BAD BAD NEWS for Romping Ratties Rattery :(

[luckies4me]

I think this post of mine to the NW rat club I belong to will sum it up.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


I am so saddened by this. My accidental litter with Honey was
born just a little while ago around 6:30. I missed the first part,
but came in for the last to take a couple pictures and remove two
very dead babies.

I am in shock right now over what has happened. I have NEVER had
anything like this happen in all the three years I have been
breeding, EVER! I have two dead babies, both very obviously were
born stillborn and deformed.........I don't know if they got weird
looking after the birth, maybe trampled? or were born this way since
I missed the first part of the birth.

One baby is much smaller than the rest, a runt very obviously, about
twice as small as the regular babies. Then one dead baby is
extremely bloated, just like a big blob, like he is full of air. He
is really big!!!


ALL THE BABIES ARE HUGE! These are the biggest more fattest babies I
have seen in my whole entire life. They are four times bigger than
ANY babies that have been born here! Are we sure KRV doesn't make
babies really fat? I know Emily's babies are HUGE and there is a
chance she could have been exposed, my babies are huge and I could
have been exposed, and I believe Tiffany has overly big babies as
well, and she tested positive.

Or could it just be that her babies were too big for these two to
develope properly? I mean they are so big. I took tons of pics as I
want people to look at the stillborn ones and tell me if they have
had one that looks like the bloated baby, and I would love as much
information as possible please from anyone! I am so upset I am
shaking right now. This is a total shock.

Is it possible since this litter was accidental and the one boy got
our, that maybe one of Honey's brothers got out too and impregnanted
her and that they are this way because they are inbred? The only one
I know for sure that got out was Thor, and I know he is the daddy,
at least to some as I witnessed them mating. What is very sad for me
is that due to something tragic Thor passed away a few days ago of a
heart attack, and these would be the only babies I have from him.
He was the sweetest buck and healthiest buck and OMG I loved that
boy so much. These would be the only babies I would have to
continue his legacy. I am saddened to think I might not be able to
breed these babies.

All the other babies are extremely fat healthy looking active
babies, and they have a huge thirst for milk. I have never seen
babies nurse so fast after they were born, literally a couple of
seconds and they were off to those nipples lol! I will update in a
bit once I get my pics uploaded and resized etc.

But again all the other babies are doing great. She has a large
litter, with plump milk thirsty children.

Cass

[tikeyas_mom]

i dont even know what to say!! that really sucks that you dont know for sure who the pups father is...

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
i dont even know what to say!! that really sucks that you dont know for sure who the pups father is...

I do know who the father is, it's Thor, which I mentioned. Although there is a VERY SLIGHT possibility another rat could have gotten out, but it's very unlikely as I was only out of the room all but three minutes.

That's not the issue, the issue is whether I have KRV or not.

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by luckies4me
I do know who the father is, it's Thor, which I mentioned. Although there is a VERY SLIGHT possibility another rat could have gotten out, but it's very unlikely as I was only out of the room all but three minutes.

That's not the issue, the issue is whether I have KRV or not.

what is KRV??

[luckies4me]

Killham's Rat Virus. It causes miscarriages, stillborn babies, jaundice in infants, slow growth and death in newborns etc. There are no symptoms except when you try to breed a litter (doe's fail to get pregnant) or when babies are born and there are noted problems.


It can be in a person's rattery for months without them knowing it, and we are just barely finding out that a lot of ratteries here in the NW have tested positive, and I have a rat come to find out, from a rattery that had a rat test positive for KRV.

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by luckies4me
Killham's Rat Virus. It causes miscarriages, stillborn babies, jaundice in infants, slow growth and death in newborns etc. There are no symptoms except when you try to breed a litter (doe's fail to get pregnant) or when babies are born and there are noted problems.


It can be in a person's rattery for months without them knowing it, and we are just barely finding out that a lot of ratteries here in the NW have tested positive, and I have a rat come to find out, from a rattery that had a rat test positive for KRV.

OMG!!! i will keep your ratties in my thoughts!!! Hope they dont have KRV!!

[luckies4me]

Actually I am HOPING I have KRV, as all I would need to do is quarantine and I would be able to breed these babies to continue this line. If not, this may be genetic, still looking into this, and I may not be able to. KRV is very easily quarantined out of one's rattery and is only spread through direct contact. It would just mean I couldn't breed for a long time, or place any rats as breeders and go through a few months strict quarantine etc. Anything for my ratties.

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by luckies4me
Actually I am HOPING I have KRV, as all I would need to do is quarantine and I would be able to breed these babies to continue this line. If not, this may be genetic, still looking into this, and I may not be able to. KRV is very easily quarantined out of one's rattery and is only spread through direct contact. It would just mean I couldn't breed for a long time, or place any rats as breeders and go through a few months strict quarantine etc. Anything for my ratties.

really ?? lol geeze i am malinformed lol. i should just not open my mouth lol. I am just hoping your rattery keeps nice and healthy , is that a good reply? lol

[wolfsoul]

Oh my goodness, how terrible! I hope everything works out for the best! Atleast you have some healthy ones.

[luckies4me]

Ok well nevermind, seems as if after talking to some folks that the babies were too big to fit into the birth canal, and therefor died while waiting to be born.

The babies are absolutely HUGE! If the rest of the babies live, chances are they do not have KRV.


Here is a pic of the babies. I mean, look at how fat they are!

[tikeyas_mom]

wow they are lil fatties so cute!

[wolfsoul]

Wow, they are huge! I wonder if they will always be big or if they will be regular sized once they mature.

[luckies4me]

Well, I am sure they are going to stay big, as mom is a very good sized girl.