...Moncton SPCA girl had babies..they're gone!

[lindsayfawn]

I'm not sure if I'm posting this in the right place or not so if you could move it to where it should go that would be great!

I don't know why I really look at the adds for more rats lol We have 15 but I always look at the adds and kinda dream I could save them all. I knew there were two at the Moncton SPCA again and the possibility of her being pregnant so I thought I'd go over and see if she was. You can read about it on this thread.
viewtopic.php?f=17&t=6555&start=15

To make a long story short the girl does have 5 babies that the workers didn't even know she had them, she's on pine, eating cat food and is really protective of her babies (holds up biten finger). I know they need to get out of there but Ang and I are just not sure if we can handle taking on a mom with 5 kids when we have 15 girls and have to do one tumor removal for sure on the 22nd for Leia and a possible other one for Emily when she goes in to get checked out.

I would love to get them out of there but at the same time I don't want to spread my self thin for our girls. I'm just wondering if you all know that if when you adopt a mom with babies are you allowed to re home them your self or would you have to contact the SPCA? They don't seem to care to much about them considering they didn't even know she had babies!

The Father rat is in a separate cage beside her and he's very nervous as well and his test bites are a little harder then normal so if an un-experienced new rat owner put their hand in they may think he was going to try and naw off their finger. You know how people react to animals who bite, they go off the deep end some of them.

If someone who had boys could take him that would be great, and if we could line homes up for the babies that would be much easier in my mind and Ang's to take them on.

I know I'm making this crazy long and I'm sorry I just feel like know I know they're there and feel almost responsible for looking.

Would anyone be able to adopt a baby or know someone who could adopt one or two?
I want to try and help as much as we can but we have to make sure we're not taking on to much and then won't be able to help them anyways.
Thanks
Lindsay

 

[jorats]

It's so unfortunate that she gave birth.
I really do hope someone can open their homes to these sweeties.
Lindsay, you and Ang have done so much already... don't feel guilty over these guys. You have to know your limit and stick to it or else you'll just become overwhelmed. :hugs:

 

[SQ]

The mom is biting because she is protecting her babies.
I had a rescue mom like that and I wore an oven mit when handling her.
She eventually stoped biting and became very friendly.
Biting moms usually stop by the time the babies are a few weeks old.
Babies really need to be adopted with a same sex sibling. They really need another baby to play with.

I have 36 rats, am in univerity full time and do not have a job ... so I can't do much

 

[Cityratt]

Have you guys tried asking the SPCA to foster the litter?
I know its not much, but that way the babies would be socalized while they are still young and then maybe stand a better chance of finding a home?
Being a government funded SPCA branch they should be able to re-imburse you for supplies to maintain the litter (bedding/food etc) so long as there a recepits (thats the case with the OSPCA anyway....)

maybe if they are social little babies that have been used to human contact they stand a better chance of adoption..Im not sure if they would even adopt out an entire litter like that...but foster care seems a viable option so long as you wouldnt be wearing yourselves too thin time wise....

 

[SQ]

It is worth checking out.
But I doubt you would recieve any reinbursement.

 

[Dahlas]

Like Jo said you have to know your limits........Maybe go often and try to help socialize them.
Involve some of the staff or try and round up a few other volunteers to help you socialize them.....sometimes it just takes someone to start things and to show them. I am sure if they are people working at a shelter they must care. They are probably just uneducated in the way of rats.......

 

[SQ]

I was contacted this evening by someone looking for 2 babies.
I emailed them. Will let you know.

 

[lindsayfawn]

Clark has gone in to educate them many a times so I have heard but yet they still use pine for bedding and giving them cat food. Honestly I don't think I could go in there every day to try and socialize them knowing that they're in those kinds of conditions.
We're still talking about it. If we had for sure homes lined up then that would ease our minds. I've never taken care of babies before but I know they would probably be better off hear then in there. I know the SPCA does their best but I just get the vibe that they kind of over look the rats, dogs and cats are more their priority when it should be all animals no matter if you think they're gross or not.
It's frustrating. I wish I was rich and had a huge farm I'd take them all in and hire good people to help me take care of them and find them good homes lol *sighs* I can dream I guess.

 

[Dahlas]

I wonder if it would help if I messaged them....from one shelter to another....and just let them know what is exceptable care for rats.......might be worth a try.

 

[Dahlas]

I just messaged them.......might call from the shelter if I don't get a reply.......
Hope this helps.

