Baby Jazzy is Preggers for Sure - What do I do now?

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Joanne

Joanne

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 5, 2009
Messages
11,989
Location
Nova Scotia, Canada
Jazzy is a little black self that SQ rescued from Halifax from a teenage girl who was keeping her and her brother together in one little cage. She is now twice the rat she was 6 days ago when she came into my care. I have no idea when she was bred, but I think she will have her babies within a week. How do I know when to separate her? I have a hampster cage for travelling, but it is pretty small (11" x 15"). Is this a good size (it has a second floor that she could go to to escape the babies for a moment)? I have a bigger one if necessary. If she has her babies in the Critter Nation cage do I have to wait a few days before moving her? Will the other girls hurt the babies or interfer if she has them there? I don't want to remove her too early from the other ratties, she is just getting to know them......
Should I put aspen shavings in the maternity ward? Or just blankets (no loops,etc)? Food, water, and a nest - that's it? Endow me with your shared wisdom oh Wise Ones!
 
Yikes, talk about an intro to rat ownership! There are some good threads about care of mamas and babies.

It would be best to keep her with the others a few days longer. The hamster cage would be too small, I think. How big is your other one? Maybe someone would have a suitable nursery cage to lend you.

People recommend separating the mama from other females. Maybe you could divide the CN in half while the babies are too young to be mobile. (by putting up the ramp to the middle shelf and covering the hole with cardboard or Coroplast. Once they are running around they will be able to get through the bars probably, so you'll need to use another cage for a while.

As for a nest, I think that people have been using cloth strips. Maybe check the Ginny and the bubs thread, or Dahlas's Piper and her babies thread from a year ago.

Are you able to weigh her to see how fast she is gaining weight? It sounds like it's obvious, though. You'll have to ask the experts how to tell how far along she is and how to guess when it's time to separate her from the others.

Good luck!
 
Oh boy!
How long since she's been separated from the boy? That hamster cage will do in a pinch. She won't need that much room when she's birthing and taking care of the babes.
 
I think SQ picked her up either last Tuesday or Wednesday. She had told the teen not to keep Jazzy in with her brother, and they were in separate cages for a while, but then the FOOLISH CHILD put them back together. *SIGH*
She is old enough to know better!
 
I lent the teen a cage in early Dec. and separated the rats.
They were back together when I picked up the little girl almost two weeks ago ... (Jan. 9)
Since her brother (Buddy) is also very young and timid, was hoping that she would be ok.

Joanne and I discussed what would happen if Jazzy ended up being pregnant prior to the adoption.
Joanne, I tried to phone.
Call me tomorrow, as I have a cage for baby Jazzy, etc.

Everyone, keep your fingers crossed and hope for a very, very small litter .... like two .....
 
I used fleece and paper towels for my maternity cage when she was close.
You know to supplement her diet I am sure. :)

My fingers are crossed for just 2 tiny healthy eepers :)
 
Unfortunately from the size of her belly, I think 2 is a LOW estimate...............
I'm thinking there will be babies over the weekend. I just cleaned out the two nests of material and gave them papertowel to rebuild with just in case Jazzy goes before we get her set up on her own.
 
as long as the other girls arent preggers and having babies themselves they could be fine together. they can help out momma with the chores of cleaning and keeping warm. im sure that they could even lactate if they get motivated enough. as long as no one "steal" babies to make their own pile they should be fine. plus most of those other girls are younger then her too arent they?
 
theratlady said:
as long as the other girls arent preggers and having babies themselves they could be fine together. they can help out momma with the chores of cleaning and keeping warm. im sure that they could even lactate if they get motivated enough. as long as no one "steal" babies to make their own pile they should be fine. plus most of those other girls are younger then her too arent they?
Click to expand...

No, Jazzy is the smallest and youngest baby.
Much too young to be going through this experience :(

She was too small and too young for an emergency spay which is why she was not spayed after I picked her up.
 
Jazzy is huge! Poor little thing. You know those ladies that can barely get up off the couch in the 9th month? That's what she looks like!
SQ couldn't get the cage to me tonight so I set Jazzy up in my old cage, blocking off the upper part so it is one level. Aspen shavings and some felt I had for other projects. She is busy building a nest, rearranging everything. I wanted to take a pic with my macro lens, but couldn't hold her and get far enough away to take the pic at the same time!
Methinks babies soon.......like maybe tonight............
 
Wow, it sure does sound imminent! Good luck to you and little mama. All toes crossed for a small litter.... I'm so glad that SQ will be able to lend you the 695. It is a perfect nursery cage.
 

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