male, female, and ten babies FTGH

http://www.gumtree.ie/cp-reptiles-amphibians-in-louth/pet-rats-461378730 finding this really upsetting, mainly because theyre in the reptile section... im really considering taking mama and babies, then finding homes for them but i havent got alot of room at the minute. is there anyway we could organise someone to foster daddy and then the male babies when theyre old enough?? if someone else can help out too id probably be able to manage all the females till homes are found..

I would, happily, but I'm still in lockdown with my own rats at the moment Still... better their chances here than where they are now. I'd happily take them all if needed, I have the set up for it. Can home them when babies are weaned then. If anyone else would like to foster a litter though, this is ideal.

xx

okay so the plan at the minute is that a rodent rescue in dublin will take the male for now, and i will take the babies and mama until they are weaned then some more males will go to her.
right now i have the one cage, an FOP chinchilla cage that houses 7 rats, would the large cage be suitable for mama and babies or would she be better off in the little cage that comes with?
zoundz, would it be ok if i borrowed your adoption form? also, if they do come to me (hopefully) any tips for socializing babies or any food that i can give mamarat that would be good for her while shes nursing? and how do i wean them? do they just start eating solids themselves or will they need mushy food on spoons at the start XD sorry for all the questions

also, do the parents look like dumbos to you? and am i right in saying that if daddyrat is an agouti based roan then the babies would be a mix of black and agoutis with 50% dumbos (if the parents are dumbos) but if daddy was a black based roan then all the babies would be blacks? D: (berks, irish etc) im just guessing, im probably wrong but im really interested in genetics. not for breeding purposes, i just think rat genetics are so interesting.

OK - any help you need from me, I'm on FB all the time (well, regularly anyway) and you can bug me whenever you want. If you like, I'll send you my mobile number and so if there are any emergencies you can give me a buzz or a text.

I would say none of those cages are suitable really, but for now, the one she's in will be OK. It's too small really, but better that than too big. Also, she's already in it, has made something of a nest probably, and will be very very stressed if you shift her to another cage when you get her, so I would leave her in that until babies are about 3 weeks. Be warned that this level of stress and upheaval at this stage of the babies' lives could well result in her killing them, hopefully though, she won't.

Varieties wise, dad looks to be a top ear and mum a dumbo (though with dad the photos don't make it easy to tell, he looks dumbo in one and not in the other!). If he's a dumbo, the whole litter will be dumbos, if he's a top ear carrying dumbo, then about half the litter will be dumbo, and if he doesn't carry, then they'll all be top ears. Colour wise - mum is a black berkshire and dad is a something roan. Coule be black or agouti (or mink or similar - but black or agouti is most likely I would say). If mum carries roan you should get roan out in theory, but some of this depends on if dad has other markings underneath the roan (if that makes sense).

My guess is that you'll get a litter of all dumbo (I think dad probably is one) and they'll be in marked black and/or possibly agouti. But realistically, you could get anything! Will be interesting to see how they turn out.

Hope that helps!

xx

so for the first few days of being here i shouldnt touch her besides food and water? i was thinking of buying a large container box and drilling holes in it, would that be a better idea when she needs her bedding changed when theyre 3 weeks?
and, when i put them online (gumtree, donedeal etc) should i put a price on them to deter people looking for cheap feeder rats? :/

I can help out if needed Siofradh :-)

woohoo! would you be willing to foster a pair or trio of babies when theyre old enough? males or females?

I wouldn't have a cage with small enough bar spacing for babies...... I have a couple of small hamster cages but don't think they'd be in good enough condition :-( Would a hamster cage be suitable for them on the short term? Don't mind whether male or female....

Well, the girls need to stay with mum until about 6 weeks, so you're best hanging on to them I would even go for 7 weeks for safekeeping. Boys need separating at 5 weeks.

I would most definitely put a price on them. I would probably charge the same as my own bred rats if they were here with us, about €50-€60 per pair. All rats should be equal. I mean, of course these do come with no history etc - but you are being paid for your care and upbringing, and if you aren't comfortable with taking the money, you can always donate to aniaml rescue?

xx

do you think id be able to home them all if i charged that much? id probably give some of it to my mam since she'll be paying for litter, fleece, food, etc, but donate the rest to a rescue for sure. think thats a really nice idea
will definetly keep the girls with mum till 7 weeks so, but the boys will have to go to rescue or new homes at five weeks since i wont have a cage large enough! should i start looking for homes asap? like take names and put up ads on gumtree and donedeal?

Il help if i can at all

If you can avoid advertising on gumtree etc then I would, you'll have all sorts of morons. I'll spread hte word around, maybe even see if any of my waiting list want to come your way too

xx

ill probably put an ad up, but be very careful about who im homing to. im actually gonna start sorting out an adoption form tonight. but if there is anyone on your waiting list that wants some of these bubs i would be so grateful if you could pass on the details. xD i actually hate buy+sell websites myself, but somemtimes there are some genuine people looking for pet rats who would make great owners, so we'll see

Perhaps keep an eye out for wanted ads that seem genuine and chat to them?

I know of someone (not sure if she's a member) who may well be interested, I've pointed her to this thread, but if she doesn't post, I'll pass on your e-mail address

Which reminds me, can you PM me that?

xx

aw thanks so much! yep, ill pm you my email address now and the adoption form that i made up last night.

so i just received an email from the owners of the rats, all ten babies died lastnight. of course i will still take the mum and dad, want to get them away from those idiotic people asap. fuming here! but i could still use a hand with mum and dad, i would love dad to go to a foster home where he could be with other boys, he is apparently very docile and friendly. i might have a space for mum, but any offers of foster for her are welcome!

I have been following this thread. All ten - dead at once. I know nothing of rat litters and required care, etc. but that does sound somewhat suspect.

especially that they were apparently three weeks old? i think they were only a week though, i was talking to the owners father so he probably doesnt have a clue. if only they came to me sooner, i couldve checked for milk bands and made mama more comfortable i keep thinking of mama being locked in her tiny hamster cage all night with her ten dead babies

My initial guess is that they were given away as snake food. It is possible for them to just die, especially if mum was under stress. And unless those photos are old - the babies were less than a week old.

xx

All 10 died at same time?? very sad to hear that. Sounds suspicious so im hoping they werent sold as snake food. poor wee things. xx

Hi hun, sorry for not replying to your Facebook message sooner. Things have been manic here with the animals with caring for them and advertising as well as with juggling other things. I can still happily take in the mum/dad if you still need me. However I am expecting a lot of boarders over the week and so I will be at my maximum capacity of animals for about a week or so after. Will let you know when I have free cages x

hey sarah, are ya mad dont be apologising, i know how manic things can get when youre full with rescues.. anyhow, something is telling me stewart and the male would get along since stewart is young and the male is very docile and chilled, so you could try intro'ing them, while i intro the female in with my lot, and if things didnt work out then i could take back the louth boy when i have the female in with my ladies?! i think we should give them some names, sick of calling them the male and female but if i took them both i would have to keep one in a ridiculously small cage for a while until 'the female' is in with my bubs, so i could drop 'the male' to you on monday with the smaller cage and if things dont work out with him and stewart take him back? how does that sound? :S

Sounds like a plan. If they don't get along I will use my other cage to accommodate him as I've no more room for other cages so it won't be a problem I haven't picked up the courage to introduce Stewart to the older males as things might go very badly...decisions decisions, but I'll wait for your boy on Monday x

great! can you pm or fb mail me your number and address? just incase we get lost. and dont let me go home with any rats!! haha.