rats milk?

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perigrine - 28 May 2007 10:47 GMT

I had Dunca (recently 'male' pet shop rat who had babies two days ago)
out last night and was checking out her tummy (coz she has been
scratching frantically) and noticed her nipples. Also noted that she
doesn't have breasts attached to the nipples like dogs and cats. So I
was wondering where the milk comes from/is stored. I realise milk is
made in mammary glands. Is it made when the babies suckle and not
stored at all?

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Joanne - 29 May 2007 03:20 GMT

> I had Dunca (recently 'male' pet shop rat who had babies two days ago)
> out last night and was checking out her tummy (coz she has been
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> made in mammary glands. Is it made when the babies suckle and not
> stored at all?

Very interesting question. I did a wee bit of research and in one study
it does indicate that the arrangement of the mammary glands are in a
flat diffuse form. So I would guess that there is some milk stored there
but in a flat sac. Also, one of our rats had a mammary tumour removed
and it turned out that there was milk in the sac. She had never been
pregnant.

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Joanne
Owned by 23 rats.
Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70

-------------------------------------------------------
~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning*

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Joanne - 29 May 2007 03:22 GMT

>> I had Dunca (recently 'male' pet shop rat who had babies two days ago)
>> out last night and was checking out her tummy (coz she has been
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> and it turned out that there was milk in the sac. She had never been
> pregnant.

I also wanted to add that in general, the suckling of the babies does
stimulate milk production as well and when the suckling stops, mom
usually stops producing milk.

Signature

Joanne
Owned by 23 rats.
Webshots: http://community.webshots.com/user/joanneb70

-------------------------------------------------------
~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning*

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perigrine - 29 May 2007 05:59 GMT

> > I had Dunca (recently 'male' pet shop rat who had babies two days ago)
> > out last night and was checking out her tummy (coz she has been
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
> -------------------------------------------------------
> ~Ignorance is not innocence but sin. *Robert Browning*

Thanks for that. I found a few interesting scientic pages myself just
then. I was interested to read this "...In some species (rat) the milk
ejection reflex will only occur when the mother is in a somnolent
(asleep) state, whereas in other species (rabbit) the mother is
alert..." found on this page - http://137.222.110.150/calnet/milk/page2.htm
- reason enough to leave momma asleep.

I also found this page as well - http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/151/3716/1403
- which I found interesting.

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Dewi - 31 May 2007 03:28 GMT

Someone on another rat group said she had her rat speyed and it later
gave birth. It was a bit of a surprise to say the least. So are you
keeping the babies?

Dewi

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perigrine - 31 May 2007 03:52 GMT

> > I had Dunca (recently 'male' pet shop rat who had babies two days ago)
> > out last night and was checking out her tummy (coz she has been
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
>
> Dewi

Momma doesn't belong to me (though she is at my place at the moment)
but I am thinking I might keep a baby or two, or three. Depends on
whether I can find a house for them.

perigrine

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Pet Forum / Mammals / Rats / May 2007

rats milk?