What's the wait?

[ssscales]

I've had my rats sets together for 5-6 weeks now and have witnessed the male getting busy, how long before I see babies?

I've noticed recently the females have been pushing Aspen in mounds in front of the hide box, is this a sign?

[Smulkin]

Gestation is about 21 days or so - please correct me if i am off (though should be right about close to it).


Fluffing the nest sounds like a precursor to me - if she's kind of fluffing it into piles in front of her (as opposed to hiding/digging up food).

[ssscales]

Gestation is about 21 days or so - please correct me if i am off (though should be right about close to it).


Fluffing the nest sounds like a precursor to me - if she's kind of fluffing it into piles in front of her (as opposed to hiding/digging up food).

She piling it front of the hide, I provide them with a hide box and they spend most of the day in it or on it sleeping. Lately she's been building a mound in front of the opening.

[Smulkin]

I don't have hides in mine - but as the drop date nears I notice they will often hang out in the corners a lot more and start piling up and tamping down a nice cozy depression and spending a lot of time sleeping.

[ssscales]

Should I continue to clean their tubs weekly during this time?

Every Sunday I remove the Aspen, clean out the tubs with soap & water, spray some Virosan, rinse well, dry and replace the Aspen, as well as clean out the water bottles and food dish.

I don't want to disturb them, but I also don't want to go too long without cleaning!

[adizziedoll]

I waited a good 2 months with the rats and never got babies... i dont know what i did wrong but it was frustrating! I'm having wonderful luck with my micies I think i will try rats again soon though.

On that note.... good luck with them! It wsounds like you have some promise with the nesting and all. Does she have a little pear shape tummy? It's hard to tell with rats sometimes, they dont get really big until about a week, even a few days, before they are going to pop. (when I had rats as pets i got babies, and didnt have the heart to feed them to my snakes... good timing huh)

I would clean the tubs ... and keep cleaning the tubs like you normally do even after babies come. The cage will get stinkier with all of those new bodies in there, and mom shouldn't mind too much if you move the family around a bit. Just do it quickly and gently and all should be well.

[ssscales]

Thanks, the females don't look swollen or any different physically. I'll stick to my weekly routine, Sunday is cleaning/feeding day regardless.

[Smulkin]

I would clean the tubs ... and keep cleaning the tubs like you normally do even after babies come. The cage will get stinkier with all of those new bodies in there, and mom shouldn't mind too much if you move the family around a bit. Just do it quickly and gently and all should be well.

How I do it as well. just make sure when moving them for the clean you get the momrat transfered first - some don't take too well to that sort of intrusion - makes it less dodgy. They get a little frantic about it of course and (very) rarely she may take a bite at that intrusive hand - fery vew and far bewtween with ours

[ssscales]

How I do it as well. just make sure when moving them for the clean you get the momrat transfered first - some don't take too well to that sort of intrusion - makes it less dodgy. They get a little frantic about it of course and (very) rarely she may take a bite at that intrusive hand - fery vew and far bewtween with ours

I got a nice set of gloves for this, just in case she gets nippy! I'd rather take a bite from an 8ft Boa before taking a rat bite, I know it's no big deal, but I'm paranoid!

[wolfy-hound]

I've found often the mommy rats won't look any different unless you pick them up, sort of hold their upper body and let their butt sort of dangle. If they are carrieing, then you will notice the bulge, when you won't see it with them running about.
Sometimes rats will not breed the first couple monthes according to what I was told, time to settle in I guess. I don't really know.
My mommies always seem to pile the aspen when they are ready, and I actually have one that piles ALL her aspen into one huge pile, and even gets it pushed out the top of the rack. A little frustraing, and you might want to be sure that the water bottle is not touching whereever they have decided to pile, as it can siphon the water out, and then you have icky wet bedding.
All only my opinion or observation.
Wolfy