Just gotta ask

[jjnnbns]

It seems that all that I needed to do was ask about why our rats werent breeding and then today I found this:

http://bitz.net/~ato/Pictures/Brent/First%20Litter.jpg

I originally thought nine but now it looks like ten. Cool, "free" food (less the cost of caging, parents, food, substrate, etc... lol!)

Brent Strande

[latazyo]

gross

[Ciddian]

Babies! :medopen:

[jjnnbns]

Originally posted by latazyo
gross

Give em three weeks and you'll think that they're as cute as the hooded little one that I fed off last weekend!

[annieb_mice]

Congratulations!! Give them a few weeks and they'll be the cutest things you've ever seen! Hopper rats are absolutely adorable when they are playing and wrestling with each other... well... until it's time for your snake to eat. ;)
Take care
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[Vanan]

I do have to agree Annie. With the 3 litter I have of hopper rats, I keep saying, "Breeder, breeder, feeder,breeder, breeder, breeder." lol. Would love to keep em all!!!! This coming from an ex-rat-ophobe (if there's such a word even!)

[CHRISANDBOIDS14]

Awesome! Good luck with that! Haha, 10? Try 60+ mouse pinkies in a pile!

C.

[jjnnbns]

Down to four, the others were feeders...sort of. The mom chewed on the backs of their necks and at first I saw her carrying one and thought that it may be harmless, but today I found six dead and four left. Since we have no need for pinkie rats, we are leaving them in there and seeing if she by chance spares their lives...

I heard that sometimes a mother will kill her first litter, I just hoped that ours was a little better parent than that.

[sapphire_moon]

Well it kind of depends. I have a rat that I find is a "nervous" mother. EVERY time I got into the cage She would grab one in her mouth and franticly run about. But she is getting better about it.

One of my mice on the other hand :rolleyes: she eats atleast one from EVERY litter SHE has (great mother to the other mice babies though, lol)

[jjnnbns]

These ones were chewed up only behind the head, and then pushed out of the nest, kinda buried separately from the rest but all around (not all the dead ones in same spot)

[annieb_mice]

Give the mom some extra protein.
There is the slim possibility of the babies being unhealthy in some way, but I doubt this is the case here.
Don't handle the babies or disturb the mom too much. She might feel a bit stressed or nervous. :)
Take care and good luck!
Let us know how the other babies make out.
Annie B. <:3 )~~

[sapphire_moon]

ya, could have also gotten into a tug-o-war with them with the other "mom"