my rat is a hermaphrodite?

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kathleenford

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 13, 2012
Messages
180
Location
Canada, Nova Scotia
So, i've had this rat for 5 months now. He/she has been in and out of the vet numerous times, and my vet even told me he/she was a HE.. He/she just popped out 10 babies? He/she has been with Lucky for like, over a month now. I just noticed that he/she had nipples, but he/she has balls too... I read up, and seen that they can't reprodouce, and than read that they're more one sex than the other, and that they can if they're more female..... WHAT DO I DO?! UGH. Half of the babies are fed. They were born today sometime, as they weren't there lastnight. So i'm hoping he/she isn't pregnant again...
 
you should post a picture of these balls........they are suppose to be sterile when they have both sets but I also believe that they can be fertile.
 
I can't post pictures, as I don't have a working camera anymore ;_; they're sucked up right now, but you can still feel them. they were huge balls!! i swear. people even said they were the biggest balls they've ever seen on a rat!
 
I found some images of some rats, does your girl/guy look like any of these?

delta2.jpg

IMG_9636.jpg

80b4fae8.jpg
 
thats so odd.. but not unheard of! make sure that this momma/poppa ratty is separated from your second ratty so you wont worry about another oops litter. and just let nature take its course. hopefully s/he will be a good parent and take care of them, but it may be a challenge if the little guy is getting two different sets of hormones. if babies make it to adulthood, you should look into a spay for this guys lady parts so it wont happen again.
 
they are separated now, but i just noticed the babies about an hour ago. i have no idea what time they were born today, so i'm hoping s/he stayed away from the boys. s/he didn't have any weight gain at all. s/he is very nice to me as well, not biting or anything, so that's a good sign. 7 of the babies have dark eyes, the other 3 are red/ruby or whatever.. i'll defiantly be looking into a neuter/spay.
 
i read so much about it a few years back, and everything i read said they cannot have babies, etc.. so now i believe nothing i read -_-' lol. s/he is doing good with the babies, seems confused though. but is feeding them. one baby isn't doing good, it was cold and wet when i found it. (s/he wrapped it in the blankets). some have bigger milk bands than others.
 
so i have an update! all babies are eatting, and s/he is being a very good mommy/daddy. still no signs of aggression towards me! my mom comes down on wednesday, so i'll be using her camera than to get pictures! i feel horrible, because s/he has a head tilt and has sense i got her/him. (thats why we've been to the vets so much)
 
:heart: :cuddle: good luck with the babies, hope the mommy/daddy is alright - never heard of that before :cuddle: :heart:
 
thank you! s/he is doing good, except s/he gets very excited when i go near the cage, so i'm trying to stay away as i don't wanna disturb her. i handled all the babies, and they all have milk bands! some people just keep telling me s/he had a hernia, an abscess, or a tumour.. witch is not the case, you can clearly tell when balls are balls on a rat!
 
Wow what a weird situation, I've never heard of a hermaphrodite rat.
Glad he/she is being good parent.
Hope the babies will all be healthy and you will be able to re-home them when the time comes.
Looking froward to pictures of Mrs he/she and the babies.
 
it can happen in all species, i just never really thought of it because it's so extremely rare. i never noticed nipples before lastnight, either. and they're not supposed to be able to have babies, or be fertile. but i did some more research yesterday, and it explained that even if it is a hermaphrodite, it's still more one sex than the other. so mine is more female than ball, but still has testicles. it's weird though, s/he has been with Lucky for over 2 months now..
 
ive had two hermaphrodites&seen another, they happen. by any chance was your he/she a rescue fed on tap water? in an area w/fluoride? all the hermaphrodites ive heard of were in fluoridated water areas. have you decided if your going to alter one of the babies to cage w/he/she? I never trusted the most hermaphrodites are sterile line&housed only w/neutered males just in case.
 
i know they happen, but tons of people keep telling me it's impossible for them to breed, and that his/her testicles are probably tumours, abscesses, etc. i give my rats my filter water. i'll be getting her/him spayed/neutered so they can live with my spayed/neutered rats. if i can't find a home for the babies, i'm gonna have to keep them, but i REALLY don't want to, because 28 rats are too many.. is it possible for the babies to be like her/him, as well?
 
I'm glad he/she is handling the daddy/mommy thing properly. This is all rather odd/weird. Hope you can find homes for them. Sorry your in this position, but enjoy the babies for now I'm sure they are cute :heart:
 
apparently there were never testicles there, that it was an abscess or tumour that went away, haha. (s/he has been sucking them up sense the babies came) so i got myself kicked out of Rattie Chattie for being so "ignorant". must be normal for females to have really long spaces between their anus and vagina. never knew. but the babies are good! growing like crazy. i got some pictures. no clue on how to post them, lol..
 

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