What happens if i buy a pregnant rat!?

Question

I am getting a rat from a petco soon i know its better to buy from a breeder but i cant find 1! So i want to be prepared if i buy a pregnant 1 because i know pet stores mix up the genders and they can get pregnant. So any advice or site to help me incase that happens.

Answer 1

You should buy a male so, that won't happen. I bought a rat from Petco before and she was pregnant and had 11 babies! I'll find a site to help you figure the rat's gender before you buy one. Good luck.

EDIT:

Here's a link to a website that can help you figure the gender of a rat:

http://firstrats.tripod.com/id17.htm

Oh, and all pet stores mix their rodents and all the girls are usually pregnant. Breeders know how to keep them separate. I haven't seen a pet store that has kept them separate. Good luck again.

Answer 2

You will get baby rats. Simple

Answer 3

It depends on what you are getting it for? Is this rat going to be a pet, or is it for feeding to a snake or some other animal? If it is to become food, then it's pregnancy won't matter.

If, however, you are getting it for a pet, then pregnancy can lead to a big headache. The momma rat will reproduce, and unless you get rid of the rats, they will grow and become to mate and then you will become infested with rats!

You can always consider selling the baby rats to a pet store once they are old enough, or you can put an add in the paper and try to get rid of them that way. I would ask the pet store person when you go to buy one if they know it's pregnant or not. I would try to avoid getting one that is if you can help it.

Rats can make awesome pets! If you are getting one for a pet, have fun!

Answer 4

If your new girl suddenly begins to gain weight around her middle, she's probably pregnant.  If she's socialized with humans, you can keep handling her but watch out so she doesn't fall.  Give her extra nesting material & a good healthy diet.  Rats are only pregnant for bout 22 days, so she should still be under quarantine when she delivers.

Although the Petcos in my area have been keeping males separate from females for a few years, mistakes are always possible.  One of 2 girls we adopted from a feeder bin turned out to be pregnant & had 5 pups (a fairly smalllitter) a couple weeks after we got her.

After getting over the shock, we were delighted & kept everyone.  Watching the pups grow into individual personalities was awesome & since mama rat was originally *terrified* of humans, her  babies taught her that shoulder-riding is fun.  Eventually she was just as trusting & sweet as her pups, who we'd handled since they were 1 day old.

If you do end up with a mama rat, separate the boys babies before they're 5 weeks old.  Good luck.

Answer 5

just buy a male, then theres no possible way it could have babies:)