lilspaz68 said:
Were the dead babies with your mom, did they have high-white markings? If so, could've been failure to thrive/MC instead.
Lovely lucky little rats!
So there was only 21 rats in total? Less your 6 you took home? Not including the 2 boys? So that's 15 rats left? How old do you think Mom is? Do you think she was one of the babies originally? Any more adult rats or are they all younger now?
I don't know what the dead babies looked like. All I know is that it was recent and that one was found dead and the body intact, and the other was dismembered. What are "high-white markings"?
In the case of the one who was found intact, is it possible that mom wasn't able to adequately provide? They were being fed bunny food with no extra protein or fruits or veggies. Mom is on the skinny side and her fur is rough and scraggly.
I'm now giving them nuts, seeds, cheese, bits of boiled egg, and an immunity-boosting supplement.
The total was 23. I brought home 8 (2 of whom went to their new home last night) and there are now 15 left at the shelter.
I have no idea how old mom is, but I don't think she was one of the babies born there. I actually think she and Big Dave may have been part of the original 6 dumped on the doorstep.
Those who are still in Valleyfield are all pretty young except for the two older boys and one more who I don't recall seeing. If you figure that there were 6 originals about two months ago, no one who is left should be older than since they were all born there.