Domestic rats mating with wild rats

[ashana]

Hi everyone,

One of my forum forum members has a very odd case which we are trying to solve.

She has some female rats. No males . Her 6 month old female which she got back in December is looking pregnant. She believes she heard noises about 2 weeks ago which sounded too loud to be mice. Her female has the run of the room that night so we are wondering :

1. Is it possible for a wild male rat to mate with a domestic rat without causing injury to the domestic rat or at least a heap of noise that would wake a sleeping person?
2. If it is probable, what should be expected from a resulting litter if half wild rats.
I would assume that being half wild they would show certain amounts of skittishness, possible aggression due to their wild nature.

Anything else you can add to shine light onto the subject would be great.

This lovely lady contacted me wanting a pregnant rescue to raise with a litter recently. Guess she may be getting more than she bargained for LOL.

Pic of the female in question

 

[xxchelle]

She looks verrry pregnant to me! Yikes, what a mess!

Shelagh will be able to tell you more on this subject if she has a minute, I know she's had some half-wild ratties.

 

[ashana]

Just as an added note i have explained to her that it could also be an internal tumor growing and that she should seek vet advise. Unfortunately she has appointments all this week that can not be delayed so i am trying to find a valid reason for this bump that has appeared.

 

[xxchelle]

Just as an added note i have explained to her that it could also be an internal tumor growing and that she should seek vet advise.

Now that you mention it, there are no visible nipples, which, by that size, she should have. BUT it's that typical low bulgy sides that preggos get...

Ugh, a complicated situation just got more complicated.

I wish your friend the best for her ratty, and please do keep us updated.

 

[ashana]

I have also noted that the nipples are not obvious which makes me suspect maybe something more life threatening or she is carrying a huge litter and is not quite ready to deliver yet.

I will definitely keep you all posted. It is definitely one that keeps the mind working.

 

[victoria]

I'm under the impression that it's not possible but that the very rare time it has happened the bubs didn't survive. Tried to look for info online but couldn't find any...

 

[lilspaz68]

Unfortunately, domestic mom and wild dad is a combo we have seen quite a bit of at the Shack. :undecided:

This woman is going to end up with an entire litter of agouti bubs, and is going to need to socialize them from the very very beginning. Unluckily for the Wildthings (Mamarat's adoptees) and my original Wildlings (same litter) they weren't handled until 3-4 weeks of age and were already very much instinctual baby wild rat.

The current group of 4 I have here (Lynds has 2 boys) is 3 girls and 1 neutered boy. Wolfy got loose at 5 weeks of age and lived inmy livingroom for 6 weeks avoiding the havahart trap. I did catch him at 8 weeks of age and he ate thru the plastic bottom of the cage and escaped again :doh:

These rats weren't touched til 4 weeks and by then they were "wild". These rats are less handleable than my Wildlings and instead of running away will come to bite me inthe cage. They grew up and live with a domestic family of 5 and stay in their cage permanently.

I always wondered if socializing more than usual from Day 1 would've changed matters and I do think it would, so tell her to be ready!

 

[victoria]

I stand corrected... wow. I'm so glad I don't have (wild) rats.

 

[jorats]

I've seen the odd case where a wild baby became tame enough to be a pet. But from what we've seen here it's definitely not a good idea.

The three at mamarat's were not as bad as the ones at Shelagh's. They never bit, they loved to climb on us and give kisses. They were just deathly afraid of hands and being grabbed.

But... like others have noted, I don't like how the bulge is only on the sides, no prominent nipples... I'd get her to a vet for a good feel.

 

[ashana]

Thanks for the info. It was what i thought but wanted to make sure i had it right before saying too much.

Basically, they are not afraid wild so they will approach you to attack which is actually worse than running away type wild.

 

[Sorraia]

She definitely looks pregnant.
Nipples don't always become very obvious before birth. Sometimes it takes the babies nursing to "stretch them out" so to speak, and other times they may not show until just a day or two before birth. Then there are others who have never been pregnant and always look pregnant! There's so much variation out there.

There is a possibility of wild rats mating with domestic rats. There might not be a high "probability" but there is a possibility. One complication is that there are several different species of wild rat, and it has to be the right species to mate with a domestic pet. In my area, wild rats mating with domestic rats is highly unlikely, because the wild species we have is Rattus rattus, which is not the same species as our pets. In areas where the wild rats are Rattus norvegicus such matings are more likely.

 

[lilratsy43]

Although I agree she is odd looking not having any prominent nipples, generally tumors are not as symmetrical. The odds of a tumor looking soo round on each side is probably rather slim. But I vet would know more, so she should definately keep the appt.

Best of luck! I hope that it is not a tumor!!

Definately keep us posted!!!!!

 

[Ewa]

The very last female that had babies under my care didnt have obvious nipples :?

 

[sprite71]

Have you tried palpatation of her abdomin??? Palpatation should tell you if its one big mass or small bubs.. You should by the size of her be able to feel a bub or 2 and semi clearly too.. Meaning it wont feel like a rattie bub but you can feel and move a small mass that feels simular to a bub.. Hope that helps...
Definately keep us posted...

 

[SQ]

I have heard that socialization from day one as previously mentioned, as well as introing each baby in with baby pet rats of the same age to a week younger (ie life long bonding) will help them to become better socialised. I believe this has been done when the half wild babies were two to three weeks old. I do not know if it has ever been done with an entire litter of half wild babies.

Unfortunately I do not know more about this.
I imagine it would be complicated and not easy to attempt.

 

[Ewa]

I am so curious about this thread , any news?

 

[Moon]

I'm under the impression that it's not possible but that the very rare time it has happened the bubs didn't survive. Tried to look for info online but couldn't find any...

Our pets can be mated by wild Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) but not Black/Roof rats (Rattus rattus)

 

[ashana]

She gained 5 grams in 24 hours and is getting bigger. Looking more and more like she is pregnant.

Her mum is willing to care for any half wilds, i have given her all the info i can about it so lets hope all goes well.

I think she is at least another few days away from birth if that is what this is.

 

[ashana]

This little girls mum is taking her to the vets ASAP as she has really runny stools and is not cleaning herself at all. She is also really lethargic.

I did mention to her early on about the possibility of a tumor internally but she was positive she though this girl was pregnant. Lets hope i was wrong and that it is just her being tired from pregnancy.

Good wishes would be appreciated

 

[jorats]

Oh no... keeping my fingers crossed.