We've got babies!!!

[luckies4me]

Roxy graced us with 12 baby bundles of joy this morning. The babies are doing wonderful! She was a couple of days early but the babies are nice and healthy. She is a PERFECT mother!!! I can't explain how wonderful she is. Her babies are so clean, with nice fat milk bellies. She doesn't care at all if I handle them and was proud enough to offer me one to hold LOL. Her personality during this pregnancy and her caring nature with her babies makes me love her ever so much more! She hasn't even thought of nipping me. She is awesome!!!

I didn't check the sexes yet. Well I did some but didn't count them all. Most are boys though. Most look like they will be beige, but there are some dark eyes in there as well so I am keeping my fingers crossed I get a blue! Even better a blue odd eye. Two appear to be dumbo but I'm not sure as of yet.

Well here are the photos. I will be posting photos of them day by day like I do with all my litters. I am so excited! I haven't had a litter for almost a year! LOL. I got up this morning and I swear, I was on a high for hours! All my friends must think I'm crazy.

These two were both boys.


The whole gang

[luckies4me]

Here's a pic of Roxy in case anyone wanted to know what the mom looked like.

[Logan]

Just look at those little pink babies! Congratulations, Grandma!!!

[Kfamr]

They're very cute, but I thought you stopped breeding?


That's A LOT of babies!

[LuvGold00]

Wow, I've never seen baby rats! They are rats, right?

So tiny and bald!!! Congrats!!

[flamepony12]

oh my gawd! haha, there are so many!! congrats! theyre cute! lol

She lets you hold them, even when they're that small?
From what I've heard, I thought that if you touched them when they were too small that the mom would eat them...... Or is that only with mice?

[tikeyas_mom]

im confused... i thought you didnt want to breed anymore??

also, isnt the mother a petstore rat??? or is the father??? .... I thought that you were against petstore rat breeding???


sorry if i am wrong... but i am cunfuzled...


the babies are very cute.

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by flamepony12
oh my gawd! haha, there are so many!! congrats! theyre cute! lol

She lets you hold them, even when they're that small?
From what I've heard, I thought that if you touched them when they were too small that the mom would eat them...... Or is that only with mice?

you can hold rat babies whe they are that young, just not hamster babies. Hamster do canniblise(sp?) very often.

[flamepony12]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
you can hold rat babies whe they are that young, just not hamster babies. Hamster do canniblise(sp?) very often.

oh, wow!

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by Kfamr
They're very cute, but I thought you stopped breeding?


That's A LOT of babies!

I did. I'm starting up again though. It's my passion!

[DejaVu]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
you can hold rat babies whe they are that young, just not hamster babies. Hamster do canniblise(sp?) very often.

Yes, Hamsters will cannibalize their young, but only if they feel that there are too many pups (baby hamsters) for them to handle, if there is something wrong with some or all of the pups, or if she feels threatened or can't protect the babies well enough, or if she feels there is not addequite food and water.


The babies are precious by the way. I can't wait til I move out so I can get rats. I know several people who breed rats. I think hamsters are something I will always have though.

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by tikeyas_mom
im confused... i thought you didnt want to breed anymore??

also, isnt the mother a petstore rat??? or is the father??? .... I thought that you were against petstore rat breeding???

I've changed my mind. I wrote a few months ago that I will begin breeding again. I already have rats on hold from various breeders around the NW. This time though I will be keeping almost every baby I produce, instead of selling to the general public. Yes Roxy is a petstore rat, however she comes from a local breeder I know very well who takes excellent care of her stock, and is also related to my first odd eyed rat named Roxy who was pet of the day. You can see her page here:

http://petoftheday.com/archive/2003/February/28.html

Because Roxy the first lived such a long healthy life and produced beautiful healthy, typey litters and had such a wonderful personality I decided to breed from a descendent of hers. This Roxy has the same promising personality traits that run in the line. It is by far the best line that came out of my Rattery. The line never produced any megacolon either. As far as petstore breeding I am against it for the most part. As long as the person has experience with breeding and is familiar with genetic diseases, certain illnesses and has at least knowledge of some of the background of the rat then it's not so bad. The only rats available at this petshop are rats from breeders I know. All of them are very well cared for, and I can get any history I want on them. I know all I need to know already for Roxy. Now I don't agree with just anyone getting two feeder rats, plopping them in a tank and making babies. Plus here in the NW, some of the only ways to strengthen the lines we have has been to introduce pet store stock. Granted, not ALL petstore stock is great, but when working with local honest breeders who supply petstores your chances of success are far greater. The breeder just needs to be aware that they are taking a chance, and must be prepared to keep 100% records of all babies, every detail of the litter etc, which is what I'll be doing.

As far as the father, it isn't Nemesis. I don't breed from rats such as him, meaning I have no way of knowing his history at all. He's just a feeder rat. A very cute feeder rat. Plus he's extremely young. Way too young for a male to breed. There would be no way right now to tell if he had agression issues, as he is only 6 months old. I used a buck from a past breeding a did, who went to live with a friend. Hence the reason I may be expecting blues.

[luckies4me]

Originally posted by Kfamr



That's A LOT of babies!

I'm used to 14! LOL!

[lute]

OMG!!! how cute!!! you will definatly have to update with lots of pics with these little ones!

[manda_moo87]

Oh how sweet!

You must be us posted on these little ones and be sure to keep posting pics. I'd love to watch them grow up!