How would it feel...caution long post...Now with Pics pg2

[Jems71]

How would a pregnant tummy feel??? Soft and squishy hard and lumpy...something in between???

Yesterday I took in two girls, in their Living World Rat Mannor cage and a DBL CN thats in fantastic shape...the deal was the guy wanted to sell the CN cage I emailed about it he lives 500kms away...when we got talking over the past week...and he found out I was looking for a bigger home for my pet rats.
He then propsed a deal...he would drive the cage to me (500kms) take $50 off the asking price...if I would take his female rats...I mulled it over asked more questions...about their age and health and exposure to other rats...etc.
These girls are approx 1yr old...have not been around other rats for over a month...there were 2 older rats they lived with that passed away a few months back...he said those rats were approx 2.5-3yrs old...figured died of old age...They are fed Extrusion blocks and kept on carefresh bedding...have never had any health issues...no tumors or respiratory illnesses...active healthy friendly girls...
So I said what the heck...lets help these girls out...the guy was genuine and seems to be trying to do the best he could for them...but life has thrown him some curve balls and when he saw an opportunity to give them a better home he asked...

Anyway...these girls are sweet...little black hooded...and a brownish berk...theyare active inquisitive eating and drinking...no discharge from eyes or nose...breathing sounds clear...skin looks ok..do not seem itchy...But...
one of these girls is HUGE!!! I mean doesn't look normal huge...she seem to be in body bone structure size about the same as my Ellie, same head and leg size...but looks like she swallowed a baseball...her belly is not hard...its squishy like a big water balloon...if this guy lied to me and she is preggers...whould her belly feel squishy or lumpy? any other pregnant animal I have dealt with once they are huge they are hard and lumpy...not jst round and squishy...

I really don't think he lied...he seemed very genuine and kind, and his care of them was not too bad...they were not on pine or fed cat food or seed mix...their cages were decent DBL CN...and the smaller cage not a palace but adaquate...Maybe they were fed too many treats...he did say the huge one had taken the death of the older ones a few months ago hard and has been more shy since...Maybe she is a depressed emotional eater and got fat and lazy?
I will try to get pics tonight...but just wondering how her belly would feel if she was not just fat and was preggers?

 

[lilspaz68]

How old is she?

Can you take pics?

But if you have a scale I would advise you to start weighing every day at the same time and record the weights. We'll be able to tell soon enough

 

[victoria]

If she looks like she swallowed a baseball my guess would be preggers. Can you get a pic?

ETA: Shelagh beat me :|

 

[jorats]

When I picked up a couple of old breeder girls, I could have sworn they were pregnant but they weren't.
Keeping my fingers crossed she's not.

 

[Jems71]

I am soooo sad and worried and mad thinking about this...this man seemed so nice...and even my hubby said he felt he was a really nice guy...drove all this way to discount a cage and rehome some rats doesn't seem like something a jerk would do.
She is approx 1yr maybe older... IMO she is abnormally fat... like the fat is not all over her...its all gut...the thoughts that she might be preggo makes me stressed that the other little girl might be preggers too...if they were that irresponsible and lied to me...
He called her a big cuddly lazy piggy...and said she has been more shy and somewhat more lazy since the older girls passed away...hopefully she is just fat and needs a diet...
I will try to get some pics...poor girl...even if she is not preggers...she is way too fat!

 

[SQ]

She could be fat. Older rats do slow down and gain weight .... I have a lot of overweight rats :emb:

She could also be ill.

 

[Jems71]

She could be fat. Older rats do slow down and gain weight .... I have a lot of overweight rats :emb:

She could also be ill.

What type of illness would cause this type of weight gain...'cause she does sort of look and feel bloated...

again none of the usual obvious signs of illness...she is curious, but cautious and is eating and drinking...no resp sounds, no sneezes or hicups...skin appears good...no irritatons or scabs...no discharge from eyes or nose...maybe she is just older than he thought...the guy said approx 1yr...for both...they got them in summer last year and they were babies when they got them.

 

[minnow]

There's pyometra (infection of the uterus), off the top of my head. There's also the possibility of uterine tumors, but if she's squishy bloated that's less likely. If to your knowledge she hasn't been around boys, a vet check may be in order.

 

[jorats]

Maybe a vet check is in order at this point? Could give you ease of mind if anything else.

 

[Jems71]

So I emailed the guy asking how long has she been chubby...he said months...she has been fat for months...I asked how many months and he said at least 3-4...
I would thinhk if this is an infection she would be very ill by now if it truly has been months...
calling vet in the morning maybe she will have better insight...whish she knew more about rats.

 

[rodentmama]

Definately a vet check. We lost Mickey when his three cage mates died and he started eating indigestible things. I never noticed, I thought he was CHEWING things. It wasn't till he was starting to look bloated that I noticed. I took him to the vet and she suggested a bit of oil and massage his belly. Bad idea as something ruptured and I ended up running to the ER and was too late. It still breaks my heart that he was so young and died that way. I never dreamed a rat could be so grief stricken as to become neurotic like that. Get her checked out, you'll know one way or another that way.

