Does breeding tire?

I introduced my male back in with two of my females. They smelled each other, and do what rats do....Well sometime later they started breeding... after each "service"( I don't know...lol) the male would o over groom his parts, then sprall out on the floor, then about a minute later, find the closest female and start again...well it was only one female that was actually getting bred...the other wasn't for some reason( she might not be in heat?) I guess im asking if this is all normal behavior? I have only paired them up once before my other litters, and never witnessed breeding, but I got 3 litters.

Okay let's see if I can explain this without being too graphic LOL.

Rat breeding, at least these regular large rats, is basically this for the male....

hop on, hop off, lick your best bits, take a quick break, grab a bite to eat or a drink, hop on, hop off, lick your best bits....and so on....

Basically just instinct. He's trying to make sure that his genetics are the ones passed on and not another wandering male rat that might come by. Once he's bred her a few times a mucus plug develops in her vagina to prevent further breeding attempts since she is now impregnated. The male will at that point leave her be until after she's delivered the litter she's now carrying.

Lab rat females like our big rats are usually receptive to breeding and will stiffen and squat to allow the mating if they are in their 4 to 5 day heat cycle. ASF's are a bit different that way. The females make the male chase them repeatedly before they'll allow mating. I'm not sure quite why but it's likely some form of a fitness test LOL. If he's not fast and tricky enough to catch them, then he's not a good potential mate.

Ok then, that means one of my females are in heat, she just stands there and takes it. I guess you can call this standing heat.


That is what he does, breeds, licks, quick brack, a sip of water, repeat....lol.:gj:

:) Yep, that's rats! Ye Gods I wish mice were as quiet and straightforward as rats... but no, the females run and squeak, run and squeak, then when the male finally catches them...they still squeak! I have heard nothing but squeaking lately and it's getting annoying. Luckily the chance to feed off those males is drawing near! :D

The female did some squeaking when the male caughter and held on really tight for a seconds.

And they like to through there nice new pelleted bedding against the tubs when doing all of that and playing.....

Every thing you are describing is normal. Mine will squeak a little for the first couple of hours and then they are fine. I'm sure he's getting the other female too and you're not catching him. The only time I've had trouble with the female not getting pregnant is when it's an older female and then I just take her out of rotation and let her keep some of the other females company for the remainder of her life.

this female that im not catching him breed with was a late taker for her first/last litter, so im not sure if this will happen again or not.

She just may not be in heat. Give her a few days, they go into eustrus every 5 days. Wild female rats are often the ones to initiate sexual encounters, vibrating their ears, squeaking and initiaiting games of Catch me!, and actively go after the male rats.

Virgin girls are often unaware of what to do, so they tend to be the loudest in my experience, but he gets the job done. Those girls that have been around so to speak know what's up, and get excited when introduced to a male. ;)

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

Virgin girls are often unaware of what to do, so they tend to be the loudest in my experience, but he gets the job done. Those girls that have been around so to speak know what's up, and get excited when introduced to a male. ;)

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Connie has whore rats!!! LOL:8: