cutting it down to the wire

These were taken a couple of days ago (the 16th). Still not looking very pregnant! She weighs 305 g tonight.

birth announcement

On November 15th, Trapper, Blitzen’s assumed sister, gave birth to eleven healthy babies! This came as a shock as she wasn’t gaining significant weight, not to mention her head tilt and preexisting two nursing babies. Over the weekend she gained a huge amount and out came a somewhat unexpected litter. Blitzen, on the other hand, is weighing in at 300 g but has yet to display any physical sign of pregnancy.

She’s adjusted well to her new cage and had no problems exploring my sweater and trying to make a nest out of me. Though she doesn’t enjoy being picked up, she’s already behaving as a perfect companion. If she’s not burrowing in my shirt she’s sitting beside me on the chair bathing herself. She also doesn’t mind being pet which isn’t something I see in females very often.

tipping the scales

 

November 5 – 254 g 8.95 oz

November 7 – 284 g 10.0 oz

November 8 – 282 g 9.9 oz

November 9 – 282 g 9.9 oz

November 10 – 292 g 10.3 oz

i need an ultrasound machine.

Blitzen is confusing me. You could use these numbers to prove essentially any of the three possible situations; pregnant, was pregnant but is reabsorbing the embryos, or not pregnant at all. If only rats could just pee on a stick.

November 5 – 254 g (8.95 oz)

November 7 – 284 g (10.0 oz)

November 8 – 282 g (9.9 oz)

November 9 – 282 g (9.9 oz)

a quick introduction

A friend of mine and I recently drove down to Brantford to pick up what was advertised as three free rats. The owner was giving away her monitor and thus had no purpose for keeping rats anymore. Though we tried to hurry, we just missed the feeding of two of the two-week old babies and could only bring home the last two of the litter. It was a little heartbreaking to be so close.

A quick look revealed that the mother has a head tilt and the father has cataracts and all three were pretty itchy. Not a good start! We were relieved that all three adults were good looking rats and hopefully will be easier to find homes for. The father is a Russian blue hooded and though seems like an old guy, he’s very curious and the cataracts does not slow him down. Both females are beige hooded with very sweet faces. After a celebratory dinner we divvied up the rats and put them in separate cages as I was to take one of the females home. I opted for the one with no babies hoping that perhaps I’d only be bringing home one body rather than a mother with two who could quite possibly be pregnant again. Blitzen settled into her new home quickly and tried to eat everything available including her fleece and Yesterday’s News. She stretched out luxuriously in her first hammock and within minutes had a very impressive domed nest made out of paper towels. That would be the point I started to really worry.

We called every vet clinic in the city hoping one might spay her but each one refused knowing she was potentially pregnant. One vet was kind enough to explain to us that the further along in the pregnancy, the higher the risk is that the rat will bleed out. As each day passes during a pregnancy, more blood flows to the uterus to support the developing embryos. The blood vessels grow larger. Each of the three weeks reduces a 25% chance that she’ll survive the surgery and we didn’t know how far along she was. She advised that instead of searching outside the city and risking the rat’s life we simply let her give birth.

I finally managed to purchase a scale (and subsequently a battery!) to weigh her last night and just as I feared there was a significant weight gain despite my holding off feeding her foods packed with protein. On a diet of lab blocks and fruits and veggies she gained 30 grams!

Weight:

November 5: 254 g

November 7: 284 g

Though I’ve been watching intently, the low-set bulge is starting to become more distinct. It’ll only be a matter of days before I start hearing those familiar peeps. Blitzen’s currently receiving strawberry Ensure as well as scrambled eggs to build up her strength for her upcoming litter. We have to assume their diet in their previous home was poor as both females look frail. I’m including a few photos of the day of the rescue.

Blitzen’s name came to me when I was watching her explore her new cage. Behind it sits my Blitzen Trapper “Furr” LP and it seemed to fit. For the sake of matching the two presumed sisters, the mother with a head tilt is now called Trapper! The father was dubbed Baloo and we think it suits him perfectly. All three adults, two babies, and the upcoming litter will be looking for homes so if you’re in or near Guelph, keep an eye on this blog!