Pregnant rat, maybe, something very strange. Please help :(

[TrendySquid]

Hi there!

My rat is very large. Her stomach is huge and we've had her for approximately 2 and a half weeks. She hasn't gained a lot of weight, been pretty much the same fatty tub. She's very nervous, sleeps a lot, always pees and poos when touched. We've been trying to handle her every day but she freaks out. Well, today my boyfriend went to hold our other rat, Taco, and Rou went insane. She through things and almost seemed like she was feigning death. I was away at the time but arrived home. Now she is sleeping, and as I went to check on her she tried to "waddle" away. So much so I thought she broke a limb but realized she's just walking really weird. She's still sleeping but is very uncomfortable and it is obvious. She doesn't appear to be having contractions - but her sides are moving like small very light heaves. She isn't running from me but that is probably because she seems so uncomfortable.

Do these sound like labor signs, or illness?

 

[jennifervb]

Hi there!

My rat is very large. Her stomach is huge and we've had her for approximately 2 and a half weeks. She hasn't gained a lot of weight, been pretty much the same fatty tub. She's very nervous, sleeps a lot, always pees and poos when touched. We've been trying to handle her every day but she freaks out. Well, today my boyfriend went to hold our other rat, Taco, and Rou went insane. She through things and almost seemed like she was feigning death. I was away at the time but arrived home. Now she is sleeping, and as I went to check on her she tried to "waddle" away. So much so I thought she broke a limb but realized she's just walking really weird. She's still sleeping but is very uncomfortable and it is obvious. She doesn't appear to be having contractions - but her sides are moving like small very light heaves. She isn't running from me but that is probably because she seems so uncomfortable.

Do these sound like labor signs, or illness?

That's really odd, Trendy.

What is Rou being fed and how much does she weigh?

 

[lilspaz68]

How old is she?

Do you have a picture of her right now?

 

[TrendySquid]

Hi there!

My rat is very large. Her stomach is huge and we've had her for approximately 2 and a half weeks. She hasn't gained a lot of weight, been pretty much the same fatty tub. She's very nervous, sleeps a lot, always pees and poos when touched. We've been trying to handle her every day but she freaks out. Well, today my boyfriend went to hold our other rat, Taco, and Rou went insane. She through things and almost seemed like she was feigning death. I was away at the time but arrived home. Now she is sleeping, and as I went to check on her she tried to "waddle" away. So much so I thought she broke a limb but realized she's just walking really weird. She's still sleeping but is very uncomfortable and it is obvious. She doesn't appear to be having contractions - but her sides are moving like small very light heaves. She isn't running from me but that is probably because she seems so uncomfortable.

Do these sound like labor signs, or illness?

That's really odd, Trendy.

What is Rou being fed and how much does she weigh?

Not sure how much she weights, probably about 5 ounces, I guess. I don't have a scale and don't want to pick her up and hurt her.
She is being fed Living World - Rat - Extrusion. She lives with two other, younger rats, all bought at the same time and appears fine.

 

[TrendySquid]

How old is she?

Do you have a picture of her right now?

Yes- tell me if you can see these. I just took them for you

As you can see in the photos - they've taken toilet paper roles and ripped them apart. We gave them a sock for under their hut, and they basically (all three though) started pulling things apart and making a nest. They also always take their pellets out of the dish and store them in the corner.

 

[lilspaz68]

How old is she?

Do you have a picture of her right now?

Yes- How do I post photos?

She's gorgeous but does look older. I meant to see her body shape, the big round belly, the funny stance. Her age can also be determined by how she walks and stands as well.

ANy clue how old she is? What is her story?

 

[TrendySquid]

She's gorgeous but does look older. I meant to see her body shape, the big round belly, the funny stance. Her age can also be determined by how she walks and stands as well.

ANy clue how old she is? What is her story?

I'm sorry - I was finishing adding a few more, you can see them in the post above now . I tried to hold her up so you can see her fat stomach.
Kevin and I are new rat owners. We bought 2 girls at the pet store about three weeks ago. Taco and Misty. They are itty bitty so we assume they aren't old. However, we were at the pet store again about 4 days later and noticed Rou (Rousseau, after a Lost character and the philosopher). She was supposed to be a feeder rat and we loved her because she was huge and rat. So we bought her as our pet. We know nothing about age - but she seems impossible to relax/tame.

Our pet store sells pet rats and feeders as the exact same ones. Just doesn't add a life guarantee on feeders. So, if we bought Rou as a pet, she was $15.99 but as a feeder, she was $10. The life guarantee only buys you 10 days - so we opted out of that and bought her as a feeder.

 

[lilspaz68]

She's an adult but not as old as I was worried. She could be pregnant or she could just be unsocialized. Rats gestation is 21-23 days so you'll know soon.

 

[TrendySquid]

She's an adult but not as old as I was worried. She could be pregnant or she could just be unsocialized. Rats gestation is 21-23 days so you'll know soon.

Should I be worried that she is waddling very strangely and different from her regular self. She seems very off.

 

[lilspaz68]

She's an adult but not as old as I was worried. She could be pregnant or she could just be unsocialized. Rats gestation is 21-23 days so you'll know soon.

Should I be worried that she is waddling very strangely and different from her regular self. She seems very off.

Can you take a video of her?

 

[jorats]

I wonder if she might have a bladder infection. I'd take her in for a vet check.

 

[TrendySquid]

I'm beginning to think she has a tumor. I felt her sides gently - but she has no interest in being touched without being, running away or screeching. She appears to have a small, but noticeable bump on her side. Feels relatively like soft squishy tissue, under the skin on her belly.

 

[lilspaz68]

I'm beginning to think she has a tumor. I felt her sides gently - but she has no interest in being touched without being, running away or screeching. She appears to have a small, but noticeable bump on her side. Feels relatively like soft squishy tissue, under the skin on her belly.

THAT was my worry A big internal tumour...crap.