Bad mom!

I've bred rabbits and hamsters before but rats so far have taken the cake. My first prego rat gave birth this morning but she's such a bad mom. Sure it's her first time but gez. I culled 10 some babies( she was huge!)left her with 5 but she has no idea what to do with them. She feeds them but constantly scatters them. she'll just move one and forget about it until it crys. she steps all over them and has bitten a few of them. Hopefully the few left will make it to size. :please:

Rats are very speratic, mine move the babies around all the time.

Don't bother the mother, she'll be fine. Peeking in on her will only make things worse. Just leave her alone, no matter if you think she is doing a bad job or not. She isnt doing a bad job until they are dead.

If it's the hairless, she probably isnt producing milk. If tomorrow you still don't see any milk bands, or the babies are dead, then take them all away. I wouldn't breed her again, it's just not worth it.

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Don't bother the mother, she'll be fine. Peeking in on her will only make things worse. Just leave her alone, no matter if you think she is doing a bad job or not. She isnt doing a bad job until they are dead.

If it's the hairless, she probably isnt producing milk. If tomorrow you still don't see any milk bands, or the babies are dead, then take them all away. I wouldn't breed her again, it's just not worth it.

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Wait. You mean I shouldn't be bathing each baby everyday to make sure it's clean? You're saying I shouldn't take them from the pile she makes of them and scatter them about the tub so she doesn't sit on them?

Huh?

LOL

Just leave her be. Like Connie said, as long as they're alive and growing they're fine. Throw in some dryer lint if she's particularly flighty. They nest in that stuff like nobodies business.

Dryer lint...I've not heard of that...sounds perfect. I've got a momma mouse about to drop, hafta try that. =)

Yeah, leave'em be. I try not to touch the momma or babies for at least a week after birth, either rat or mouse.

Today she did a better job and i can see milk bands on the ones I left her with.