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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / May 2007New rats
Last Saturday I bought two rats from the pet store. They had about 15 - 20 rats lumped together and within a week they were down to two. It's a bit suspicious how they got rid of them so quickly, IMO, so I decided to adopt the last two rats. One male, one female and both living together :(. I got cranky with the lady at the store, saying that they can breed at their age. She said she knew. Bloody irresponsible pet store idiots. Peaches (the female) gave birth this morning. Her backside was poking out from under the bedding and I managed to see two of them being born. It took longer than 2 hours for the birth, so I called the vet after rat #1 was born, and he said as long as she is spritely, just to be patient. Even though it took a while, Peaches had seven little bubs. She is fine, bubs seem to be fine too. The boy rat (named Sprite) was castrated on Tuesday and is currently in a separate cage. I'll put him in with Peaches and the babies this Wednesday, just to give mum some peace and to make sure he is 100% sterile. I hope the other female rats from the store and going well and I hope they weren't pregnant. So I now have 22 rats! I spoke to the lady who runs the Brisbane rat rescue and she said that she could find homes for them. So we will keep two of the babies and re-home five. So that's my exciting news. I have to try very hard to not get too attached to the little ones. Dewi > Last Saturday I bought two rats from the pet store. They had about 15 > - 20 rats lumped together and within a week they were down to two. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Dewi Grrrr, it's makes you fume doesn't it when proper care isn't given to the animals in pet stores - when they are just a commodity, nothing else. Well thank goodness you have rescued two (and all the little bonus babies!) lucky ratties, I know they'll have a terrific home with you. Can you possibly post pics? Pleeease!!! Tracey > Grrrr, it's makes you fume doesn't it when proper care isn't given to the > animals in pet stores - when they are just a commodity, nothing else. Well [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > > Tracey I'll take some photos soon and post them. Hopefully mum won't get too upset. She's quite calm considering I've only known her for a week. Dewi. >Last Saturday I bought two rats from the pet store. They had about 15 >- 20 rats lumped together and within a week they were down to two. [quoted text clipped - 15 lines] >Wednesday, just to give mum some peace and to make sure he is 100% >sterile. KEEP THE MALE RAT AWAY while the babys are young!!!! The new Mom will attack the male as she does not want nor will she get help from the male in raising the young. You need to let the babies get weened and then you can bring Peaches and Spritel together or if you have adopped out the young start male and female cages from the neew family. >I hope the other female rats from the store and going well and I hope >they weren't pregnant. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > >Dewi Mark G. Of the Royal Estates and "Pagan God of Food" > KEEP THE MALE RAT AWAY while the babys are young!!!! > The new Mom will attack the male as she does not want nor will she get help from [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > Of the Royal Estates > and "Pagan God of Food" Okay I'll keep them apart until the babies are weened. It's just that Debbie Ducommum ("the rat lady") said it was oaky to keep the males and females together, except for the chance of the female getting pregnant again. But seeing as he's been snipped there won't be a problem. But it's no trouble keeping them in separate cages just in case they do fight or the babies get attacked. Dewi >> KEEP THE MALE RAT AWAY while the babys are young!!!! >> The new Mom will attack the male as she does not want nor will she get [quoted text clipped - 20 lines] > > Dewi sometimes the mothers get snappy towards the males and sometimes they don't. my female , minibeast, doesn't mind at all when the father comes near her or her babies. the main concern is that as soon as she gets up he will try to mount her so i have to keep them apart for that reason. i have also had a female rat that attacked the male rat whenever he came near the babies so i think it is largely the temperment of the individual female rat that determines how nasty she gets. as far as the pet store people go, to most of them a rat is insignificant. they only make a couple bucks off each rat sold and that's about all a rat is good for in their opinion. > >> KEEP THE MALE RAT AWAY while the babys are young!!!! > >> The new Mom will attack the male as she does not want nor will she get [quoted text clipped - 31 lines] > they only make a couple bucks off each rat sold and that's about all a rat > is good for in their opinion. Well it cost me $7 per rat, of which the store probably gets to keep $5 at most. So if they sold 20 rats in a week (which would be a "good" week) that's a mere $100. This store doesn't have much in the way of cages and accessories, so they wouldn't be making much from the sale of those items. So I wonder why they even bother. Dewi >> >> KEEP THE MALE RAT AWAY while the babys are young!!!! >> >> The new Mom will attack the male as she does not want nor will she get [quoted text clipped - 47 lines] > > Dewi rats are cheap to look after and they always seem to sell. sadly for the rat lovers, mostly as food i think. > Last Saturday I bought two rats from the pet store. They had about 15 > - 20 rats lumped together and within a week they were down to two. [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > Dewi What a surprise! ...and such a beautiful experience for you to be there too. One day, I would love to take in a pregnant rescue, just to witness the birth again and socialize the babies. I'm so glad you have a rescue already willing to help. If dad is a gentle boy, he can most definitely go in with mum and babies... do it slow and keep an eye just to make sure. But usually, male rats and female rats do not attack their babies due to stress. Oh ya... lots of pics please!!!  SignatureJoanne Owned by 22 rats. Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70 ------------------------------------------------------- ~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning* > > Last Saturday I bought two rats from the pet store. They had about 15 > > - 20 rats lumped together and within a week they were down to two. [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > ------------------------------------------------------- > ~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning* Mum and the male rat she came with (who is her sibling) are very close and I think they miss each other. The brother is gentle, but I'm not 100% sure he is the dad. To be on the safe side I'll wait the 5 weeks until they are weaned but place their cages near each other so they can see each other. Pics will come :) Dewi. |
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