MY FIRST RATS!

[PetGuy]

Hey guys,

Two days ago I rescued 3 gorgeous little rats from becoming snake food, and they are just adorable! They are pretty young, but have been away from their mom for over a week now, and are eating/drinking fine. We believe they are approx only 3 weeks old, or maybe a few days later, and thats it :sad3: They are sooo tame (surprisingly) and seem pretty healthy, so I am pleased with that.

There are 2 black hoodeds. The larger one, that has more white and a butterfly or bat shaped patch on his rump, is named Monty. The smaller one that is mostly black is named Quincy. Then Bailey is the cream mis marked hooded.

I thought they were all boys, however I am pretty nervous right now that Bailey is infact a female :shock: Could someone please help me sex them to prove I am either right or wrong on that? That wold be HIGHLY appreciated.

Here are pics of them!

Their cage. I have a much bigger one, but they are WAYY to small, and will probably escape. So they are being housed in this cage for now. They are only 3" long, so they have a lot of room, more than you'd think.

Monty's bat shaped bum, Quincy in the middle, and Bailey at the back (bit blurry)

They ended up all falling asleep on my hand, and twisted their little pink tails together, it was ADORABLE :smt023

Here are some shots to help with sexing anic: PLEASE!!!

Quincy

Monty

Bailey

Also, just to let you know. I am off to college in September, so will need to re-home these beautiful little babies :smt022 I don't want you guys to get mad at me, I just thought I could rescue them from the horrible breeder, and find them a great, LOVING, long term home. Do you guys understand? :roll:
None the less, I dont leave for over 6 weeks, so I will be pampering them ratten and am soo happy to have them! I have researched for years (since I was 11) about getting rats, and to finally own some, is the best feeling ever.

ps- PM me if you would like to adopt them in a few weeks. I am located in Guelph Ontario (an hour west of Toronto).

PetGuy

 

[LA]

Hey I am pretty sure Quincy is male and Monty is female, not 100% about Bailey? I think female but I may be wrong.
They are very sweet and adorable.

 

[KayRatz]

If some are female and some male you can always neuter the male and they can still live together.

 

[PetGuy]

Thanks guys for the tips/help!

Quincy is a bit younger than Monty and Bailey (must have been from another litter, there were 2 sized babies in the bin I saved them from), so it is very hard to tell right now.
I have compared the 3, and I think the blacks are both boys, and Bailey is a girl. Her 'holes' are closer together, and Monty definately has a scrotum coming through. Quincy sort of does, but is a big younger so thats why it is not so pronounced. Bailey definately has closer 'holes' then the two blacks... so thats why I think (but wish she wasnt) a girl. I did want all boys, so they could go to the same home together.

ps- please read my thread in the Canadian Adoption section, these babies need homes! Bailey in the next 1-2 weeks, and the boys in 4-6! :sad3:

Petguy

 

[dubchick]

oooooh they are soooo cute.. look at that bat marking.. i love it.... ooooooh..... if i didnt have my max amount of boogers already.. if only you were closer. and if only they were all girls... lol.. if only... they are soooo squishy

 

[Dahlas]

They are adorable...I love the little tails all twisted together....so cute.

 

[jorats]

Hi PetGuy, I can sure understand your need to whisk these little ones away from danger. Soon their testicles will descend and there will be no trouble in finding the female. But another way is to look for nipples, only females have them.
They really are sweet.
It seems that Guelph is packed with ratties right now. I sure do hope you find a good home for these three special babes.

 

[PetGuy]

Thanks for the comments guys, Im glad you like them!

Jorats, i just had them all out, and Monty's testicles are definately growing, and has a buldge 'sprouting' out lol. Quincy has the same, just smaller, and Bailey is totally 'flat' with no buldge. She also does not have nipples from what I can see, none of them do lol *sigh*
I do think Bailey is a girl though... and the blacks are boys.

ps- yeah, how cute are their wee lil tails all wrapped together, it was priceless, thank goodness I had my camera!

PetGuy

 

[Bronwyn]

As I mentioned before, I agree that Bailey is likely a female. I think we'll be crossing paths actually, as I'm going from Toronto to Guelph, and you're doing the opposite.

A message to all: I told him earlier that I thought people here may be able to help with nutrition since they seem sooo tiny, smaller than I remember my babies being when I let them leave their mother. Am I wrong in thinking they might need a little booster for a bit?

 

[PetGuy]

haha yeah, I wish you could take them though. You sound like an awesome ratent! (rat/parent)

I have given them cheerios, and they DEVOURED them all! I had probably 10-12... only 2 left in the bowl, and I only see 3 in their nest or spread around the cage lol, lil piggies.

PetGuy

 

[Randomrat]

Oh nice to see you on here! I am veyr glad you did decide to rescue them and that your Mom let you!

