If you think you are having a bad day, be thankful you aren't a female rat.

A couple of nights ago I went to a "girls night in" gathering at a friend's house. It was a group of women that I don't see to often, and a couple of them I don't know very well, but it was a really nice night (it would have been MUCH nicer if I could have partaken in a bit of alcohol - a glass of wine would have really hit the spot - that and a plate of sushi).

One of the women who was there works at one of the local colleges. She was telling us that if we ever have a bad bad day, to think of the poor little mamma rat she had to deal with last week.

D went to work and saw that one of the female rats had seven babies the night before. So there she was, nursing all seven. Cute. Until the older baby rats decided that they wanted to nurse too (they belonged to another rat mommy). So this poor mama rat was trying to move with seven little babies as well as a few older babies fighting for one of 10 of her now bleeding little teats. D told us that this poor rat made her way to the glass, pressed herself up against it and it looked as though she was PLEADING to be let out. But that is not the worst of it. Oh no.

Apparently someone (likely a male lab tech) thought it would be a good idea to have the male rat left in with this group. And he wanted some action. NOW. So the poor mama rat now had to contend with hungry babies and a horny male rat, who did the deed with her seven times in about 20 minutes. My friend D (who doesn't even work in the lab) had enough, and pulled the male rat out.

So if you think you are having a bad day, thank your lucky stars you aren't a female rat.