Dwarf rat in a standard litter?

[capslock]

My rat recently gave borth to an OOPs litter of 16 and one of the males is EXTREMELY tiny. Dwarf tiny.
He looks like a baby mouse.
They all vary in size of course, but this one is incredibly tiny in comparrison with even the smallest of the bunch. Nothing seems to be wrong with him, he isn't skinny or weak at all, actually supringly developed for his age. However, I thought it was impossible for one to be born from two standards unless they carry the dwarf gene, which is very rare if at all present in pet store rats. I can't figure it out! Is it possible that the genes of pet store rats are so much like trailmix that I just happened to get a dwarf in my litter?

 

[lilspaz68]

He looks very thin. If he was nice and chubby I wouldnt' worry so much, How old is he?

 

[capslock]

15 days. I think that is just how the pis looks though he is actually pretty chubby.

 

[jorats]

Hi!
Wow, that little guy is tiny! Mom is paying him enough attention?
Is that pic recent? At 15 days they should be getting ready to open their eyes.

 

[theratlady]

actually 15 days they should already started opening their eyes, esp dark eyed rats.
he is tiny!

 

[henry's_mum]

yes at 15 days they should be WAY more developed than that pic shows they are...

 

[lilspaz68]

That is an old picture right?

These are healthy 15 day old bubs

These little monkeys are 8 days old

 

[capslock]

Wow. Why are mine so small?
They have more fur now, that picture wasn't yesterday, my bad, three days ago.
Anwways.
The mother is one I adopted from SPCA and she is only about 3-6 months herself.
Is this why they are small?
I have been giving her everything she needs, and even giving her Alsoy and helping feed the babies.

 

[henry's_mum]

could you take pics of the WHOLE litter for us hun?
If we could see all of them together it may help us better identify any issues...

 

[capslock]

I left my camera at a friends but I have pics of a few of them from the day after that pic was taken.

 

[Rissa]

You said you are helping her feed the babies? What are you feeding them?

 

[lilspaz68]

I left my camera at a friends but I have pics of a few of them from the day after that pic was taken.

Same pic

Yeah we need mom and the whole litter together asap. Is mom a standard coated rat?

 

[capslock]

****. I copied the wrong adress.

this pic

Best I got!


I am feeding them soy baby formula.
I am feeding it to mom, too.
However, babies are now licking apple sauce and yogurt from my fingertips.

All this talking made me want to go see them, and Darwin the little black one (one of the two I am keeping) His eyes are open!
OMG he is so cute.

 

[lilspaz68]

Is that the little fella on the left? He looks like a smallish runt, and sometimes they stay smaller than their siblings, sometimes are the same and sometimes end up a little bigger

 

[capslock]

No he isnt in that one. That is the one that was beside him in the other pic.

 

[Moon]

I'm just curious.... how big is the litter?

 

[lilspaz68]

I believe capslock said 16, which would explain the teeny weeny.

 

[capslock]

Yes, 16 and mom is pretty young and tiny herself.

 

[Moon]

Oh I missed that.

Yeah, a young mom with a big litter would have some smaller than normal babies. They are sooo super cute!