Ask Me Help Desk - How Do I Tell If My Rat Is Pregnant

How Do I Tell If My Rat Is Pregnant

I have 4 rats, three males, one female. All three males mated with my female on exactly May 28th, 2012. Now it is the 18th of June, and it has been 21 days and most websites I have been to for help say that the average female gives birth on the 21st to 23rd day. My rat seems to be slightly rounder, but I cannot really tell if she is pregnant. I have been researching pregnant rat care and I know most of the bases. Her nipples are showing slightly but I can still not tell. One site said that the belly can come overnight. I'd just like to know if there are any definite signs I can find to tell if she is pregnant(this is her first litter and she is 1 years old).

http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/...t=DSCF0684.jpg

http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/...t=DSCF0683.jpg

http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/...3DDSCF0682.jpg

http://s1249.photobucket.com/albums/...3DDSCF0681.jpg

Everything I read says it's possible you can't tell at all until the babies are born.

You allowed the rats that were fighting to have access to the female - https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/rodent...le-664119.html.

I don't understand your purpose in breeding when you appear to know little about rat behavior - ?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

Everything I read says it's possible you can't tell at all until the babies are born.

You allowed the rats that were fighting to have access to the female - https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/rodent...le-664119.html.

I don't understand your purpose in breeding when you appear to know little about rat behavior - ?

No offence to you, but I don't think YOU should be telling me that I do not know much about rat behaviour I am 14 years old and I have raised rats all my life first of all my rats have NEVER fought the last question I asked was an ENTIRELY different situation my rats get along great they are healthy and happy and thanks but no thanks for your advice I am sure you mean the best and don't mean what I feel you are implying but I do NOT apologize and id appreciate it if you didn't give any more advice when YOU clearly don't know much about rat behaviour

How do I take care of babies my rat might abandon?

This is my rats first litter and id like to know how to take care of the babies in case of emergency (my female abandonning the babies as I am aware this hasd happened before to other inexperianced female rats)

Quote:

Originally Posted by annieonymous

my rats get along great

What then does this mean (from your other rat thread) --

"i never let the female alone with the males"

You allowed a female rat to be raped (yes, basically that is what it was) by three different males in the same cage on the same day?

Are you planning to leave all three males in the same cage with her and the babies?

Here's a site that will tell you how to care for them from A to Z --

http://www.rmca.org/Articles/orphans.htm

Quote:

Originally Posted by annieonymous

no offence to you, but i dont think YOU should be telling me that I do not know much about rat behaviour i am 14 years old and i have raised rats all my life first of all my rats have NEVER fought the last question I asked was an ENTIRELY different situation my rats get along great they are healthy and happy and thanks but no thanks for your advice i am sure you mean the best and dont mean what i feel you are implying but i do NOT apologize and id appreciate it if you didn't give any more advice when YOU clearly dont know much about rat behaviour

Please don't even attempt to dictate who will answer your questions and in what manner. Your rats have never fought? Does that mean rats never fight? No, it does not.

You speak with all the wisdom of a 14-year old.

The male rats "shoved their faces into the female's vagina" and you couldn't figure out what that meant? You allowed the males to breed with her even though you clearly knew she was not receptive: "doesnt seem to like the attention, but I would like to know if they would mate with her whether she liked it or not." I guess the key phrase is whether she liked it or not.

This is stomach turning.

If you know so much about rat behavior, why are you posting here, over and over again? Here's another one of your questions. I note you had questions about breeding, gestation and how to raise rats. Just what IS your expertise? Something else? https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/rodent...on-672881.html

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Are you planning to leave all three males in the same cage with her and the babies?

Here's a site that will tell you how to care for them from A to Z --

Rat & Mouse Gazette: Caring for Orphaned Baby Rats

Note that this is a question from an expert - well, be thankful she's not breeding puppies (not that rats don't suffer).

Quote:

Originally Posted by annieonymous

YOU clearly dont know much about rat behaviour

Great way to talk to Judy... whole lot of respect there... this will get you real far on this site.

As far as not knowing much about rat behavior, I read all of your posts and it seems pretty clear to me that although you claim to be a rat expert, you know very little. You may want to do some reading before you keep abusing your poor female like you are doing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

Are you planning to leave all three males in the same cage with her and the babies?

Here's a site that will tell you how to care for them from A to Z --

Rat & Mouse Gazette: Caring for Orphaned Baby Rats

No, the males will be separated into their own cages. My female has her own cage, the two brothers live in their own cage, and my baby male lives in another by himself. I put all the males together in the bigger cage everyday so as they will not be lonely, but my female has been separated since mating.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

What then does this mean (from your other rat thread) --

"i never let the female alone with the males"

You allowed a female rat to be raped (yes, basically that is what it was) by three different males in the same cage on the same day?

No no no no no no no no NO! I gradually introduced them, and when they seemed to be getting along, I allowed them to mate with her and RAPE? Uh, no, she didn't fight or anything like that what I was saying before is my rat, before a few months ago, had been a lone rat for most of her life and she had never been around other rats much but she is perfectly fine now so yeah... lol

So you did not allow 3 males to mate with her?

And when the babies are born how many additional cages will you need to buy?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

And when the babies are born how many additional cages will you need to buy?

During my mouse-raising days when the pet shop sold me four males but three turned out to be females, I ended up with 52 mice. I had lots of cages! (and did lots of cage cleaning -- mice, and probably rats too, go when they go, anywhere and everywhere.)

What does one do with 52 mice - ?

Don't mice have any self control when it comes to sex?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

What does one do with 52 mice - ?

The pet store wanted to buy them as snake food. My mil said no, since they were her grandmice (no one had given her any human grandkids yet). I was able to give them away to friends, relatives, and assorted others.

Quote:

Don't mice have any self control when it comes to sex?

They don't even wait until the lights are out!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wondergirl

The pet store wanted to buy them as snake food. My mil said no, since they were her grandmice (no one had given her any human grandkids yet). I was able to give them away to friends, relatives, and assorted others.

Now you know why I don't answer the door when you come over carrying a paper bag that's moving.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

Please don't even attempt to dictate who will answer your questions and in what manner. Your rats have never fought? Does that mean rats never fight? No, it does not.

You speak with all the wisdom of a 14-year old.

The male rats "shoved their faces into the female's vagina" and you couldn't figure out what that meant? You allowed the males to breed with her even though you clearly knew she was not receptive: "doesnt seem to like the attention, but I would like to know if they would mate with her whether she liked it or not." I guess the key phrase is whether she liked it or not.

This is stomach turning.

If you know so much about rat behavior, why are you posting here, over and over again? Here's another one of your questions. I note you had questions about breeding, gestation and how to raise rats. Just what IS your expertise? Something else? https://www.askmehelpdesk.com/rodent...on-672881.html

Lol.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JudyKayTee

And when the babies are born how many additional cages will you need to buy?

I plan on giving them to the local pet store when they are old enough.

Quote:

Originally Posted by annieonymous

i plan on giving them to the local pet store when they are old enough.

Please separate the males from the females as soon as they finish nursing, or you will have a houseful of animals like I did.