baby rat explosion!

[quietann]

We are having a bit of a population explosion here; I didn't expect *all* of the female rats who were bred in June and July to get pregnant!


The oldest litter, now 3 1/2 weeks old, have their own webpage: http://andoverrattery.home.comcast.net/adoption/vinca/thumbs/

The next litter are 6 days old, 6 boys and 9 girls:







The next are 3 days old, 6 boys and 5 girls:




Litter number 4 is due tomorrow!

Comments

[ratgrl.livejournal.com]

I think it's the #2 girl in Sam's litter that I'm enjoying most. The #5 girl would be my runner up. It'll be really interesting to see if Sam really is DU. You'll find out ~2 weeks of age.

[chhotii.livejournal.com]

Does Mama Rat get mad when you start scooping her offspring out of the cage and sorting little piles of them on the carpet for photographing?

[ratgrl.livejournal.com]

Depends on the mama. Some of them think you're a godsend, others would like to rip off your hand and wean their children with it. Generally some delicious morsel of food can be offered and a temporary trade made ;)

[quietann.livejournal.com]

What ratgrl said :)

Also, I lure mama out of the cage with a treat, and send her off to see some of her adult cagemates so they don't forget her. Once the babies are mobile, mama is usually *quite happy* to leave them for a while; they are terrible pests, and mama is well outnumbered by them and can't get away from them when they want to nurse!

[daynavon.livejournal.com]

Aye.. they usually like to throw a wrench in your breeding plans, but I guess this time they were okay with letting it slide.