Help i didn't know my rat was prego and she had 5 babies but she ate 4 of them why and what do i do now?

Question

i had gotten a new rat and she was pregnant i didnt know and she had 5 babies last night and today so i did research and tried to fix her nest up with soft cloth and accidently drooped one in water dish she had already eaten 1 and 1 was still born that left 3 but she went all wild after i fixed her nest up so i just left her alone and took the cloth out, i checked on her a few hours later and she has only one left now and she seems to be doing great with it but now what do i do do i just leave them be and why did she eat the others and left one

Answer 1

Most likely, something was wrong with the babies. Rats will often kill the pups that aren't likely to survive anyways.

Answer 2

Hamsters always eat their baby if the housing has changed if the babies survive longer than two weeks they will not eat their baby. Fixing the nest will probably make the mom think your getting a new hamster and they often attack them so leave the baby and the cage as it is.

Answer 3

It's uncommon for rats to actually kill their young.  Rats are amazing mothers typically.  Young mothers, stressed mothers, and sometimes just plain poor mothers (Who do exist, just isn't common) will hurt their young, but it's more likely for them to just reject them altogether then to hurt them. If she's been nursing them, and laying with them, the babies probably died or were close to death, and so then she at them to keep the nest clean.  

Just make sure she has plenty of good food and water (Perhaps get a water bottle instead of a dish?)  and keep her in a quiet place.  It's okay to handle her, most moms really like coming out of the cage once a day.  Just don't keep her out for more then 15 minutes, and if she seems stressed/anxious, let her back in with the baby.

Hopefully the baby is a girl so she can stay with her mom once she's older. :)

Answer 4

If you disturb an animals home, esp a rat, after they have given birth, also if they have some dead babies around, they will consider it too much of a change/threat to their environment and will most likely eat their babies.

The one that's left, if she's doing ok with it as it is, you'd be best off leaving her with it i think.  If you disturb her more she will only get more stressed out.  

If she does eat this one I'm afraid you may just have to chalk it up to experience.

Hope she and her little baby are ok.

Answer 5

She probably felt threatened because you distrubed her nesting area. If small animals feel threatened they will often kill their babies.

You need to let her get on with looking after her baby as it will be instinct for he to do so. Keep her away from any loud or sudden noises that may frighten her as that could cause her to kill the remaining baby.

When you clean her cage, just clean around her nesting area but, don't clean too close to the baby and don't touch the baby.