she is very fat and she is keeps licking her belly what do i do
2007-07-16 14:16:52 · 7 answers · asked by little a 2 in Pets ➔ Rodents
Well she can give birth without your help. Just treat her gently and give her space. If you upset her she will probably eat the babies. Once the babies arrive you MUST make sure that you know how to tell male and female rat babies apart and maybe get another cage so you can separate them, once they're weaned.
This site gives a good set of instructions for separating the sexes early on:
http://www.ratz.co.uk/sexingrats.html
2007-07-16 14:43:19 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You don't need to tae her to the vet unless you suspect a problem. Like other ppl have suggested, give her extra bedding material & don't bother her. She should be getting plenty of good food & make sure she's always got water.
If you've known her for awhile & she's friends with you, you can talk softly to her & maybe pet her if she's not nervous.
When the pups are born, you can begin gently handling them within couple of days so they'll be used to human interaction. Watching them grow into playful babies with unique personalities is a beautiful experience.
One of our girls was pregnant when we adopted her but we didn't know until 2 days before she gave birth. She was afraid of us & the only way I could handle the pups was to bribe her to the top level of her cage with treats, then quickly put the pups (she only had 5) into a tissue box while she was busy snacking. The poor mama rat didn't begin to trust humans until she noticed how much fun her kids had playing with us-- she was eventually as friendly as the pups were!
2007-07-16 18:39:01 · answer #2 · answered by Catkin 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You could take her to a vet if you're concerned about it, but if she's already big then there's a good chance she'll have her babies soon. Giving her some nesting material, maybe shredded paper towels and a small box with an entrance. Make sure she has fresh food and water (which should happen normally anyway) and maybe give her some extra protein to make sure she's healthy enough to nurse the babies. Then, start finding homes for the possible litter if you can't keep them all yourself. Chances are, if she's showing already and is pregnant not just fat, then she'll give birth soon. Please take care to find loving homes where they won't be fed to reptiles as I'm sure you want them to be pets and not food.
2007-07-16 14:40:07 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Put some soft bedding in her cage, or a nest box and then just leave her alone. Dont disterb her or she will feel threatened and might eat the babies after birth. Just leave her in peace for a few days.
2007-07-16 14:21:06 · answer #4 · answered by Dalmatian 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
well i have had many pregnant rats so far and the best thing 2 do is take her to the vet and do not bug her 2 much or care her or the babies will die
2007-07-16 14:23:11 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
id rather go to the vet so then she wont get hurt...
my cousins rat died a few days after she had her babies...
:(
2007-07-16 14:53:46 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Learn how to spell pregnant maybe...
2007-07-16 14:29:20 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 3⤋