Waiting...

I moved Scarlett to the birthing cage. Her belly is huge- those babies are definitely ready!

The birthing cage is a big, plastic bin. It's perfect for pregnant ratties. Let me explain why...

First off, the surface of the birthing cage is flat. Soon to be Mamas should never be housed in cages with levels. They can easily fall and injure themselves. Also, the mama ratty may build her nest on the top level. That can  be very dangerous for the babies!

Secondly, the birthing cage doesn't have much space. Believe it or not, this is a very good thing. The bigger the cage the more likely it is the mama will abandon her little ones. This is the main reason I moved Scarlett to this particular cage. As I mentioned before, hairless rats do not always make good mothers. Being housed in a cage like this will force her to be close to her babies!

Lastly, the birthing cage is very easy to clean. Having a whole litter of baby ratties is messy and stinky. After the first week, the cage needs to be cleaned often. It's not hard to wash out a plastic bin!

Well, I will keep everyone updated! Hopefully those pinkies arrive soon...