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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / August 2006babies??
Hi all, I've de-lurked again to ask for advice. I decided it was about time I had some more young ladies as I am now down to only two. My old granny dumbo Emily, is very old indeed and her only cage-mate is 'Her' (Kate) who is only a teen. Her will be needing new girlfriends in the not too distant future and so today we softened to 3 little baby girls. They are very young indeed and the smallest I every had, I would guess only 6-7 weeks. So... we bring them home and show them where they are going to live.. all the fussing and snuggles etc when my daughter says to me.... 'Mum... one of these girls is a boy!!!' And how right she is. I didn't notice at the shop and didn't even think to look as they have naturally always kept the boys and girls separate. So the worrying now begins.. what to do. Firstly the little boy. I have two boys already (Wilson wonky teeth if you remeber and Vincent Blackcurrant) so 'no problem' I thought. 'I'll get them properly intoduced and as he is tiny, hopefully it won't take too long and he will be able to live with them. Then I realised that the bars in their cage are too far apart and the little one would just get out! <Deep sigh> Secondly and far more worrying.... As I understand it, it doesn't take long before baby ratlets start showing a certain kind of 'special love' for one another!! I'm really worried. What if they are pregnant? Will they be ok? They are far too small to have babies..... would it be dangerous for them? Would they survive? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance Lesley > Hi all, > [quoted text clipped - 30 lines] > > Lesley Welcome back Lesley!! Ratties can technically reproduce at 5 weeks of age. But this happens most times when it's with an older male full of hormones. I've noticed that baby males really aren't all that interested in mating but more into playing. So hopefully your girls were spared motherhood. But if they do, I would guess it would be a very small litter. There is some risk to mom and babies being that young but I've heard of many that have had a litter and survived at that age.  SignatureJoanne Owned by 21 rats. Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 ------------------------------------------------------- ~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning* <snip> : > Secondly and far more worrying.... As I understand it, it doesn't take long : > before baby ratlets start showing a certain kind of 'special love' for one [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] : risk to mom and babies being that young but I've heard of many that have : had a litter and survived at that age. Hi Joanne, Nice to chat again. Thanks very much for that, I've been really worried but I feel much better now. I'm still worried about our little boy though (He's called Fred btw.. when he was a 'she' he was called Winifred see lol). He's all on his own now and although both Vincent and Wilson seem to like him, he couldn't go in their cage as he'd fit through the bars. I expect it'll be a fair while before he'll be ok in there :-( So what to do? Do I see if they still have one of his little brothers at the shop so that he isn't alone - but then I have two boys to intoduce to Vince and Willie. Also, I'd need a bigger cage in time too! He's so tiny and I'm sure he is missing his mummy and sisters. I blame you Joanne.. when I first got ratties you did nothing to help me with my addiction lol!! ;-) Lesley > <snip> > : > [quoted text clipped - 43 lines] > > Lesley LOL!! How can I help you when I can't even help myself... I'm at 21!!! If the little guy is that small and young, I doubt very much he did the deed with his sisters so you should rest easy on that point. Any chance you can wrap the older boys' cage in chicken wire or some sort of temporary fix? If not, a brother would be helpful. Usually when a boy reaches 3 months, they can't go through ferret bars. So he would be 6 weeks alone? Can you get him out several times a day for lots of one on one cuddles? If so, then just wait it out. You could also use this time to do daily intros with the older guys, this way he'll have his companionship that way too. See... it's a win win situation. ;) SignatureJoanne Owned by 21 rats. Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 ------------------------------------------------------- ~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning* <snip> : > I blame you Joanne.. when I first got ratties you did nothing to help me : > with my addiction lol!! ;-) : : LOL!! How can I help you when I can't even help myself... I'm at 21!!! A true hopless case lol : If the little guy is that small and young, I doubt very much he did the : deed with his sisters so you should rest easy on that point. Any chance : you can wrap the older boys' cage in chicken wire or some sort of : temporary fix? If not, a brother would be helpful. ROFL.. there you go again see! : Usually when a boy : reaches 3 months, they can't go through ferret bars. So he would be 6 : weeks alone? I guess that would be about right yes. : Can you get him out several times a day for lots of one on : one cuddles? If so, then just wait it out. You could also use this time : to do daily intros with the older guys, this way he'll have his : companionship that way too. See... it's a win win situation. ;) I think we might just manage to have lots of one on one cuddle time. He is such a little cutie. I think this is the option we will take, we can't keep our hands off his little fuzzy bum anyway! Here's a few pics of the little begger... With our Vincent wonky teeth (yes he still has them as our vet is pregnant and can't do the op) ....... http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fresh.veg/wilsonfred.jpg With our very handsome Vincent Blackcurrant Vincent Blackurrant..... http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fresh.veg/vincefred.jpg And two cutie sleepy pictures... it's such a hard life being little..... http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fresh.veg/bigfootfred.jpg http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fresh.veg/sleepyfred.jpg Thanks again Lesley > <snip> > : > [quoted text clipped - 46 lines] > Thanks again > Lesley OMG... what a sweetie!!! He's sooo tiny!! Ya, no worries about him doing anything to the girls. lol I can see why no one can't resist keeping their hands off of him. SignatureJoanne Owned by 21 rats. Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 ------------------------------------------------------- ~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning* > <snip> > : > [quoted text clipped - 49 lines] > Thanks again > Lesley Wow, he is gorgeous , he's going to grow up into quite a character :-) <snip> : Wow, he is gorgeous , he's going to grow up into quite a character :-) Hi Mandie I can well believe it. He has a little hamster wheel in his cage and runs like crazy on it lol. He's only the second rat we have ever had that has used a wheel :o) Lesley > Here's a few pics of the little begger... > [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > > http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fresh.veg/sleepyfred.jpg Oh that's so unfair. Now you've made me want to up our numbers. I can't believe how tiny he is :) SignatureMichael m r o z a t u k g a t e w a y d o t n e t <snigger> : Oh that's so unfair. Now you've made me want to up our numbers. I can't : believe how tiny he is :) Go for it, I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement from Joanne to get more too lol. How many do you have? His two sisters are about the same size as him. I just *had* to get more as I was down to 4. Four is never enough <g> Lesley > <snigger> > [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > Go for it, I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement from Joanne to get > more too lol. How many do you have? Six girls atm. We've never had more than seven & always introduce pairs, so we're trying to restrain ourselves. > His two sisters are about the same size as him. I just *had* to get more as > I was down to 4. Four is never enough <g> LOL. The big foot pic is amazing - are you sure he's not a kangaroo? SignatureMichael m r o z a t u k g a t e w a y d o t n e t <snip> : > Go for it, I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement from Joanne to get : > more too lol. How many do you have? : : Six girls atm. We've never had more than seven & always introduce pairs, : so we're trying to restrain ourselves. Easier said than done isn't it? Eight has been our maximum. Two 'partless' boys lol (who fell in love.. remind me to show piccies) and 6 girls. : > His two sisters are about the same size as him. I just *had* to get more as : > I was down to 4. Four is never enough <g> : : LOL. The big foot pic is amazing - are you sure he's not a kangaroo? Ask me again in a couple of months lol! Lesley "parsnip" <bean> wrote in message news:hxoIg.17615$_06.17588@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net.. > "Joanne" <j> wrote in messag > news:ecqa66$fur$1@news.datemas.de.. > sni > > : > I blame you Joanne.. when I first got ratties you did nothin to hel > m > : > with my addiction lol!! ;- > > : LOL!! How can I help you when I can't even help myself... I'm a 21!! > A true hopless case lo > > : If the little guy is that small and young, I doubt very much h did th > : deed with his sisters so you should rest easy on that point. An chanc > : you can wrap the older boys' cage in chicken wire or some sort o > : temporary fix? If not, a brother would be helpful [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > : Usually when a bo > : reaches 3 months, they can't go through ferret bars. So he woul be > : weeks alone > > I guess that would be about right yes > > : Can you get him out several times a day for lots of one o > : one cuddles? If so, then just wait it out. You could also use thi tim > : to do daily intros with the older guys, this way he'll have hi > : companionship that way too. See... it's a win win situation. ; > > I think we might just manage to have lots of one on one cuddle time H > i > such a little cutie. I think this is the option we will take, w can' > kee > our hands off his little fuzzy bum anyway > > Here's a few pics of the little begger.. > > With our Vincent wonky teeth (yes he still has them as our vet i pregnan > and can't do the op) ...... > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > And two cutie sleepy pictures... it's such a hard life bein little.... > http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fresh.veg/bigfootfred.jp > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Wow, he is gorgeous , he's going to grow up into quite a characte :- Sent via http://Pets-99.com , http://AnimalForum.ws & http://AnimalBlog.org "parsnip" <bean> wrote in message news:hxoIg.17615$_06.17588@newsfe4-gui.ntli.net.. > "Joanne" <j> wrote in messag > news:ecqa66$fur$1@news.datemas.de.. > sni > > : > I blame you Joanne.. when I first got ratties you did nothin to hel > m > : > with my addiction lol!! ;- > > : LOL!! How can I help you when I can't even help myself... I'm a 21!! > A true hopless case lo > > : If the little guy is that small and young, I doubt very much h did th > : deed with his sisters so you should rest easy on that point. An chanc > : you can wrap the older boys' cage in chicken wire or some sort o > : temporary fix? If not, a brother would be helpful [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > : Usually when a bo > : reaches 3 months, they can't go through ferret bars. So he woul be > : weeks alone > > I guess that would be about right yes > > : Can you get him out several times a day for lots of one o > : one cuddles? If so, then just wait it out. You could also use thi tim > : to do daily intros with the older guys, this way he'll have hi > : companionship that way too. See... it's a win win situation. ; > > I think we might just manage to have lots of one on one cuddle time H > i > such a little cutie. I think this is the option we will take, w can' > kee > our hands off his little fuzzy bum anyway > > Here's a few pics of the little begger.. > > With our Vincent wonky teeth (yes he still has them as our vet i pregnan > and can't do the op) ...... > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > > And two cutie sleepy pictures... it's such a hard life bein little.... > http://homepage.ntlworld.com/fresh.veg/bigfootfred.jp > [quoted text clipped - 5 lines] > Wow, he is gorgeous , he's going to grow up into quite a characte :- Sent via http://Pets-99.com , http://AnimalForum.ws & http://AnimalBlog.org "Michael Rozdoba" <mroz> wrote in messag news:44f33c22$0$2561$fa0fcedb@news.zen.co.uk.. <snip : > Go for it, I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement fro Joanne t ge : > more too lol. How many do you have : Six girls atm. We've never had more than seven & alway introduce pairs : so we're trying to restrain ourselves Easier said than done isn't it? Eight has been our maximum. Tw 'partless boys lol (who fell in love.. remind me to show piccies) and 6 girls : > His two sisters are about the same size as him. I just *had to ge more a : > I was down to 4. Four is never enough <g : LOL. The big foot pic is amazing - are you sure he's not a kangaroo Ask me again in a couple of months lol Lesle Sent via http://Pets-99.com , http://AnimalForum.ws & http://AnimalBlog.org "Michael Rozdoba" <mroz> wrote in messag news:44f33c22$0$2561$fa0fcedb@news.zen.co.uk.. <snip : > Go for it, I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement fro Joanne t ge : > more too lol. How many do you have : Six girls atm. We've never had more than seven & alway introduce pairs : so we're trying to restrain ourselves Easier said than done isn't it? Eight has been our maximum. Tw 'partless boys lol (who fell in love.. remind me to show piccies) and 6 girls : > His two sisters are about the same size as him. I just *had to ge more a : > I was down to 4. Four is never enough <g : LOL. The big foot pic is amazing - are you sure he's not a kangaroo Ask me again in a couple of months lol Lesle Sent via http://Pets-99.com , http://AnimalForum.ws & http://AnimalBlog.org "Michael Rozdoba" <mroz> wrote in messag news:44f33c22$0$2561$fa0fcedb@news.zen.co.uk.. <snip : > Go for it, I'm sure you'll get plenty of encouragement fro Joanne t ge : > more too lol. How many do you have : Six girls atm. We've never had more than seven & alway introduce pairs : so we're trying to restrain ourselves Easier said than done isn't it? Eight has been our maximum. Tw 'partless boys lol (who fell in love.. remind me to show piccies) and 6 girls : > His two sisters are about the same size as him. I just *had to ge more a : > I was down to 4. Four is never enough <g : LOL. The big foot pic is amazing - are you sure he's not a kangaroo Ask me again in a couple of months lol Lesle Sent via http://Pets-99.com , http://AnimalForum.ws & http://AnimalBlog.org |
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