

It really is not safe to have unaltered rats of both sexes in the same home.
I hope you will consider having your girls spayed or your boys neutered. (Neutered boys are not safe around unspayed females until 3 weeks after being spayed.)

 

[Willow Bean]

I will definately be shaking a finger at brenna. I've started calling around for cost of a spay and it looks like I'm looking at between $200 and $300!! It might be less expensive in the short-run to let her have the babies... We still have people asking about Wilow's litter and if we have any babies left to adopt out... always makes me teary-eyed to think of the little guy... :cry: I don't think we'll have too much trouble finding homes and Asa says we can keep anyone we can't place... I guess I'll be getting that second FN earlier than I thought...

 

[Dahlas]

It is always a hard decision to let them have babies....because you are taking homes from babies and adults that are already here and looking...but what is done is done and money unfortunately has to be a consideration for all of us.....Maybe think about having your males neutered, so this doesn't happen again...they do seem to be very determined if left intact.
Hopefully Brenna isn't pregnant but if she is...I hope everything goes great and she has a small healthy litter....keep us posted.

 

[Willow Bean]

I agree that letting her have the litter may take homes away from babies and adults that need homes, but I stay in contact with the rescues and shelters around here and ask about rats and there is only one person (a private shelter, if you will) that takes in rats and she says that she has only had a handful since she started and doesn't have too hard of a time placing them since there are so few looking for homes in our area... I called back some of the places that I had already called and called the ones I hadn't and asked for prices for neuters. We are looking at $200-$250 per neuter PLUS an additional full price vet visit with no multiple-pet discount. In other words: we are screwed. After the boys pass away we will be sticking to girls. Asa and I talked it over and that's the best thing to do for the future. Right now we will take things one day at a time and keep our fingers crossed. I will definatly be keeping you posted. Keep your fingers crossed for us! I know mine are!

 

[Good Karma]

How old is Brenna and has she had babies before?

I am no expert but i do recall reading about the dangers of older females giving birth. If they don't have a litter before a certain age their cervix (?) isn't large enough...?

Someone else will know the details of this better than me. Please fill me in!

 

[Willow Bean]

How old is Brenna and has she had babies before?

I am no expert but i do recall reading about the dangers of older females giving birth. If they don't have a litter before a certain age their cervix (?) isn't large enough...?

Someone else will know the details of this better than me. Please fill me in!

We got Brenna just before Christmas and she was about 6 weeks then so that would make her... about 16ish weeks. 4 months isn't too young, is it? I know it isn't too old. If it had been Willow I would be devistated. She's about 14 months old now!

 

[Dahlas]

Willow Bean I just read over what I wrote ...hope you didn't think I sounded harsh. I didn't mean it to sound that way if it did. I didn't mean you where taking homes away from other ratties...I meant any of us that end up with litters...I love my babies very much and I am very glad to have them but if I had Piper spayed as soon as I got her I would have 11 spaces to offer other ratties homes...now I am full.
Accidents can happen to everyone....

I wish you all the best..........and if little naughty Brenna is pregnant she has an a nice small litter and that every ting goes great. Oh and of course we will want lots of pictures.......

 

[Willow Bean]

I know the question has been asked a million times and that there isn't anything much I can do right now... but... Should I be doing anything diet-related? What should I feed her to give her and the babies the best chance? I want everyone to be as healthy as they can be in this predicament.

**EDIT: no worries, I know that you weren't trying to be mean or harsh or anything. After what happened with Willow and after hearing about ALL of the rats that are in shelters and everything, I promised myself that I would never bring another rat into this world on purpose. There are too many needing homes to even make me hope that she's pregnant. I'll be keeping my fingers crossed. Without a litter we will have A LOT of space to take in more rats over the next couple of years. With a litter we lose that chance and ability.**

 

[LA]

Well basically what's done is done. I have to say as much as boys can be amazing I am glad I don't keep males. That and two cages it just too much work for me.

So sorry to hear about the baby boy and I am glad willow is ok.

