33 baby rats rescued from Weymouth home after baby boom
Their owner started off with 6 and didn't realise three of them were pregnant
The RSPCA was called in to help after a woman found she was being overrun with pet rats at her home in Weymouth.
The number of rats at the property quickly multiplied from the six she had taken in from someone who was reportedly keeping over 100.
She had discovered that three of the females were pregnant, giving birth to a number of litters in just a matter of weeks, leaving her with 33.
RSPCA inspector Charlotte Le Brun made three visits to the house earlier this month to help the woman rehome the animals, who was doing her best to care for them all but struggling to cope.
Charlotte said: “All of the rats were being kept together in one enclosure and the owner really didn’t know what to do for the best as numbers were spiralling and things had quickly got out of control. She was concerned about their welfare and did exactly the right thing by calling us when she did. It was obviously quite a stressful situation to be in, but we were pleased to be able to help, and we’ll now be able to find all of them new homes.
“It’s a scenario that RSPCA officers come across on a frequent basis; people have started off with just a few as pets and then they mate. Very quickly the owner is then faced with large numbers of animals they can no longer cope with, particularly with rats and other rodents.
“We’d always remind people to make sure they keep rats in same-sex pairs or groups, or ensure males are neutered if they are housed with females to avoid a situation like this.”
Because of the large number involved, the 33 babies and two adults were transported by the charity’s officers to four RSPCA animal homes; Millbrook in Surrey, Ashley Health and Taylors Rehoming Centre in Dorset and the Stubbington Ark in Hampshire. People who are interested in adoption should visit the centre’s websites.
The rats will also be on the RSPCA’s Find a Pet website.
Dr Jane Tyson, rodent welfare expert for the RSPCA, said “People may not realise that we take in many rats and other species of rodents for rehoming, as well as dogs, cats and rabbits. Sadly, these creatures can sometimes carry a negative stereotype but actually they can make loving and affectionate pets. They are fascinating and very intelligent animals and could make rewarding additions to a family.
“People don’t realise that each rat has their own personality. They laugh when tickled, and studies have shown they show empathy with other rats and will try to help each other if trapped or in distress.
Rats will frequently breed from as early as five weeks old, producing a litter of eight or more young each time. Females can become pregnant again within just a few hours of giving birth, so it's important not to keep a male and female together unless the male has been neutered (it’s much less common to neuter female rats).