# I think Pets at Home might have missexed my new rats...



## Eriya (May 10, 2012)

Hey there,

I've just got three new rats today, from [email protected] I was wanting three boys, and at the time me and my partner were at the shop, I completely forgot to double-check every rat's sex separately. I only noticed that the rats in the cage seem to have testicles, so I guess I just assumed they're all boys. I'm so stupid, I know, especially since I read all those stories here about [email protected] missexing animals... I guess also it's easier to notice the presence of something (testicles in this example) than notice the lack of something - dunno if it makes sense 

Anyway, we brought them home, set up the cage, and put them in. After a while, when they were exploring their cage, I noticed that one of them doesn't seem to have testicles. And I've been reading articles on sexing rats not too long ago (because I knew I should check, but I just forgot!!), so I knew I'd definitely be able to recognise if it was a boy. I've just now also read that young boys can sometimes 'withdraw' their testicles if they are scared, but would 9-10 weeks be 'young', and could a rat exploring the cage be at all considered scared?

I'm getting pretty upset, because I already love all three, and I wouldn't want to give the potential girl away (and definitely not back to [email protected] now that she's got to experience a nice cage and all). My partner wouldn't want to give 'her' away either. So I guess we're going to wait a bit, see if any testicles appear. If not...

I guess we've got two options if it's really a girl. One would be to rehome 'her' though that would break my heart. Would we then be able to get another boy and introduce him to the current ones straight away (since they're only 9-10 weeks old), or would we have to go through the whole process of doing it gradually?

The other option is keeping 'her', and getting another cage and new girly cage mates. The problem with that is space. There are only really two potential places in my flat for another rat cage - one would be under the current rat cage, but would that irritate the boys if they had girls directly underneat/above them? The other option would be where we keep our gerbils just now (different room), but that would mean we might not get to buy them (the gerbs) a bigger tank (which is what I've been considering for a while), since there might not be space for that. Another problem would be free ranging - not sure if we'd always have time to free-range them separately. Would it be possible to free-range them at the same time if we bought two of those guinea pig/rabbit runs?

Again, I will double-check 'her' later tonight and tomorrow, but I am sadly almost sure it's a girl  I hate myself for being so stupid and not checking at the shop. Please don't kill me, I will definitely do anything in all the rats' best interest.

Sorry if it's a bit too long. I'm just upset because it was supposed to be a happy day of finally getting the ratties, and now I just can't seem to enjoy it completely.

Edit -- I guess another option would be to neuter the 'girl' or the two boys, but would it really be worth it, considering it is after all an operation? And which sex would be better to neuter?


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## Ratty man (Apr 15, 2012)

I think if it is definitely a girl then another cage is the way to go unless you want little ratlets. That's if she isn't pregnant already.

I have a female colony of rats and a male colony cage of rats right next to each other and they are fine.


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

Only females have nipples, so if you them then it's a girl. 
You could always post pics on here if you're unsure and we'll try to help


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## Eriya (May 10, 2012)

Thanks for your help so far (and for being understanding ). I'll try taking a pic once they're more settled, cause so far they still seem a bit startled when I walk next to the cage, or too fast, or make a sudden sound, etc. Sadly though, I think I am at least 80% sure it's a girl. My partner suggested that maybe it's an already neutered boy, but surely, even if [email protected] did get neutered rats, they'd let us know?

I would rather she didn't have little babies (as cute as that would be), because I know how risky it could get with the birth etc. What would be the most obvious sign if she was pregnant?


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## simplysardonic (Sep 1, 2009)

Sadly, [email protected] selling missexed rats is commonplace
I can't imagine any circumstances where they would neuter a rat as it would cost them money, although if you got the rats from the adoption section it's possible there was a neutered male.
I would really remove the one you suspect is female asap & keep her in a separate cage. 
You won't know for about 3 weeks whether she is pregnant or not (signs include losing hair around the nipples & weight gain, best way to establish this is to weigh her every day & record her weight). 
If she gives birth while still with the boys there is a possibility they will kill the babies & also impregnate the female again, as they ovulate again within 24hrs of giving birth.
Please, if she does have a litter, don't let them go back to [email protected], they'd be better going through a good rescue who will vet the new homes.


