Lessons from Life with Rats- The Surprise

As many people know, I have kept pet rats since November of 2007 when I got Maxine followed by Moo Moo. I added Matilda and Marley to the bunch following Moo Moo's death in December 2009. Maxine died in May 2010. I took Matilda and Marley to Texas last summer. The two of them are enjoying a life of bliss, now approaching 2 years old. I recently found out that Marley has a small uterine tumor and endometriosis. It's a bummer, but rats just don't live too long. Two or three years is all they get, even less in the wild. Dealing with their deaths is difficult; there are, after all, like any other pet. However, even the short time is worth spending with our sharp incisor-ed mammalian (and fellow Euarchontoglires) kin. 


I adopted all of the rats as juveniles; 7-10 weeks of age. I watched them grow from rambunctious juveniles to adults to senior rats. They are frisky and squirmy as youngsters but as they get older they are more likely to sleep in your lap. They enjoy being pet behind the ears and stroked on the head and neck. You can teach them their names and simple tricks. 


Under two weeks ago, I added two more rats to my family. I brought Io and Phoebe home to Matilda and Marley. The two new girls were only around 8 weeks of age. Both were skittish at first, but Io is comfortable with me and her new environment. Phoebe, on the other hand, is still unsure of me. Over the last week, Phoebe constructed a gigantic nest with all of the material from Marley's nest plus nearly a quarter of the bedding in the cage. When the little girls first came, Phoebe would sleep with Io and the other girls. Over the past few days, she started sleeping alone in her massive nest. The nest covered the small hut on the upper level. I really thought nothing of it; all of my rats in the past have been nest-builders. My girls love shredding newspaper and cloth to make comfy nests. 


A few days ago, I noticed that Phoebe looked really bloated. I asked Blake if she looked bloated. I thought, "hmmm, I didn't think she was a fat rat but I have had chunky rats (Moo and Marley)." Yesterday, Phoebe bit me (twice!) when I was trying to find and her and bring her out of the nest. This afternoon while I was petting Marley, I heard squeaking. A light bulb suddenly turned on in my head. 


It all makes sense. Rat babies! Phoebe, 10 weeks old, gave birth to 5 pups. Rats are prolific breeders; they live the "Jimmy Dean" lifestyle. Live (breed) fast and die young. That's they way the evolutionary cookie crumbles. 


Luckily, Phoebe had a small litter (rats can have up to 13 pups, and average 8-9), Io is not pregnant and I have only female rats. 


"Oh my gosh! What are you going to do with them, Erin??!!" my mom said to me over the phone. 


"I'll probably keep them, mom. Or maybe I'll give away the males when they are weaned." I replied. 


What a Sunday surprise! I am excited to watch rats grow up from birth. The life with rats continues with an exciting new twist.