Who's the Mother??

[alanwb1900]

HI, I am new to keeping a large amount of rats and have a question about how I can tell who the mother of a litter is. I bought 20 Rats from a guy that was getting rid of his snake collection and a 5 level cage. So I had no intention of breeding them but they were all in the same cage. I got a couple more cages and went to separate some of them today and found 4 pinkies in one of the hides. There are 5 females in the bunch and I'm having a hard time determining which one is the mother. Is there an easy way to tell?

[Rhasputin]

Check the nipples. The mother should have more prominent nipples, and the fur around them will be messy or even pulled out from being suckled on.

[DumansArk]

If this is a new mother and she hadn't been able to settle down and feed her babies yet, then compare the rear ends of the females in the cage. The momma's lady parts should be a bit more "open" or even puckered looking.

[alanwb1900]

Check the nipples. The mother should have more prominent nipples, and the fur around them will be messy or even pulled out from being suckled on.

Thanks, that was the instinct I went on earlier and separated them from the rest of the group, but I started doubting that I got the right mother because I've not yet seen her nursing them. Her nipples aren't as prominent as I would think they would be but they are the most prominent of the bunch.

[alanwb1900]

If this is a new mother and she hadn't been able to settle down and feed her babies yet, then compare the rear ends of the females in the cage. The momma's lady parts should be a bit more "open" or even puckered looking.

Thanks I will go check this now.

[alanwb1900]

OK whew, I had the right one, she had bulging lady parts and when I came back in from checking the others she was nursing the pinks. Thanks Again for the help!!

[DumansArk]

Yay!! Enjoy the squeakers

Since the others were all in the same cage it sounds like you may have more litters coming. If in the future you need to see if babies are getting fed, you may want to take the chance now to check over these guys as a reference. Drop a nice treat on one end of the cage, and then look at the bubs' bellies once Mom leaves. There will be a white band visible beneath their transparent pink belly skin. That white color is milk. Fed babies will get nice and round and full on that. Take care not to take too long - you don't want to spook Mom especially if she isn't used to being handled.