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

Weight gain will be the first thing you notice.
I'm guessing she's young? So it'll be difficult to tell whether it's baby growth or the other type of baby growth!
You won't really notice any sure signs until week two- and then she's only got a week left.
Then you'll see pronounced nipples, hair loss around the nipples, nest building, a round bly that looks like she swallowed a tennis ball, aggressive behaviour or behaviour out of the ordinary. She might not have all of these symptoms, and they may be slightly different to what I've described.
She won't come in to heat, which can be difficult to tell if you're not used to girls or even looking for signs of heat.
I think the best comparison you can make is to weigh all of your rats at the same time daily and if she's putting on weight more rapidly than the boys then she's probably pregnant.
It's not ideal since the boys will grow at a different rate to her anyway but it's probably the best comparison you can make in this situation


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## Lavenderb (Jan 27, 2009)

Definately get this 'odd' rat sexed asap and as you are unsure at the moment its better for the rat to be removed now, rather than risking pregnancy if she isn't already.

At the risk of asking an obvious question, have you noticed either of the 2 definate males mounting this unsexed rat at all?


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## Eriya (May 10, 2012)

Again, thanks for your replies.

@simplysardonic - don't worry, I'd never give the babies back to [email protected] I would rather try to rehome them myself, or give them to a rescue.

@Maltey - in the shop they said 'she' is between 9-10 weeks. I'll try weighing them, starting tomorrow and see how it goes.

@Lavenderb - I've not spent too much time with them, as I wanted them to get some peace and quiet, but during the time that I have watched them, they didn't seem to mount the potential female.

I don't have a spare cage so far  Do you think if I went to [email protected] tomorrow and got one I could also get 1-2 more girls and one boy and introduce them to the seperate groups straight away, or would I still have to go through the whole process of keeping them separate etc?

Or do you think it could be a good idea to try and get a vets appointment on Monday to have 'her' sexed properly and only then continue if it turns out it's a girl?

Grr, just so angry at myself for not checking straight away - I wouldn't be having those problems...


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

Honestly it's pretty reliable to sex a rat yourself since only females have nipples, if you see them then there's no doubt it's a girl.
I personally wouldn't pay a vet to sex them but if it's make you feel better then do it.


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## CRL (Jan 3, 2012)

i would sex them now. check all of them properly, even if males hide their testicles the skin sack should still be visable, and like someone said earlier only girls have nipples. the chances of the girl you have (if it is a girl) being pregnant at this age is high, they can mate from 5/6 weeks. 
if you find out that you do have a girl then go back to [email protected] with your reciept and demand that they give you a cage as they are so stupid they cant even sex a rat right (its not difficult, one has balls the other dosent). and keep going back until they give you one. if you do have a girl and you manage to get another cage i would buy another girl to go with her but check if she is pregnant first.


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## secretpennell (Mar 29, 2010)

Many vets are hopeless at sexing rats too :confused5:
Can you post a pic on here?


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## Eriya (May 10, 2012)

I'm going to say I am 99% sure it's a girl. Still no testicles, and even though I couldn't check for nipples, I have almost no doubt it's a girl. Unfortunatly I couldn't manage to get a picture, as the boys seemed more inclined to run around the cage, and the girl mostly spends time in the igloo (tearing it apart, cause it's made out of material and sponge), making me think maybe she is pregnant already and displaying nesting behaviour? She also bit me twice today when I tried petting her this morning, although she didn't do it again later, so maybe I just disturbed her sleep? 

What do you think [email protected] would do if we returned her and she was pregnant? I really don't want to return her, but my partner thinks we might not manage with two 'colonies'. Also, I'm going away on holiday in two weeks' time, which could mean if she is pregnant, then my partner might have to deal with the birth and babies etc himself (not that I don't trust him, but he does have a tendency of understating problems, which could end up badly). I also don't really know what the process is for rehoming pregnant does, and how fair would it be to 'dump' a pregnant doe on someone. But I am worried that if we returned her to [email protected] they would just sell her again and not even mention to the new owners that she might be pregnant!


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## Maltey (Nov 29, 2011)

I don't think they would sell her in her pregnant state but they will sell the babies so all profit will go to them.
The problem you have with privately rehoming is people wanting her for a 'breeding machine' or her babies for snake food- you just don't know.
If you weren't at the complete other end of the country I'd offer to help you out!

If you're at a complete loss you could hand her in to a rescue- they'll look after her properly and rehome the babies to good homes


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## Eriya (May 10, 2012)

Thanks, Maltey, that sounds like the best solution, compared to bringing her back to [email protected] or privately rehoming to "bad" people. We'll definitely consider it! And thanks so much for saying you would help me out if you were closer, that's really nice of you


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## secretpennell (Mar 29, 2010)

From the sound of her behaviour she may well have babies by the morning. 
If you post on this forum - www.fancyratsforum.co.uk I'm sure someone near to you will be able to take her.
If you haven't already done so, please seperate her from the others - she will almost certainly become pregnant again within hours of giving birth.


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