Cocoa's babies *new pictures!!*

[shade]

First off, I purchased two bags of Oxbow online only to find out that my rats hate it. The boys threw it all over their cage and they wont touch it. I'm in the process of finding a job but they ran out of their "mix" and I've been feeding them veggies, oatmeal, and anything else I can find around the house to keep them full until I can afford a different food. I don't know what to do with the oxbow I have at the house. one bag is open the other isn't.

Another thing is that I think while I was sleeping my boyfriend decided to secretly breed cocoa to ben :doh: She's gotten really fat compared to her cage mate Miley. Her belly is sticking out on both sides and she's just really fat. I went to pick her up today and she eeped at me and tried to hide under the covers. I have a smaller cage that I set up for her and put her in just in case she's close but I'm not sure, she really prefers her larger cage but If she had babies in it they would fall through the bottom because the bars are spaced just enough for that to happen.

I wanted to know if anyone knew the gestation for rats and how to tell if they're in labor. Also, is there anything special I should be feeding her? Please help, I've never had baby rats before anic:

 

[Moon]

Not to sound harsh, but if I were you my first step would be to kick that BF OUT!

EDITED TO ADD: Ok, yeah that was harsh. But if I were you I'd seriously consider it.
And keep giving them the oxbow, and not too many treats so that they can fill up on other things. It really is a wonderful diet and many rats will acquire a taste for it, if not begrudgingly eat it. You don't want the ratties to enjoy their food too much, after all!

 

[mamarat]

Gestation is about 23 days, I think. Give her a nesting box and lots of smaller rags and maybe paper towels (although I find paper towels get stuck to the babies in the blood). She needs to be on good food, a good lab block and chicken and tuna, foods rich in proteins. And like Moon said.

 

[jorats]

I would continue to give your ratties the Oxbow. If there's nothing else to eat, they will eat it. If your girl is pregnant, she's going to be very weak due to lack of proper nutrition. Give her the Oxbow as well.

 

[shade]

alright. I fed them all some chicken last night and I think there's some left over so I'll give her some of that. the cage she's in is full of rags and towels. I'll have to make her some sort of nesting box. I've been putting little bits of the oxbow in with the food they have left and I think they MIGHT be eating little bits of it. It really doesn't smell to nice :?

as for my boyfriend, he's not even here right now. He left two days ago to go back to work in alabama. I'm really mad at him but I could never just kick him out. we've been together for so long. I have to contact him and find out exactly when he did it so I can get an idea of when cocoa will be due.

Is there a possibility that it's megacolon?

 

[Moon]

If it smells that bad I wonder if the bag is off?

As for your boyfriend.. still shows a major lack of maturity on his part. But I understand... hopefully you can get him to realize the gravity of what he's done and the possible repercussions. Especially if he's not even going to be around for it!

What colour is your girl? And how old? That may help others tell you whether or not megacolon is a possibility. I don't know enough about it personally.

 

[shade]

She is champagne with dark ruby eyes and is about a week shy of being 5 months old.

 

[LA]

As far as I know megacolon only hits the very young and the very old. In a young rat you would know in the first few weeks I think. I would say she's most likely pregnant.

Basically what's done is done, it can't be reversed and I am sure you will be a very good ratty grandma. Fortunately she's at an age where this isn't detrimental to her. BUT there are ages this should be done at and ages it shouldn't. You are currently looking for a job, I think your boyfriend should send you some money for what he's caused he owes you that at least. He needs to understand the situation and the work involved. I'm not trying to scare you and I'm sure you know this already, but I would be having a LONG conversation with your BF because that act is just unacceptable. Had this been done to an older rat (year or older) there could have been problems. He needs to know that.

Good luck to you, we are all here to help you. :hugs:

 

[mamarat]

Do you have an expiry date on the Oxbow bag?

 

[shade]

Both Oxbow bags say best by jan 5, 2010


Oh and it's a definite no on the megacolon theory. After we moved her into the blue cage we decided we were going to make her one of the cages out of the tuppaware boxes so we went out and got a 66 liter tote and the tools to fix it up and when we got home it was like TADA babies! Not sure how much she has because she's got them all scrunched up beneath her and the cage she's in is hard to move human hands around in. Once this new cage is done, we're just going to remove the top of the cage she's in and put the whole bottom in the new cage so she has a welping box and so we don't disturb the babies and stress her out too much.

I heard after the first day you can start socializing the babies but just to make sure, when should I start handling them because I refuse to give them to a pet store as food, I want to find them good homes.

