New young female gaining A LOT of weight.

[xio]

Haven't been here for a while (except a quick read here and there) and was wondering everyone's thoughts on my newest girl. I got her the 30th of April and she was around 100 grams. The people I got her from had her with males so I knew I had to watch out for pregnancy. It's now 25 days later and she's 200 grams. Firm belly. Obvious nipples. She doesn't look HUGE but she really does have a belly on her. Her cagemate is at least 2 months older and only weighs 230 grams.

Most people I've spoken to say there's no way she's pregnant because it's been 25 days since she was with a male. She's active, good appetite, drinks well, and no signs of pain.

What do you folks think?

Edit: Picture

I have no idea why she is growing so fast but she really doesn't look like she's about to give birth. Most rats at this stage in their pregnancy look like balloons with feet, tail and a head stuck on. Maybe she's a bit older than I thought and was underfed. Who knows.

 

[dspch911]

The only thing I know about pregnant females is that they are pregnant for around 21 days (I think) and they will remove the hair around their nipples and start building nests when they are going to give birth. I have a girl that I had spayed, but she was not being feed a good diet where she was before I got her - she now looks pregnant, but obviously isn't its just healthy diet weight gain.

She is a pretty girl ....

 

[Joanne]

Sometimes they have delayed implantation when they get pregnant, but then she would be popping any minute, and she doesn't look THAT pregnant.
If she was 100g when you got her, she may have been too young to get pregnant.

 

[xio]

Thank you both! I figured she likely is not pregnant. I'm hoping she is just taking advantage of the much healthier food she's getting now

 

[SQ]

As mentioned above normal gestation is 21 to 21.5 days, although the rat guide says 21 - 23 days
http://ratguide.com/breeding/basics/statistics.php

Rats can have delayed implantation when they have back to back litters. This is caused by lactation
It allows the first litter to be 4 weeks old when weaned.

Rats with delayed implantation have 31 days to 33 days between being impregnated and giving birth (I have had 28 days)
http://www.ratbehavior.org/PostPartumConception.htm

but if she wasn't impregnated after having a litter, she should be fine

 

[xio]

Perfect. I am positive she did not have a litter before hand so there's no chance it's that. I just tend to worry over little signs and think the worst possible outcome.

 

[SterlingRats0408]

Probably just an underweight baby and now she's helping herself to all the goodies. I think thats whats happening with my Aggie. She was just such a tiny peanut who barely ate as she was what appeared to be depressed and now with a new buddy and lots of love she's a plump fat baby now.

 

[lilspaz68]

She looks great and definitely not pregnant.
If there was adult females in with the males they would get pregnant first. At 100 g its unlikely your baby ever went into heat.