Raising Second Generation Breeders

[frankykeno]

Just a quick confirmation of information I've gleemed online. We have one female rat in our breeding group that seems to be consistently producing very good young....distinctly larger at birth...distinctly larger at weaning stage...none lost at birth or thereafter.

I think I read somewhere that keeping a couple of her daughters back is a good thing as this above average mothering can be genetic to some degree. I'm trying to plan ahead for the next generation of breeding females or females to start a second colony with a male not related to them.

Is this correct information or just a bit of internet blah blah?


~~Jo~~

[SatanicIntention]

It surely wouldn't hurt and it sounds like you have a good plan. I've heard that albinos are a particular lab strain that consistently produce good, healthy, large litters. Being a good mother is usually genetic, as is being a bad mother that eats babies.

Hope that helped a bit.

[Jeanne]

It surely wouldn't hurt and it sounds like you have a good plan. I've heard that albinos are a particular lab strain that consistently produce good, healthy, large litters. Being a good mother is usually genetic, as is being a bad mother that eats babies.

Hope that helped a bit.

Becky is right, you do have a good plan. Also, I heard the same about lab strain that produce good, healthy, large litters... when I was breeding rats for prey, I consistantly chose the generic white type rats, and they did very well producing quality off spring consistantly for me. And being a good mother is very much genetic as is being a bad mother that eats her babies (IME). I had several projects going on, breeding for prey and breeding for the fancy rat public, in both groups I noticed that quality of mothering did seem to be genetic, as thier offspring often turned out like thier own parents, be it good or bad. And that would tell me what "line" to continue to use for breeding to get a mother who was good and not killing her babies, but still producing what I felt was quality for that line and good enough for me for whatever purpose the animal was being bred for. But the difference I noticed in my groups that may not be true in others who do/did the same, is that my white rodents seemed to produce bigger litters with bigger babies in general compared to the fancy rodents. I do not know if it is cause "fancy" rodents tend to be bred for specific traits, usually appearance and temperment and somehow that cuts out bigger litters and bigger babies.... who knows, however, it is my understanding that white rodents originally came from lab settings who were bred for bigger litters and bigger healthier babies to further whatever research was needing to be done.. but this has been my experience with this situation.

[frankykeno]

I have only one white female lab type rat. She did recently have a nice litter and ended up fostering another litter (1 day older than her own). Their mother rejected them so Snowball raised 16 total babies and did a good job of it. She did seem to be very protective and nipped me if I went anywhere near her babies (more so than the other females). I'd been told the white lab rat type can be a very protective, aggressive female when they are raising young.

This particular female, HoneyChild, is actually a beige Hooded (bred to Casanova our Black Hooded). Her first litter were huge but not a big litter number wise. This second litter is 15 but all large and nursing immediately. I actually watched her give birth to one young while another was already nursing! Amazing really to watch that process.

We'll make sure she's monitored well as far as water and extra protein and gets a good rest after this litter. She'll need it LOL.

Thanks for the advice. I think I will definitely pick two of her prettiest, biggest daughters to continue on her good line.


~~Jo~~

[frankykeno]

Just wanted to follow up with a couple of pics of HoneyChild with this 2nd litter of hers. They are four days old now and an incredibly hardy, busy litter but she's taking it all in stride.

Can't argue with a female rat that just saved me $75.00 in feeding costs! Go HC Go!!! LOL





Momma rat was definitely checking me out with the camera but unlike Snowball, our albino female, HoneyChild is really nice tempered and not nippy when she's with her litter.


~~Jo~~

[mlededee]

aw she looks like a sweet momma. you gotta love the bald little squirmers.

[JLC]

The momma is super cute!! Caption for that bottom picture: "A little help here?!?!"

[frankykeno]

She seems really organized actually. She'll nurse them all then move a few over to a second smaller nest, nurse the larger group, then move to the ones she seperated, nurse them, then move them all back together again. Very interesting to watch her manage a large litter.

My albino female raised her own 9 plus 7 abandoned pinks and did a reasonable job though never seemed to quite get the hang of it as well as HC does. Plus the albino was just plain mean if you got anywhere near those baby rats of hers!


~~Jo~~

[mlededee]

one of my rat momma's does that organizing thing too. she'll nurse one group, nurse the other, then put them all together and give everyone a bath and then separate them again. it's pretty cute.

[frankykeno]

Okay I have to admit something here (though it's sorta stupid and funny) but when she was first doing that....I actually kept putting the ones back that she moved. I thought she was confused and I should help the poor thing. I mean this is a good breeder but HoneyChild is the only rat in the house who has never figured out how a rat exercise wheel works sooooooooo she's not real quick if you know what I mean LOL.

Okay you may now laugh at me!

Becky explained to me that rats will do this with larger litters (thank you Becky). Much nicer now and HoneyChild no longer has to give me the disgusted rat look...you know the one that clearly says "I know what I'm doing! dumb human!"


~~Jo~~