 

[SQ]

Baby cereal mixed with soy baby formula, soy milk, or water is good to give nursing mamas in addition to vegs and their lab blocks..

When you can, I would suggest that you order Harlan 2014.

As for your boyfriend, I would let him know that his little stunt is going to be expensive for him ... two new big cages - one for boys, one for girls, spays, food, meds and vet care for the life span of the rats, etc.

 

[Dahlas]

As for your boyfriend, I would let him know that his little stunt is going to be expensive for him ... two new big cages - one for boys, one for girls, spays, food, meds and vet care for the life span of the rats, etc.

Well said SQ that is exactly what I would say to him....he decided to bring them into the world...he is now responsible for them.

 

[Godmother]

Wow, what a situation to deal with. Babies are wonderful, but lots of work. Dahlas and SQ and all the Rat Shackers are experts at raising and socializing babies, so you will have all the advice you need. I think that if the mama allows, you can handle them even when they're a day old. If she lunges at you, you'll have to wait! :lol:

If you have some scrambled egg for the mama, she would probably love the extra protein.

 

[mamarat]

Congrats!!! You're a grandma. lol Can't wait for pics.

 

[shade]

Well I got a count today and there are a total of 14 babies, all very voistrous and healthy. Mama's not aggressive toward me, although when I went to move her and the babies she did give me a light nip. But now she's fine she doesn't mind me at all. She did scare me last night though...

I woke up around 4am and glanced at her cage and she was laying away from her babies on the outside of the welping box on her back. For a second I thought she was dead but then saw her breathing and went to check on her and she jumped right up and started walking around and caring for her little ones. Could she have possibly been too hot? the box is a 62 liter tote box with the top cut out and mesh put in place. It stays warm in there for the babies but should there be vents on the side too? I don't want to have to move her and the babies again but I also don't want mom to be uncomfortable.

We gave her some tuna this morning, she wouldn't eat yesterday but started eating later that night/morning. I'll be sure to mix her up some baby cereal and maybe some eggs later on.

As for the babies, my stepdad (being the jerk he is) was telling me I can't keep any of them. Once they're old enough they have to go. I want to find homes for all the babies though, I'm not sending them to become food, they don't deserve that, no rat does. I want to keep one of the males if I can. and when I get the money get all 3 of my males neutered because the vet was saying that spaying a small rat would be too complicated. If all the boys are fixed will the girls be able to live in the same (larger) cage with them?

as for baby pics I've been taking some but I can't post them till I find my camera's USB cord. Thank you everyone for your help

 

[Dahlas]

Good luck with your babies....I can't wait to see pictures.

I do hope you realize how hard it is to find good homes....It is not as easy as you think and you may not have any choice but to keep all of the babies......If you can't find homes what will you do? Keep them, euthanize them?.....it is a very difficult situation you are in. One of the members on here had a beautiful litter of black berk dumbo babies....she has done a great job raising them and socialzing them...she tried her best to get homes lined up but I think she still has most of the 14 babies.......and they are now over 2 months old.

When you bring babies into the world you are responsible for their well being.......it is not something to be taken lightly.

 

[shade]

Yes this is one of the reasons why I didn't want to breed her in the first place. Mainly because in florida, of all the exotic pets, more people own snakes and birds than anything. nearly everyone i've spoken to, aside from my one friend who i'm going to be living with in the fall, has said that rats are icky disgusting creatures.

I wish there was a way to find homes outside of florida but I heard that shipping rats was really stressful on them and I wouldn't want to do that. I still have to talk to a few more people but hopefully I can find these guys some really good homes.

oh and if anyone knows why cocoa keeps laying on her back, please let me know. It's really worrying me i'm not sure if something is wrong with her or not.

 

[SQ]

After the boys have been neutered for about 3 weeks, they can live with the girls.

Some vets will spay and neuter rats, others are not knowlegable enough.
If your vet isn't able to spay rats, you may want to check into his/her experience at neutering rats ... it is a bit different then other animals.

If there is a good rat rescue in your area, they may be able to assist you in rehoming the babies.

 

[shade]

good news! I went on ratforum.com and found someone in florida that was looking for 2 dumbo males so since I may have some they might be interested and someone else replied saying they were very interested and was able to adopt 4 to 6 right now and could help me place them because they have a list of people that have adopted from rescues and such before. :joy:

 

[jorats]

That's really good news Shade!!! :happydance: