So one of our "boys" is a girl... #%!$

[crazylicious85]

I'm really having a hard time deciding what to do about my 5 week old rattie, Kahlua. She is most likely pregnant, as she has been with her brothers all this time. Note: We just found out she wasn't a boy, thanks to the breeder not helping us sex them when we picked them out, not to mention the lack of lighting *rolls eyes*.

My question... How risky is it to have her spayed while pregnant (if she is, which I can't imagine her not being pregnant at this point)? I'd rather not risk losing her if it's really risky. I have to get another cage eventually anyways, so I'd rather just get a second FN or second level add on (keeping it separate boys & girls), instead of paying $50 for spay & $50 for another cage. Then if she turns out to not be pregnant, I could just keep her separated and find her a friend or spay her then with less risk. Get what I'm saying? If she is pregnant, I could keep she and her babies in one level of the FN (modified with hardware cloth) and then separate them by sexes later (selling the babies in same sex pairs or more to good homes).

I guess my question is, which is more risky? Her being spayed while pregnant or her being pregnant at only 5 weeks of age? What age can they be spayed?

Thanks for any advice/help!

EDIT

I have her separated in an aquarium that I went out and purchased today. I called the vet this morning, but the vet who cares for rats was not there today, so they told me to call back tomorrow to see when Kahlua can be spayed. Hopefully everything will go smoothly. Thank you for your advice, comments, suggestions, etc.

 

[lilspaz68]

She was removed from the boys at 5 weeks old? she is NOT pregnant. They only become fertile at 5 weeks plus, and often not until 6-7 weeks. But sounds like you caught her on the cusp

 

[SQ]

If she is only 5 weeks old it is extremely unlikely that she is pregnant.

Good experienced exotic vets can spay girls when quite young, other vets need rats to be larger and will not spay until they are 3 or 4 months.

You will want to get her spayed by a vet experienced doing rat spays as soon as your vet is comfortable, so that she can go back in with the boys.

If it is going to be awhile, you may want to get another girl so she will not have to be alone.

Doesn't sound like a very good "breeder".

 

[crazylicious85]

Doesn't sound like a very good "breeder".

seriously - that's an understatement!
I wish she would stop breeding them.

I haven't separated them yet. I don't have an extra cage and I can't afford to do both unless I get her a temporary home (aquarium) which I'm completely against because of the ammonia problem. I really don't want to separate her from her brothers long term because they are best buddies. Both boys have started to mount her all of a sudden (they just turned 5 weeks old yesterday).

I'm stressed out right now over many things that have come up this past month, so I'm going crazy :cry:

 

[lilspaz68]

Doesn't sound like a very good "breeder".

seriously - that's an understatement!
I wish she would stop breeding them.

I haven't separated them yet. I don't have an extra cage and I can't afford to do both unless I get her a temporary home (aquarium) which I'm completely against because of the ammonia problem. I really don't want to separate her from her brothers long term because they are best buddies. Both boys have started to mount her all of a sudden (they just turned 5 weeks old yesterday).

I'm stressed out right now over many things that have come up this past month, so I'm going crazy :cry:

You have to separate her. You can even make a tote cage for now...aquarium short term, etc. Its much better than hurting her tiny body with a possible litter at such a tender age, and adding to the rat rescue situation.

She will be fine without her brothers. You may need to get them neutered or her spayed so they can live together, or you need to get another female baby as a companion for her.

 

[SQ]

Please separate her now!! Like this minute!
Put her in a safe area, borrow a cage, buy a cage, or make one.

It would be extremely hard on her if she were to get pregnant at her age and you may not have a vet that could do an espay.

I have a post on here about making a temp cage.

http://jorats.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2756

 

[crazylicious85]

She was removed from the boys at 5 weeks old? she is NOT pregnant. They only become fertile at 5 weeks plus, and often not until 6-7 weeks. But sounds like you caught her on the cusp

I haven't removed her yet. They turned 5 weeks yesterday and the boys just started mounting her yesterday (from what I've seen). I'm having a hard time deciding what to do because I don't have an extra cage and I've already spent tons of money on the Ferret Nation, food, accessories, etc... Now I have to pay for her to be spayed & need an extra cage *aghhhhh* I'm overwhelmed, to say the least :cry:

I can't seem to find a cheap/free cage to use until she is spayed/healed.

I'm going through some tough times right now, when it rains, it pours!

 

[crazylicious85]

Please separate her now!! Like this minute!
Put her in a safe area, borrow a cage, buy a cage, or make one.

It would be extremely hard on her if she were to get pregnant at her age and you may not have a vet that could do an espay.

I have a post on here about making a temp cage.

http://jorats.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=2756

Thanks, I'll try to make one of those or find one for cheap.

 

[KristyR]

If an aquarium is your only option right now, do it. Like SQ and lilspaz said, it's better than her being pregnant so young.

Take a deep breath, calm down, and do the right thing for that little girl.

 

[Dahlas]

If she just turned 5 weeks yesterday you are safe....take her out today....right now...even if you have to put her in the bathtub till you get another cage......anything will do. Call your local shelter they might have one they can lend you. Doesn't have to be a very big cage for one little 5 week old girl.......

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

I would separate them now. If you are worried about having to buy another cage then make a temporary cage for now and see if you can find her a home. I seriously doubt she is pregnant, but you do need to take her out ASAP. I would not risk another day with her in there.

I think your best option is to just find her another home, that way you don't have to buy anything else or a friend and worry about an escapee getting in with the boys and having an oops litter. This is why I only have girls.

If you have an aquarium use it. The ammonia will only get bad if you let it. My temporary cage is an aquarium and I never had problems with smell, I just made sure to clean it often.

If only we lived closer together I would take her for you. :?

 

[Willow Bean]

I agree... rehoming her would be best. if you leave her in with the boys you are going to be more financially stressed than just having to buy a new cage and another girl to keep her company. And accidents can happen no matter how careful you are, that's how I ended up with a pregnant Brenna a 5 week old baby should definatly not be having babies, and it very well may kill her. Leaving her in with those boys is a terrible thing to do and is very, very dangerous as you never know when it might stop being play and start being serious and she may get pregnant. An aquarium is not that worst thing that could happen to a rat. Just clean it every day or two and there won't be an ammonia problem. an aquarium is a better option than giving her a possible death sentence by leaving her in with her brothers.

***ETA: I don't want to sound too harsh but I'm really concerned about that little girl. I don't want her to have to go through something like that which could certainly take her life or stunt her growth or cause one of MANY other health issues, not the least of which would be a shorter life span. I'm begging you to move her out of that cage, even if it's into an aquarium. Rehome her or whatever you have to do to keep her from getting pregnant. Is there a reason why the breeder wouldn't take her back? I know the breeder isn't a good one but at least the little rat would get rehomed and not have to get pregnant at such an early age.

 

[dubchick]

should have named her pat lol

 

[crazylicious85]

I agree... rehoming her would be best. if you leave her in with the boys you are going to be more financially stressed than just having to buy a new cage and another girl to keep her company. And accidents can happen no matter how careful you are, that's how I ended up with a pregnant Brenna a 5 week old baby should definatly not be having babies, and it very well may kill her. Leaving her in with those boys is a terrible thing to do and is very, very dangerous as you never know when it might stop being play and start being serious and she may get pregnant. An aquarium is not that worst thing that could happen to a rat. Just clean it every day or two and there won't be an ammonia problem. an aquarium is a better option than giving her a possible death sentence by leaving her in with her brothers.

***ETA: I don't want to sound too harsh but I'm really concerned about that little girl. I don't want her to have to go through something like that which could certainly take her life or stunt her growth or cause one of MANY other health issues, not the least of which would be a shorter life span. I'm begging you to move her out of that cage, even if it's into an aquarium. Rehome her or whatever you have to do to keep her from getting pregnant. Is there a reason why the breeder wouldn't take her back? I know the breeder isn't a good one but at least the little rat would get rehomed and not have to get pregnant at such an early age.

I have her in an aquarium until she can be spayed. The vet that works on rats won't be there until tomorrow so they told me to call her then to find out when it can be done. Hopefully everything will work out. I don't want people to think I'm a bad rat mommy because I'm certainly not, I love them tons and I knew if I gave her back to the breeder she'd have even more of a chance of getting pregnant because she doesn't separate them like she should and she was using PINE bedding when we got them. She later switched to Aspen after I told her it wasn't good for them. :roll: @ breeder.

Thanks for your help

 

[crazylicious85]

I would separate them now. If you are worried about having to buy another cage then make a temporary cage for now and see if you can find her a home. I seriously doubt she is pregnant, but you do need to take her out ASAP. I would not risk another day with her in there.

I think your best option is to just find her another home, that way you don't have to buy anything else or a friend and worry about an escapee getting in with the boys and having an oops litter. This is why I only have girls.

If you have an aquarium use it. The ammonia will only get bad if you let it. My temporary cage is an aquarium and I never had problems with smell, I just made sure to clean it often.

If only we lived closer together I would take her for you. :?

I went out and got her an aquarium until she can be spayed. My mother is kindly paying for her spay as my birthday present :shock:

The first thing I thought of was finding her a new home, but I just can't do it. I love her tons and she and her brothers are best buddies :lol:

The breeder keeps all of them in tanks and they smell to high heaven, so my last resort was taking her back there...even then it was an extreme last resort!

 

[SQ]

Great news!!

 

[lilspaz68]

Your breeder sounds like a mass producer or feeder breeder.

Good news about your little girl :thumbup:

 

[Godmother]

Good news! She;ll be fine in the aquarium for now, and her grandma :wink: has a heart of gold!

 

[SQ]

Yes, tell your mom we think she is pretty wonderful

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Yes, tell your mom we think she is pretty wonderful

Yes, we do.

With only one girly in there it will not get smelly as long as you clean it.

We do not think you are a bad rat mom and I agree there is no way I could give her away and taking her back to the breeder is out of the question for me after what we know about her.

I rescued a boy from a co-worker, had him neutered and tried intros with my girls and he attacked them. I jumped the gun and re-homed him, I should have given him longer to get used to them but I did not know anything about doing intros(I only had two girls at the time) I thought he would just get along with them. I completely regret giving up on him. :cry:

So you are doing the right thing :wink: by spaying her and keeping her.