 

[SQ]

Good idea Dahlas!!

I know Clark has been in many times trying to educate them about rats and their care.
Clark also gave them food from the boxes he brough from Jane - I'm not sure how many boxes but it was all gone in a very short period of time so Clark isn't sure who was fed it ....

 

[Dahlas]

I just had a very nice reply back from Heather who works at the Moncton SPCA......

Here is what she wrote.......

Hi Velma,

Thank you for your concern about the rats in our care. Being primarily an operation for cats and dogs we do the best we can with the little creatures that come through our door. Currently our rats are being fed Martin Rat Ration. We also have a female that is also eating the same along with some seeds and vegetables to give her that extra that she needs. They are being bedded on care fresh, with a litter box and houses to hide in. There is a little shavings in there for them but primarily the care fresh. We appriciate your concern and welcome any tips you can send our way.

We hope everything is great down in Bridgewater and welcome you to come and visit anytime!

I wrote back some info....gave her some sites to look at and told her I would help in any way I could.

 

[RATMAN]

WOW I hate when this kinda thing happens. :doh: thouse pore babys at lest thay got the cute thing going on thay will find homes. but i fell sad for the mom she will most likely bethere alot longer than the babys big rats stay longer at shelters. :wallbang: thats just how it gose but you are helping out and thats awsome. :thumbup: :thumbup:

 

[lindsayfawn]

That's really great Dahlas that you emailed them! Thanks. They were not in care fresh though they were on pine I saw it with my own two eyes. Unless the have changed it today.
Hopefully they will actually use the tips you gave them. I still feel so torn on what to do. Sometimes feelings suck.

 

[Dahlas]

Feel free to say that you had a friend who was speaking with Heather Smith who assured you that the rats were getting the best care possible....That they would be kept on care fresh and be fed an appropriate diet.........
Remember squeaky wheels get the grease.....be squeaky......but polite

Oh and if you go there again...take a camera....take pictures of them....on the pine with cat food and I will send those pictures to Heather.
You know what they say ....a picture is worth a thousand words......

If you want to foster them...I would go and talk with them....set yourself a time period of how long you will be willing to take them in a socialize them.......Friendly cute babies stand a better chance of getting adopted.....

 

[SQ]

Clark visited the SPCA a number of times over several years and as far as I know, the rats were never being fed an appropriate diet ... although I believe at one time (after lab blocks were donated) that there were a few lab blocks added to their dish of cat food ... or what ever it was. He reported problems with the bedding as well.

Hopefully they will improve after hearing rom you Dahlas.

 

[Dahlas]

I certainly don't mind checking in with Heather by email on how the rats are doing......If I was closer I would pop in every so often and check on them.....

 

[lindsayfawn]

I went in today to check on Elizabeth and the babies and I felt like crying the moment I saw the babies were GONE! I asked the staff what happened to the babies and they have no idea where they went! WTF? How can they not know where they went? Did someone throw them out while changing the litter, did someone take them? Did the mom eat them? They have no idea.
I feel so bad :sad3: and sad and confused. Would she have eaten her babies? They were so healthy when I saw them so why would she do that if that's what happened? I hate having so many questions that I will never get answers for. I took some pictures of them. They are on pine NOT care fresh and at least they have a few lab blocks in their food dish and not cat food like the other day. Although they have that seed crap in there too.
I'm going to talk to Ang tonight about adopting the girl considering it wouldn't be a big job just taking on one more. The father is still there though. He was a lot nicer to me this time around and so was the mom. Didn't bite at all.

Elizabeth is in the left cage and Henri is in the right cage

Food dish

I'm guessing litter dish you can also see that the bedding is NOT care fresh and IS pine :wallbang:

Mr. Henri

Henri was a little shy but at least he wasn't biting this time, not that the bites were hard enough to draw blood but they were a lot strong bites then normal test nibles

Elizabeth

Can see her markings better in this pic

Elizabeth. She's curious but very very very shy took me a while to pick her up but once I had her she cuddled right in.

 

[twitch]

i don't think she would eat them but i wouldn't put it past the staff to have tossed them out with the litter not knowing they were in there. just because you told the staff on duty at the time when you went in doesn't mean they told anyone else. poor babes. and with this i can't look at this thread anymore. henri is far too close to me and i'm never getting to 13 or over again. it is a cursed number for my rat family.

 

[rat.charmer]

I really really really hope if they got thrown out it was an accident and not an 'accident'. This is so devastating