# Feeders > Breeding Rats >  easy way to tell if rats r pregnate?

## paintballerpunk722

is there a easy way to tell if rats r preg?

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## anatess

I haven't heard of any other method besides noticing the big belly.

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## Shenzi Sixaxis

You'll know. 

And if they're REALLY pregnant, either with a lot of babies or soon to pop (or both), you may see this. This girl had 19 babies about 12 hours later. However, even when she had less than 8, I could see some movement. Not like that, but still noticeable.

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_lance_ (02-05-2011)

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## PghBall

Expectant mothers will start cleaning the area where the nipples are to make them more easily accessable for the pinks.  Also they will really get a pear shape (large belly) to them when they are close to dropping their litter.

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## mommanessy247

wow lol thats what MY belly looks like most days...hehe i'm 7 months preggers with my 3rd...a girl.

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_Denial_ (02-24-2011)

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## Shenzi Sixaxis

^ Hopefully you won't be popping 19 babies!  :ROFL:

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## snakesRkewl

> ^ Hopefully you won't be popping 19 babies!


Why not? the more the merrier.  :ROFL:

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## coldbloodaddict

Ept...lol

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## BuckeyeBalls

I wondered the same thing. As someone told me... You will notice it... Will look like they swallowed a baseball....

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## Tidus10

So is it safe to assume more prominent nipples are a good sign? I just got a rat and the guy said she may be pregnant.

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## Shenzi Sixaxis

Yup! Definite sign.

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## Tidus10

just an FYI.. my female rat popped! i think i seen 8 babies :-)

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## Capital Rodents

There’s an easy way to tell if your rats have bred and are potentially prego. Hold the rat by the base of the tail and use a clean, sterile probe and gently push down on the lower end of the rat’s vagina.  If the female has been bred recently you will see a sperm plug (white, milky substance in the opening).  This doesn`t guarantee that she is pregnant but if there a plug there’s a good chance. 
This method works great if you pull prego females, just check for a plug the morning after the female is introduced to the male.  If there’s a plug pull her, if not leave her in and check again the next morning.  Rats with fresh plugs will give birth in 21-23 days. If a male isn’t producing any plugs it might be time to replace him.
I know this may sound like rat porn but it’s the way the pros do it.

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## tomfromtheshade

> I know this may sound like rat porn but its the way the pros do it.


LMAO! Oh man. I couldn't imagine checking all 600 females this way LMAO. Umm..."Yeah honey, won't be able to make it for dinner tonight...have to probe a few hundred rat vag's" LMAO.

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## Shenzi Sixaxis

I think maybe they meant the professionals who breed for temperament and all that crap? X)

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## Capital Rodents

> I think maybe they meant the professionals who breed for temperament and all that crap? X)


No, not at all.  I breed for quality and quantity.  There are many great advantages to knowing if your rats have bred.  If the females are plugged Im able to pull them and put them together in the same bins, this way all the babies will be born at basically the same time.  If I didn't check the plugs some females might be sitting around not pregnant for a couple weeks.
I can also tell if the male is doing his job.  If I have a tub of females and there doesn't seem to be as many babies as the other tubs I can separate those females at the next breeding and see who is producing less.  
Knowing how many prego females I have allows me to have a better understanding of what my inventory will be in the coming weeks.
Using this method also allows me to keep just 1 male for every 35 females.

Quote"LMAO! Oh man. I couldn't imagine checking all 600 females this way LMAO. Umm..."Yeah honey, won't be able to make it for dinner tonight...have to probe a few hundred rat vag's" LMAO. 

Actually it doesn't take all that much time.  I can usually check a tub in less than a minute, but its not something I talk to my wife about at the dinner table.

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## paintballerpunk722

ok i figured my rats are preg but they been the size of a base ball for over a month and a half whats up with that?

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