New colony and babies getting eaten.

I have a colony I started about 2 months ago, 1.6 with 10 hoppers in there too. All first time breeders. The adult females are all pregnant now. I came home tonight to find the remains of several half eaten babies and 2 live pinks.

They are all housed in a jumbo kitty litter pan (22x16) in a breeding rack, I usually breed hooded rats in this size tub so I figured It wasn't over populated. They are kept on a good amount of aspen, with food (mazuri 6f) and water available at all times. I don't have any cage furniture.

Any recommendations to my husbandry would be appreciated.

Richard

Litters out in the open tend to get eaten. Put some hides in there for the moms and their litters. I use cardboard boxes and change them out when cleaning the tanks.

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Originally Posted by Somed00d

I have a colony I started about 2 months ago, 1.6 with 10 hoppers in there too. All first time breeders. The adult females are all pregnant now. I came home tonight to find the remains of several half eaten babies and 2 live pinks.

They are all housed in a jumbo kitty litter pan (22x16) in a breeding rack, I usually breed hooded rats in this size tub so I figured It wasn't over populated. They are kept on a good amount of aspen, with food (mazuri 6f) and water available at all times. I don't have any cage furniture.

Any recommendations to my husbandry would be appreciated.

Richard

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I give lots of TP rolls as well. I usually leave a few spins of TP on the roll, they like to shred it and then nest with it.

I find overcrowding leads to a high pup mortality. I try and pull the pups as soon as I can. Too many ASFs results in crushing and dead babes (even hoppers).

Once dead the others will eat them. But I have had the odd litter that were culled as soon as they were birthed. Could just be that the mom's are culling the weak ones, or they were stillborns... were the babies new babes, or hoppers?

And were they related...?

Bruce

Thanks guys, I will toss in some hides etc.. The dead babies were newborn pinks, it is possible they were stillborn but I don't think so. I have 4 other girls ready to burst so I hope this is not repeated.

I am in the process of building a second rack to alleviate the overcrowding.

Richard

overcrouding would be my guess.... I don't use hides.

that said, the first litter from a new mom are much more likely to have some babies get eaten then subsequent (sp) litters.

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Originally Posted by mcavana

overcrouding would be my guess.... I don't use hides.

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I figured it would be ok until I got the new rack up and running but I should be pulling out all the hopper sized ones this weekend and the 1.6 can live all alone. I bought 3 trios initially and didn't know the males couldn't be housed together. well i found out quick.

I am planning to run groups of 1.5 or 1.6 in my new rack with cement mixing tubs. Construction is almost done but I am waiting for my watering parts and hardware cloth to arrive.

I personally would not do more then 1.3 in the cement tubs.

with 1.6 .... if all 6 females have babies within same 3 week period (and that is pretty likely) you are looking at having a total of 7 adults and 72 babies!!! That is 79 Rats!!!! You will definately loose plenty of babies with those conditions.

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Originally Posted by mcavana

I personally would not do more then 1.3 in the cement tubs.

with 1.6 .... if all 6 females have babies within same 3 week period (and that is pretty likely) you are looking at having a total of 7 adults and 72 babies!!! That is 79 Rats!!!! You will definately loose plenty of babies with those conditions.

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I agree, and if these are those big litter layers(18+, unlikely, but could happen), your looking towards in the 100's!

I never thought I could possibly end up with 70+ babies at a time I guess I need to re-think this situation.. They were originally purchased to try and get a few holdouts eating..

Thanks for all the input.

Richard

I like smaller enclosers & 1.2 groups,have not tried larger groups yet may try 1.4 with my weaners im growing out now in a larger cage.Have not had any canniable proplems since I had them 1.2 I miss sexed & had 2.4 & lost all the babies I belive the male ate & killed them.