Rat breeding Q's

[smasharama13]

OK, now that my first Rat litter is a week old, the second female popped. This was sooner than I expected. Now I need a water bottle for her to move them into the glass aquarium (forgot it today when I went to get the food but I'll be getting one tomorrow). So the male is still with her. I read the FAQ's on this forum and it says they can breed as soon as they're done weaning.

How soon after giving birth can rats breed? The reason I ask is because I can't move her yet, she's still with the male and today he was already mounting her again. I don't really need back to back litters. She had 11 and the fist had 7. That's 18 weeks worth of food for my one little snake, if I don't keep any of them.


I'm sure I'll come up with more Q's but it's getting late, so for now ty for the help on this one.


I'll be getting a bottle and food dish tomorrow after work, just hope she isn't pregnant yet (for her sake).

[Holbeird]

Maybe try and euthanize a few of them and freeze them for later?

[frankykeno]

The male rat can impregnate the female immediately after she gives birth (within the first 24 hours or so). Hopefully you'll get them seperated and that won't happen.

[JLC]

Wouldn't it be easier on mamma and the babies to move the dad to a new home and leave the babies where they are? You can put a little dish of water in with the male until you can get that water bottle....and leave the female in the cage that already has a water bottle, as her needs are more critical than the males at this point.

[smasharama13]

Wouldn't it be easier on mamma and the babies to move the dad to a new home and leave the babies where they are? You can put a little dish of water in with the male until you can get that water bottle....and leave the female in the cage that already has a water bottle, as her needs are more critical than the males at this point.

I would love to do this, however I have them in a wire cage with large spaces. It's great for adult rats, just not the babies in a week or so.

Hopefully you'll get them seperated and that won't happen.

I agree. I will put the male in the glass cage now before I go to work. I just hope she didn't get pregnant already.

Maybe try and euthanize a few of them and freeze them for later?

I already plan to once they reach the right size. Maybe weanling or just a bit larger for most of them.



Thanks for your replies. I'll get that male out now.

[smasharama13]

Ok, I came up with a couplemore questions.

1: Can rats get pregnant by more than one male?

The reason I ask is that the pet store had them mixed when I got my rats. My albino female just had non albino babies, and albino babies. My only male in albino. Maybe it's more thanjust a simple resecive in rats?

2: How old to the rats have to be before you can tell there sex?

I want to keep one or two of the babies because I'm pretty sure this male isn't the daddy. (as mentioned above about the albinos)


Thank you frankykeno and JLC so far. I'm not really a rat person, but I think it's better to raise my own snake food. and health happy rats make better food.

[Flagg]

She probably got pregnant by another rat that was het for albino, and thus 1/2 of the litter should be albino.

Once they start growing fur you should be able to make out nipples on the females. Prior to that they can be sexed by measuring the distance between tha genitals and anus. Males have a larger distance. It's not easy to do on young rats though.

[smasharama13]

She probably got pregnant by another rat that was het for albino, and thus 1/2 of the litter should be albino.

Once they start growing fur you should be able to make out nipples on the females. Prior to that they can be sexed by measuring the distance between tha genitals and anus. Males have a larger distance. It's not easy to do on young rats though.

well based on the nipple idea, it looks like I have a decision to make, cause I think they're both females.

[Flagg]

Keep at least 2 because with only one she may stop lactating and then the one won't make it. Unless they are old enough to be weaned already, like over 3 weeks minimum.

I'd keep the colored ones so you don't end up with all albino rats.

[smasharama13]

Yeah most definitely a colored one. One of the 2 in the picture will be kept. They are starting to wean now, I saw one of these girls munching on a sunflower seed today, even at 2 weeks today. It seems like they're growing really fast and sooner than I thought, they'll be ready to go in the freezer.