Nesting Material

Alright, all you rat breeders, I'm expecting my first litter of rats within the next week and maybe two.

Scarlett, my blue self is MUCH rounder than Mrs. Snuggles, so she's been set up in her own 10 gallon maternity tank with fresh food and water and some torn up paper towels.

If I were to guess, she's anywhere from 18-21 days along. Mrs. Snuggles is still with Caesar, since she's not visibly showing yet, and they can still keep each other company.

I tore up some paper towels and put them in with Scarlett - anything else that your ratties really like for nesting material? I've also got both maternity tanks set up in the bedroom, which is low traffic, low light. The second maternity tank is set up and waiting for Mrs. Snuggles when she begins to show.

Mine love torn or wadded phone book pages. I think lint from your dryer is ok too, although mine don't really seem to care for it.
Wolfy

Mine went bonkers over newspaper.

Mine have done well so far in just the aspen bedding in their cages/tanks. I'm thinking of using old t-shirts / socks pieces and letting them tear them up, but I haven't tried it yet. I have 3 preggers at the same time right now, so I'm in the process of re-organizing my nursery cages so they'll each have their own "birthing suite". ;) If I can remember :oops: I'll try the suggestions you've all made, and see if the new moms like it better than the previous moms did.


:confused: confused yet??? lmbo :giggle:


RuLyn

Personally I'd avoid anything made of material like a t-shirt. It will soak up the blood of the birthing and any urine, stay wet longer and becoming stinky really fast. Our females just use their normal bedding material and I usually give them some thin strips from old telephone books which all rats, preggie or not, seem to love to mess about with.

One thing Robin. If you notice a bit of nesting material stuck on a newborn pinkie don't remove it. It will eventually flake off or the momma rat will deal with it. Pinkies immediately after birthing have pretty delicate skin and it can rip if you tug off a bit of aspen/pine/paper, etc. Most rats are very clean birthers so you'll likely be quite surprised at how little blood there is in the area.

I just tear news paper into strips and give them some orchard grass. They make killer nests out of the 2. When my females are about to pop this time I'll give them a full roll of Toilet paper a few days before I suspect they will have their babies. nothing beats cotton soft nesting materials.....

i usually just tear up some tissues and a paper towel. if there is a box or something cardboard in the cage the mom will shred some of that and use it too.

Well, she's set up in the bedroom - and she made quite a racket with her water bottle last night - I really need to find some velcro and velcro it to the side so she can't keep "popping" it against the glass. Silly girl! She seems like she got fatter last night! LOL