 

[Willow Bean]

I know the question has been asked a million times and that there isn't anything much I can do right now... but... Should I be doing anything diet-related? What should I feed her to give her and the babies the best chance? I want everyone to be as healthy as they can be in this predicament.

:yeah: I really want to know if I should be making sure that she has certain foods or extra cuddle time... andything that will help make sure that the babies and Brenna are healthy when/if the time comes... I hate that this happened!! :cry:

 

[SQ]

Just keep feeding her regular rattie food - good quality lab block, vegs, and a bit of fruit. You may want to add baby cereal mixed with water, soy milk or soy baby formula as a supplement.

 

[jennifervb]

Willow's pregnancy cost a lot...
we spent $150 on an emergency visit after 2 hours of labor.
I was literally minutes from spending another $300 on an emergency c-section and spay.
The next day we spent another $45 on a follow-up visit to check on things.
but the biggest thing of all was, thankfully, one we didn't have to pay for. Even though Willow spent more than 6 hours laboring we didn't lose her. Money was no issue when it came down to saving our sweet girl.

Willow spent 6 hours laboring and finally birthed 1 HUGE baby (at least 3 times normal size...he was still-born.

Now we might have to go through it all again. Thankfully it isn't Willow this time... My brother was over this morning and was playing with the girls while I was taking a shower. I came out of my room after getting dressed and saw Brenna in the boys' cage!! :shock: :shock: :evil: I freaked out at him! How could he have let this happen?! But it really wasn't his fault... he was playing tag with Emma and had Willow on his shoulder. :roll: He didn't know that Brenna had gotten off of the couch and disappeared. She squeezed herself between the bars and I checked her over... she's been mated. :cry:

I'm going to the hardware store tomorrow to get more hardwire mesh and I'm doing the boys cage tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed that Brenna won't be pregnant, that the mating didn't take, that I won't kill my brother. :roll:

I figured that the cage would be fine as long as the girls couldn't get out of their half and the boys couldn't get out of their's... I guess I never really thought about the girls getting into the boys'... :cry:

Oh God, Poor Willow!!!! Thank God she made it! I'm so sorry to hear about the stillborn baby. The poor little thing never had a chance. :tearful:

LOL.... you have to watch them like an eagle don't you? I have no doubt that Brenna knew exactly what she was doing!!!

The rambunctious little furball. :laugh4:

 

[Willow Bean]

If anyone wants to read more about Willow's story, here's the link: http://jorats.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2194. Her complications are the reason why I first joined and Jorat's Loki was how I found the forum. I didn't know what I was doing and just really wanted a baby from willow and Moosh. I know better now and I know that breeding isn't something that you should do, etc. I'm really glad and VERY lucky that Willow made it which is why I never wanted to have to go through it again...

Anyhow, Brenna has a pretty decent looking mucus plug today... I don't remember how long it stays visible. I think it's supposed to fall out before birth, isn't it? but can you see it the whole time or does it make its way into the body? She's acting totally normal, which, I guess, is...erm... totally normal. :roll: Everyone got some egg last night and a piece of mushroom along with a bit of carrot. For breakfast everyone got half a red grape and a piece of cucumber along with their lab blocks. I think I've upped the fruit and veg a little too much so I'm going to pull back on that a bit. Brenna got a little soy milk as well. Too many treats, I think! I'll have to watch myself with that.

 

[jorats]

Plugs usually fall out within two hours of mating. Are you sure it's a plug?

 

[Willow Bean]

hmmm... I'll go take another look.

I guess I don't really know what a mucus plug is... she looks all wet and shiny. Not nice and dry like the other girls... is that not what it is? hmmm... looks like I really didn't know what I was getting myself into with Willow's pregnancy and I definatly didn't think I was going to need to learn anything since I didn't plan on having any litters in the future... This is going to be a long ride... I hope she isn't pregnant....

**Edit: I gave them some white fleece yesterday... it could have been a fuzzball stuck to her or something, I suppose. I noticed that they had torn parts of the fleece apart when I checked on her...

 

[jorats]

A plug is not wet, it's a harder substance, like what we find on older males when they can't clean themselves anymore.

It might be wise in the future to fix up the boys cage so no girls can ever squeeze through.