Breeding Information, page 3 WHEN TO CALL THE VET If possible, you should have a vet in mind before your doe goes into labor. It's sometimes difficult to find a vet who deals with rats on a regular basis. • If you have a doe who has been pregnant longer than 26 days, you should contact your vet. Also, at any time after 23 days if she should show signs of distress such as glazed eyes, lethargy, or a rough coat. • Labor and delivery should last between 1 to 2 hours. Once your doe has begun labor and/or delivery, if no babies have been delivered in a 3 or 4 hour time period, you should contact your vet. • If mom should show signs of illness after the babies have been born, you should contact your vet. Excessive sneezing, rough coat, lethargy, etc. are signs that something is wrong. Many medications aren't safe for a pregnant or nursing mom, but there are some safe medications available and your vet can help you decide what is best. ORPHANED BABIES Occasionally, a doe will not survive the birth of her babies or will die shortly after delivering. This is NOT a common occurance, but it does happen. If you should have orphaned pinkies, your best chance at saving them is to find a surrogate mother. I always breed my does in pairs so that if something should happen to one of them, the other can take over both litters WITH YOUR HELP. You would need to rotate the babies just as you would with a very large litter. If you only have one litter, and something should happen to mom, you should contact your vet and other breeders in your area immediately to try to locate a nursing mom or a mom who has just recently weaned her babies. They will usually accept the new babies without any problems at all. If you cannot find a surrogate, you will need to care for the babies yourself. Saving infant rats is very difficult, but it can be done. Here are some sites to help show you how: The Rat Fan Club: Raising Orphaned Rats AFRMA: Caring For Orphans Rat & Mouse Gazette: Caring for Orphaned Baby Rats Page 4: Birthing Photos (WARNING: GRAPHIC)