Pregnant mom got distrusting, nasty & bitey

[Fidget]

My Serene has always been a bit wild, an escape artist, but was always gentle with me. She escaped the bedroom and got in with boy rats I was critter-sitting in the living room (and nobody can judge or criticise me more harshly than I've been doing myself, believe me!) The babies are almost 4 wks old now.
Partway thru her pregnancy see started biting me every chance she gets. I can't hold her anymore, she squirms to get away, she acts wary & distrustful of me, almost feral. She'll sit stare at me in an eerie way, almost like she's daring me to interfere with her..

Is this hormones? Will I have my gentle girl back when the babes are gone? And would it help her temperament if I kept one baby or not? I'd really rather not keep one as I'm allergic and the 4 girls I have already exacerbate my asthma, but if it would benefit her emotionally I would do it (and 1 of my girls is already over 2 yrs old).. Any ideas/suggestions?

 

[SQ]

A rescued girl I had was very protective about her babies and would bite me.
As her babies became older she became less aggressive and eventually became a sweet loving girl (she had newborn babies when rescued)
I have read of others who had very protective mama rats that returned to their sweet loving selves once babies were older.

I don't know if keeping any babies would help her re aggression or not.
My rescued mamas have kept one or two or all of their babies ... so I can't comment

 

[Fidget]

Thankyou SQ! The possibility my Serene might again be the girl I knew & loved (and more importantly loved me) is the first heart-lift I've had about the circumstances. It's been self-flagellation from the moment I saw her in the boys cage to this moment feeling a love & obligation to everyone of these kids I'm responsible for.
Of course I've been loving, laughing at, and heart-enjoying these precious babies for themselves, and knowing I'll sadly/happily never again in my life enjoy this busy cageful of 10 popcorning angels.
Gotta find them good homes, but I'm scared cause I've had to call an ambulance twice before because of my breathing, if 14 kids sends me to ER again what do I do when I get home??

There's no way I should have ever let this happen, I've been so careful for 17 yrs, had both boys & girls of my own at the same time but always so diligent & careful. 1 momentary slip, I've been beating myself up for it, but it's the babies that gotta live with it ultimately. When a ripple causes a tsunami. I don't breed, I rescue, that's been my mission. I fugged up so bad. But the babies are treasures. Please pray they all get good gomes.

 

[lilspaz68]

It might take a little time but letting her hormones and instincts diminish and she should go back to being your sweet girl. I have had a few of these maternal aggression girls and only one didn't come around but Tati is a biter. The others settled and became sweet with and without daughters.. You won't need to keep a girl back as it won't change anything

 

[Fidget]

Omg, ThankyouThankyou lilspaz! I know there's no guarantee with kids, but it's so good to hear from you that you've seen it more than once and some kids came around. And that keeping a baby won't affect re-connecting with mom.

 

[jorats]

I agree, keeping the babies won't make her be sweet. If she's a sweetie by nature, she should return to that once her maternal anxieties have left her. I believe once her babies are old enough and ready to leave, she should settle down.

 

[Fidget]

Thankyou jorats, that really gives hope!

 

[Fidget]

For anyone who has the same experience - Mom suddenly quit biting me and went back to her sweet self as soon as I separated the boys & girls at 5 wks! :love5:

 

[jorats]

That's great news!

 

[lilspaz68]

fantastic to hear