CRAP!!!!! Momma Rat Died!!!

[EvergladesExotics]

I just started breeding my own rats. I got good stock, hand picked from Jack at SFR. Food is Native Earth. Waters are always full. Bedding is pine pellets under pine shavings. This was this girls first litter, I got her pregnant. She was looking a little thin, so I put in some Innova dog food and peanut butter. I thought she was looking better but just now found her cold. Her pups are crawlers just about to open their eyes. My problem is that I have no foster moms! Theres only one other girl whos preggo and it will be at least a few days before she pops and it's her first litter too. So, any way I could keep these guys or should I give up and just feed them? Theres a few nice ones I wanted to keep :/

[DooLittle]

That sucks. Probably just have to sacrafice that litter and feed it off, or freeze them for later.

[spitzu]

I got her pregnant

Maybe the other one will drop her litter before they die off?

[crazyj83]

Do not kill them, at that age if you have a few your going to keep, there are a few different ways to hand feed. If they are just shy of opening their eyes use ensure and soften up rat block. They have teeth and will survive.

[crazyj83]

Here is a few links for how to care for orphan rats... www.ratfanclub.org/orphans.html
www.fatratcentral.com
Hope these help. All my momma rats just dropped 80 pups in this last week. Had to do my research with a quickness..lol

[Trochu]

i got her pregnant.

:o

[KTyne]

Just wanted to add that Pine shavings are very, very bad for rodent's of any type's health. That might be what did her off. :|

[C&H Exotic Morphs]

Just wanted to add that Pine shavings are very, very bad for rodent's of any type's health. That might be what did her off. :|

Aslong as the pine is kiln dried it is perfectly safe for rodents!
There are more than a few members on this site that have been raising and breeding rats for numerous years using pine shavings with no ill effects.

[crazyj83]

Kiln dried ine shavings is an awesome bedding for rats. However cedar is a death sentence.

[KTyne]

I just don't see the point of using Pine if it has the potential to cause harm? Even if it's kiln dried I don't see how that would remove the oils from the wood ?? (When I had rats I avoided all pine like the plague so I didn't research much into it)
I haven't bred rats but I've researched breeding them extensively and have kept them but in the pet context so my knowledge is in regards to their long-term health not just making sure they grow up to be eaten by a snake or to breed babies for snake food.
I'm not trying to start anything, just pointing out the only thing that to me could have caused his momma rat to die..

*edit- it could be others things too of course, like a post-natal hematoma or some such??