They are very cute! I was watching them on webcam and Bailey is such a hyper girl. <3

 

[PetGuy]

haha yeah Bailey was pretty fiesty lastnight. She decided tackling her brothers, and stealing their food would be a good game, haha. It scared me, becuase I never saw her that active, and being so 'all over the boys' so I thought they were fighting. I guess it was a dominance thing, and they were playing, as no one is hurt and they were sleeping together right after they calmed down for a breather lol.

Randomrat, how adorable is little Monty! I showed her how Monty licks licks and licks me. He just sits in my hand, and falls asleep. He bruxes non stop from the second I pick him up until the second I put him down, and as I said.. he licks me so much, like a puppy dog! He also grabs hold and squeezes my fingers, he looks like he is hugging me sometimes. Such my special little boy already, Im in love!

Petguy

 

[Bronwyn]

Don't tempt the girl who really misses owning boy rats, LOL. I don't even remember which one Monty is but with that description it wouldn't matter.

Edit: Oh great, he's the one I mentally picked out for fun. :lol:

 

[PetGuy]

LOL! my bad!

Monty is the mostly white black hooded, he is bigger than the other black hooded (Quincy), has much more white, and has the bat shaped patch on his rump. He also has a stripe under his wee lil chin, and the most adorable pink tail ever! It has no black on it what so ever, and he always wraps it around fingers, perches, ropes, e.t.c like a lil monkey. He's such a ham! lol

PetGuy

 

[Bronwyn]

:sad-p: Must resist!

Keep us updated with photos and stories, haha, the trio seem so sweet.
(I'm really trying not to think of Batman-related nicknames)

 

[PetGuy]

I don't know how you can't resist haha
I'd give you their cages and stuff! They would love you, and you would LOVE them! They are so young, yet soooo cuddly and calm, and sweet. I just had Monty out for about 10 minutes, and he just sat in my hand, grooming, licking me, and bruxing. Then when I would go to put him back he would run FAST back up my arm lol, he is such a person rattie! He isthen explored the 2nd level to the cage (Ill post pics of the new cage I made) and is now in the hammock curling up with a cheerio he stole, hehe.
Im going to hold Quincy now, he just woke up and is getting a drink of water! Little Bailey already had play time this morning.. she was hyper, so I let her run around in the bathtub, boy did she love that! lol

PetGuy

 

[lilspaz68]

Hi PetGuy...

you do have adorable babies I would say in the 3 week range...still too young to be away from Mom though. I had an orphan that was 3 weeks when I took him in, and I supplemented him a lot in that first week or so. I had a suebee's mix in there occasionally and I crushed lab blocks to baby-paw sized. I supplemented with baby cereal with milk formula (human) mixed in and Ensure for added tasty nutrients. I introduced veggies (start with softer smaller ones they can hold). If you are concerned about dehydration you can put a small shallow bowl in there with them.

Bailey for sure is a girl, and I do believe Quincy is too...

Here is a 24 day old girl

And a 24 day old boy

Plus some older babies where you can see the testes on the boy
Girl

Boy

 

[lj]

Those darn babies are sooooo hard to sex (for me they were anyways). But alas, they've now grown testicles and I can easily tell them apart.

 

[PetGuy]

Thanks everyone, for the replies and help, I appreciate it!

I sexed them all again tonight (they are aged at approx 4 weeks now, if not a few days over) and am 10000% sure that Monty and Quincy are BOYS, and Bailey is a girl. Both the black hoodies have the same looking 'private parts' lol, and they differ from Bailey a TON in 'that' region! haha
The boys also act the same. They are SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO laid back, curious, and gentle. They love to sit in your hand, lick you non stop, and brux. They just adore people, and fall asleep in your hands, or on your lap while you hold them for over 5 minutes, It's simply aodrable!
Bailey on the other hand, is nutso! LOL. She is such a funny spaz at ceratin times, whether that means bolting around the cage, squirming while being in your hands, chasing her brothers, and her favourite game... she plays hard to catch. The boys both come out right away, to be held. She would rather come out... then go back in... then come out... then go back in. She will then run around and hop and bounce then come to you on HER terms, hehe. She is VERY tame, and gentle, but she definately is more outgoing than the boys, and needs to have something to play with, or do, constantly lol. She loves stealing kleenex, or food from the cage, and her brothers... then hiding them haha. She is so cute, and is sooo hilarious to watch! The boys just sit together and watch her, with the "Wooooow! Our sis is a crazy one! She makes me tired just watching her..." hehe.

I have basically found a great home for Bailey in Guelph, for next week possibly... and Im trying to convince Bronwyn to adopt my boys She just loves them, I know they will LOVE her, and she is local. I hope it can work out, and I hope she laughs when she see's my plea to the forum, for her to adopt them... but don't worry, theres NO PREASURE AT ALL BRONWYN It's not like you don't love them... or anything.... right? hehe

PetGuy