Litter of Ratties!

[Holbeird]

So I noticed our female rat was pregnant last Friday and was going to move her to a 10 gallon tank but decided to put it off one day. Of course I wake up Saturday morning to little squeaks and a bunch of ratties. I didn't want to move them and stress out the first time mommy and have her eat the babies so Instead I removed their father for now. Either way, the cage is in need of a cleaning and I'm a little worried about moving them. How long should I wait until I can move the mother and them to a 10 gallon so I can clean the cage they're in now and return the father rat to it with another female? Thanks.

Oh and pictures will be coming as soon as I get some responses that make me feel comfortable enough to take pictures without stressing her.

Mother is a Dark Brown Berkshire crossed to a Near Black Hooded Dumbo. So far from peaking I see berks and hoodeds in the nest but I don't expect any dumbos unless the mother is carrying some dumbo genes that I don't know about.

[monk90222]

I've grabbed pinkies the day they were born from experienced mothers in order to move them, but since this is a first time mom, I would give it a few days.....2 or 3.....just to make sure they are nursing well (you can see visible milk bands)

[littleindiangirl]

You should be safe to move them by now, or whenever your feeding day is. It's not common for rat's to eat their babies.

I usually put mom in a different container, and make up the new tub, but I also use some soiled bedding from the nesting area to put in the new one so mom knows that is her nest.

I think you'll be fine that way, then return mom to her new clean nest!

[Holbeird]

It's been three days now and I've offered her food from my hand and she's taking it so I'm hoping in the next couple days I can move her, unless I get more input saying its ok to do it now, or I should wait until later. Either way as much input as possible would be great. And by the way, what are Milk Bands?

[littleindiangirl]

When you hold the pinkie, you can see a white band in their stomach area. That's milk, and an indication that mom is doing her job feeding them. I like to make sure that they have milk bands the day of birth unless she's a proven great mother rat.

I hope AshleyB doesn't mind but she takes such great pics! You can see the milk band's in the stomach area of these mice.

[Holbeird]

Oh ok, I see what you're talking about now. I'll check that when I go to move them tonight. I'm getting her 10 gallon set up now. I am glad to be moving them because I've been a bit nervous because the cage they're in now is wire. The only thing that's been keeping me from worrying too much is it's one of the wire ones that has plastic about 1/4th of the way up (to minimize bedding kick out) so I figured if I couldn't move them, by the time they could get to where the wire is they'd bee too big to get stuck.

[ADEE]

When you hold the pinkie, you can see a white band in their stomach area. That's milk, and an indication that mom is doing her job feeding them. I like to make sure that they have milk bands the day of birth unless she's a proven great mother rat.

I hope AshleyB doesn't mind but she takes such great pics! You can see the milk band's in the stomach area of these mice.

i dont mind! All nine of my little mice babies are doing great! i got a for sure count today while they were nursing. and yes, i agree those were some great milk bands in that photo. i dont mind you using it as long as ya dont make money of it otherwise share away as long as i get the credit for the photos i take lol.. thanks for using it to help others and for the compliment!!

I would think moving the babies would be fine by now but its what you feel comfy with, you know her we dont. if shes laid back i woudl say go for it.. i know of some rat owners who handle the babies the day their born

[frankykeno]

I've had my hands on every rat born here for the past 3 years within 24-48 hours of their birth. I like to give them a quick once over, count the litter, check for any stillborns and make sure they all have good milkbands. So far without fail I've never had a momma rat reject her litter from me handling them. I remove the mother to a secure container, quickly do my thing with her babies and pop her back in. They don't seem to care as they are used to my scent and my scent means food and treats.

Do watch your females. The most even tempered female rat can become nippy when they have a litter with them. It's no big deal and just a natural reaction but they can bite hard and fast and if you're not watching for it....well it's always a surprise LOL.