 

[Moon]

Maybe a large internal growth?

 

[victoria]

I think if you take a pic we'll be better able to give you an opinion as to whether she is chubby, preggers, or something more serious. Some rats carry extra weight more gracefully than others, but I'm also a big believer in trusting one's instincts.

How long have you had her? I would definitely take her to the vet if you can but I would wait a bit unless you feel that she is in distress of some sort. I say this because your vet may not be able to tell you conclusively if she is pregnant or not (can they distinguish the mother's heartbeats from that of her fetuses' in rats?) and holding off on the checkup will help the vet rule it out if necessary. That's my opinion though, I'm sure others will disagree and say to take her in right away.

 

[jorats]

The vet should be able to feel the organs inside the rat and also palpate for any tumours.
Did you ask the guy if she's been around males?

 

[Jems71]

We talked a bit more last evening and Yes I asked about exposure to others esp males he said they have not been around any other rats in over 3 months...he had two older rats that passed 3-5months ago....5months ago when the first old rat died she was depressed so they took her out to cuddle with humans more...she was always a laid back lazier rat and became a rat that sat on your shoulder and ate your snacks with you...and she loves cookies, and every night his grandson and the rat shared cookies...and then he sit with her and would also share treats with her...he thinks its their doing that she became so fat...but they felt sorry for her...they tried to put her on a diet of only rat food...and veggies...but she would not eat the blocks and they worried about that so gave her treats...if this is truly the case no wonder she is fat my Gram had a dog like this she lost her dog companion and people felt sorry for her and fed her junk and let her be lazy and she became so over weight in a year it was gros...I am hoping this is all for this lovely girl.
I was unable to get pics last night cause I got home later from work and had no batteries again! :rant:

we had the two new girls Darcy (fat one) now named CC (for chub chub) and Zoey, out to play last night she was curious and "ran" (waddled)around exploring and tunneling in the blankets would come over for quick sniff and nuzzle and back to playing...wrestled a bit with her cage mate...she seems bright and alert...
this morning she had all the carefresh bedding in a giant pile covering the entrance and most of the large igloo house she came with...her poor little cage mate Zoey was in the igloo...when I moved the bedding away she poked her head out so cute...
Miss CC was very eager for the food I placed in the cage adn there was lots of blocks there for her...no extra water drank IMO...I think she is a PIGGY! I am calling vet this morning and because I see no immediate signs that she is in distress or seriously ill... if I can get appt this weekend I think that will be ok...of course if things change I will try for something sooner.
Sometimes I think I am my animals hypocondriac! :nod: and my family agrees...and so does my vet... :roll:

 

Pics would really help :stickpoke:

I have a girl that is all belly, but it's just fat. It's not an illness or a pregnancy.

Buy a scale and weigh her, also has she gotten any bigger?

 

[Petunia]

just curious, is the chubby girl a black hooded?

I've got a foster who looks likes she swallowed a tennis ball, seriously!! and she's a black hooded.

Just wondering if it's a black hooded girl "thing" LOL (I did see another photo recently of another black hooded girl who looked like she's swallowed a tennis ball, too!!)

The few times my foster has let me pick her up, her belly felt like a water balloon to me.
NO chance that she's pregnant and I was told she's just fat.

I've got older photos of her so I know she's been like this for awhile, so I am hoping she truly is just fat.

It's just so odd because only her belly is fat, the rest of her looks normal.

My chubby girls are fat all over.

hope your girl isn't pregnant!

 

[Jems71]

Nope not a black hooded...brown berk.
I hope she is not preggers either! as much and I love babies and think its amazing to watch moms and babes and watch them grow...No thanks! To hard to find them homes!
Sorry still no pics...I truly am slacker in the area of getting to store to pick up anything right now...I have been working 11-12hr days and I am exhausted when we get home and just want to get the rats out to play and relax with them for a bit...then clean up their messy homes, feed them their evening meals and then settle in myself...
Hate it when work is crazy like this...it better settle down for the summer! I need a life!
SOOOO HAPPY ITS THE WEEKEND! So far I do not have to work this weekend but I guess time will tell what kind of garbage my development team gives me to work with today...

 

[Jems71]

Oh yeah and my vet is not in today, tomorrow or Monday!
Her partner is in and said she will see the girl...but I know for a fact the partner does not like rats she has said so...
therefore I will not take her to this woman...I will take my dogs and cats but not the rats...unless this girl starts acting ill I will wait for my vet.

 

[jorats]

I hear ya on that one. My vet has a colleague who doesn't really know rats and we won't bring them to her unless it's really dire.

Oh yeah and my vet is not in today, tomorrow or Monday!
Her partner is in and said she will see the girl...but I know for a fact the partner does not like rats she has said so...
therefore I will not take her to this woman...I will take my dogs and cats but not the rats...unless this girl starts acting ill I will wait for my vet.