Rats Retiring?

How long before I should start planning holding back future breeders?

I was planning on holding back 4-6 girls and then next month hold back a male or two.


I currently have 1.3 breeders and my girls are now 6-7 months old, they've been dropping litters every 5-6 weeks. Litter sizes are between 8-12 and I've had no problems at all. I also leave the male in with the babies and have had no problems. I'm even thinking of adding a 2nd group of 1.3.

P.S.
I also got my 1st bite last night, I went to feed them and drop in some cheerios as a treat and one of the girl mistook my finger for a cheerio! Ouch!

Females usually start slowing down around 12 to 14 months Gerry. They can still produce after that but you'll see a lot of much smaller litters and even females starting to have trouble birthing. I usually retire my females around 14 months old so start looking for their best daughters about 4 months before that so there's a seamless transition as the mother retires, the daughter is old enough to take over. Males of course can produce much longer than that but when I started noticing my big male was fathering smaller litters by young fertile females I retired him too.

My females retire to the freezer at one year. Males I retire at 18 months. At this age and size they make great boa food or for large-ish pythons, monitors etc.

I onluy have bought a few live rats and none of them lived long enough to retire

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Originally Posted by Pork Chops N' Corn Bread

I onluy have bought a few live rats and none of them lived long enough to retire

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LMAO! :)

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Originally Posted by Sputnik

LMAO! :)

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LOL you guys are just awful! It made me laugh but awwwww! I am the kind of goober that has to let the breeders get that vacation in the sun. Though, I think i'll just buy pk.