Double death...

[Linds]

Upon cleaning my rodents today, I discovered two dead babies. I found it a little odd. They were both found in the same bin (1.2 rats in there, both females have litters), but from different litters. The one was about 2 weeks old, the other a little over 1 week. No visible signs of anything. Not a mark on either of them. What might have caused this?

[Grant vg]

Not sure what happened but i have experienced it too...
Maybe mamma stepped on em, or lack of nutrition or simply cause they were weak or had something wrong with em....always crappy when it happens though....

[Dom]

Did they seem like they ate at all .. I know I lost a couple of babies before that simply never gotten a chance at getting some milk .. if they seemed like if they had a full tummy than i have no idea!


Hopefully the rest will do well!

[Linds]

Yes they both had full tummies. They had no reason to not have one either since their was only 4 in one litter and 7 in the other. And they werent as fragile, especially the older one since it had its eyes open. It found it kind of odd.

[Gorelith]

not sure how often you clean their cages, but I'd recommend at the very least once a week. Personally I clean mine out twice, somtimes 3 times a week, just to make sure they're all comfy. Ammonia is very deadly, even if only inhaled in small amounts, remember the smell of urine is actually harmful because of ammonia, it gives some people bad allergic reactions etc. but these are little bitty animals and it only takes a fraction of a given substance to irritate them. In essence what i'm saying is....if it (smell, look of the cage, lack of toys) seems bad to you, it's about 10 times worse if you were the rats/mice/gerbils etc 'cause they have to live in it. Other than ammonia, i'm not sure what could have caused it linds, you've already ruled out the mother nursing and they'd been getting milk. Best of luck.

[Linds]

Couldnt be that, I clean them every other day. None of my animals are ever subjected to unsanitary conditions. :toilet:

[Dom]

They might of died from old age ..

Sorry not funny!


Honestly I don't know then .. Let us know if you figure it out