Re: My female rat is going to explode
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Originally Posted by frankykeno
LOL I swear mine know when it's pizza and wings night around here. I walk into their area with the bones and the pizza crusts and they are already on their hide legs jostling for the handout.
Mike totally spoils the male breeder group. Bunch of big ole boys that line up for him and take their treats from his hand. Nice life they have really....hang out with the boys....snarf down some good eats....take your turn in rotation to "visit the ladies"....back to the bachelor pad for more good eats and lazing about until it's your turn again. :D I'm always amazed how how well these mature males do together. Rarely a scuffle and they happily welcome a new guy into the group (well as long as he acknowledges that old Casanova is still King of the Food Bowl).
that is THE LIFE!
Re: My female rat is going to explode
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Originally Posted by juddb
Thats how this girl was, her belly was so big. I have a question though. Im worried that all the babies arent getting their turn to get milk from mommy, so what should i do? Also do all the babies make it normally, or is there an average of babies that survive?
She'll split them up into two different groups and feed one group the feed the second. Just make sure she gets plenty of food and water all the time. I put a vitamin supplement in my nursing moms water seems to really help them recover.
Re: My female rat is going to explode
Just to further what Ed said, momma rats are really good about managing their big litters. Back when I first started breeding rats I used to think "oh dear she's lost a few" and I'd gather up the babies from the other nest and "help" the momma rat (Emily did this too). We both learned that smart mother rats split big litters into two nests and move back and forth or just rotate them in the one big nest. Just make sure momma is super well fed and hydrated. Keep an eye out for visible milkbands that indicate they are getting fed.
You can only see these on the newborn pinks....
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2.../Milkbands.jpg
Female rat with newborn litter, you can see it's pretty easy to peek in and check for milkbands on most of them...
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...eandbabies.jpg
Usually they don't lose any but if she rejects a couple and they die, that's just nature's way of culling the weak ones or the mother knowing what she can manage. It's pretty rare though for rats to lose any young. Sometimes they will consume one or two right at the moment of birth if the young is defective but again, nature's way usually of letting only the strong survive.
Re: My female rat is going to explode
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Originally Posted by Freakie_frog
. I put a vitamin supplement in my nursing moms water seems to really help them recover.
Whats the vitamin supplement that you use, and where do you get it? Thanks for everyones help.
Re: My female rat is going to explode
Quote:
Originally Posted by frankykeno
Sometimes they will consume one or two right at the moment of birth if the young is defective but again, nature's way usually of letting only the strong survive.
Rat cannabalism yucky....
Re: My female rat is going to explode
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Originally Posted by darkdreamer
Rat cannabalism yucky....
It's not truly cannabalism. How else is the mother rat to deal with a defective offspring? She consumes it simply to remove it from the nest, to recycle it's nutrients and so that a rotting corpse is not nearby to attract predators to her nest. Basically the same reason to an extent that she consumes all the afterbirth from each offspring....nutrients and to remove as much blood smell as possible. Nature doesn't follow our human sensabilities but it usually works out fine when we don't interfere too much.
Re: My female rat is going to explode
Jo, I just love this pic! :carrot:
Okay kids, just help yourselves!
http://i41.photobucket.com/albums/e2...ManyBabies.jpg
Re: My female rat is going to explode
Quote:
Originally Posted by frankykeno
It's not truly cannabalism. How else is the mother rat to deal with a defective offspring? She consumes it simply to remove it from the nest, to recycle it's nutrients and so that a rotting corpse is not nearby to attract predators to her nest. Basically the same reason to an extent that she consumes all the afterbirth from each offspring....nutrients and to remove as much blood smell as possible. Nature doesn't follow our human sensabilities but it usually works out fine when we don't interfere too much.
Does hse eat the bones too, or just the meat?
Reminds me of Demolishion Man and Rat Burgers!!
Re: My female rat is going to explode
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Originally Posted by juddb
Thats so true. I think they even know when dinner time is at the house.
I know mine do! They are in the den right off my kitchen, so the smell of dinner cooking always wakes them up. By the time we are done eating, that are begging for leftover scraps. :D
Re: My female rat is going to explode
Quote:
Originally Posted by SarahMB
I know mine do! They are in the den right off my kitchen, so the smell of dinner cooking always wakes them up. By the time we are done eating, that are begging for leftover scraps. :D
Yeah same here, They are knocked out but when the kitchen light goes right around 5 pm they get up real quick....
