My daughter had an adult (young adult) female rat that we had before we got the 6 babies. I've notice that ever since my daughter showed her the litter, she was upset and didn't like us to put her back in her cage...she wanted to get to the babies. I was concerned because I didn't know WHY she was wanting them (to attack them or mother them) So I decided to take one baby and CAREFULLY introduce them. She ran over to the baby FAST and grabbed it with her mouth...I thought she was trying to bite her so I reached in and took the baby back out. She was fine, but Pearli (the adult) was not. She was soo upset, started running around her cage and desperately trying to get out so I called my dad over (the rat expert
and told him what was going on. He came over and carefully gave Pearli the baby girl...I had to leave the room, I couldn't watch (I was to nervious). Then my daughter ran in my bedroom and said "MOM, COME HURRY...YOU GOTTA SEE!" Pearli was taking care of her! (and when I thought she was trying to bite the baby, she wasn't....she was trying to carry them!). She was licking her and so on, and she was litterally jumping with joy. I've never seen Pearli so excited! After they settled down, Pearli was looking upset again and trying to get out...I knew exactly what was wrong...She wanted ALL the babies. So I put another baby female in her cage...the same thing happened. Pearli would get so excited...but then she'd go to her cage door to get another...Anyways...I gave Pearli the 4 baby females. She wanted them ALL though, but she can't have the to MALES...for obvious reasons. So I took her in to my room where the baby boys are and put her in the cage so she could see that those 2 are males. She inspected every inch of that cage and the boys. After she was satisfied, I took the whole cage (with her in it) to the larger cage in my daughters room...Pearli's cage (the one that the 4 females were in). I put her back in with the baby girls and she was completely happy...not trying to find any more babies. She knew that all babies were accounted for. I can't believe how good of a mother she is...(That must have been torture to her...wanting the babies and us not letting her have them.) I'm so happy to see her soo fulfilled. She's a different rat. She did one thing that I thought was soo sweet: after she was done smelling and licking the babies, she froze...still for like 5 minutes, just letting the babies smell her. She acts like they're her babies. I can't express the joy I feel for her...true bliss!
Always in my heart, my baby girls
3 hammies: 2 girls-Sammy & Patches, and 1 boy- Coco
1 kitty: Baby 
1 dog: Dale 
