petlover
Well-Known Member
We have resuced rats for a number of years now and have always had only boys because we would never have the heart to part with any babies.
We bought 4 ratties a couple of months back, we understood them all to be boys but it turns out that 2 of them were girls and have both had litters.
I have no knowledge of nursing mums other than what i have read on the internet but i need some advice.
One of the girls had a litter of 13, She has been very attentive to the babies despite her young age.. Shes about 4 months old now.
I have noticed today though that she hasn't been in the nest with the babies much and has choosen to lie outside the nest on her own.
I have checked for milk banding on the babies and some are visible and some are not however they all seem to be pretty much the same size.
I understand that mum needs to rest away from the babies especially with big litters but how long should she leave them for before she returns to the nest to feed them again. The babies are now 3/4 days old.
I am not hearing the babies cry for her but i don't know if they do anyway. Any advice would be appreciated.
Mum number 2 seems to be doing ok. She is always in the nest with the babies and they seem to be all doing well. They are 2 days old today. Thanks
We bought 4 ratties a couple of months back, we understood them all to be boys but it turns out that 2 of them were girls and have both had litters.
I have no knowledge of nursing mums other than what i have read on the internet but i need some advice.
One of the girls had a litter of 13, She has been very attentive to the babies despite her young age.. Shes about 4 months old now.
I have noticed today though that she hasn't been in the nest with the babies much and has choosen to lie outside the nest on her own.
I have checked for milk banding on the babies and some are visible and some are not however they all seem to be pretty much the same size.
I understand that mum needs to rest away from the babies especially with big litters but how long should she leave them for before she returns to the nest to feed them again. The babies are now 3/4 days old.
I am not hearing the babies cry for her but i don't know if they do anyway. Any advice would be appreciated.
Mum number 2 seems to be doing ok. She is always in the nest with the babies and they seem to be all doing well. They are 2 days old today. Thanks
