Should I just give up?

[Jay_Bunny]

I had them on Mazuri but the only supply of it I can get is from a store that couldn't get it in for 5 weeks so I switched to the dog food. I want to switch back to the mazuri though. I'm just worried I won't have a steady supply. They kept telling me every week they'd have it in the following week. Took me over a month to get them to order it in.

The temps I cannot bring down. The AC just doesn't work as well up there. I've been watching the thermometer I have in there and for the past week its been hanging around 82 or so, dipping to high 70s at night.

I'm thinking of starting over with brand new rats and just selling all the ones I have, except for those I'm keeping as pets.

[cinderbird]

Realy? Why whats wrong with them? We have always had them among our stock.

blues are just generally weaker and prone to more ailments than other colored rats. High whites and blazes can be carriers of a disease called megacolon.

[Beardedragon]

I think it's because the snakes will become attracted to that particular color/scheme and may stop feeding on the albino's we normally use for feedings? Please correct me if I am wrong.

Because those colors have alot of Genetic problems. Megacolon, for example, and can be bad breeders.

I do not think snakes see in color as it is.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

Realy? Why whats wrong with them? We have always had them among our stock.

Blue in general make very poor breeder especially if your goal is to breed for food you will want to stay away from them.

Blaze, mask etc are more pron to megacolon which again not something you want in your colony or want to take a chance on, it does not mean all blaze rats have megacolon but since they are more pron to it I would not recommend those to start establishing a new colony.

Best thing is to stay with solid colors, and/or hooded rats.

[suzuki4life]

you have two main problems:

you keep switching food

you are impatient.

Do a 1.3 and let them alone other than feeding and cleaning.

[TessadasExotics]

Interesting. We have never had a problem with blue or blazed rats. I do know that blue is not as good as normal colored animals. We own a blue doberman which has Color mutant alopecia, so we know all about that. We breed some blues as well as other fancies, so that we can also get rid of any extras easyer. We also feel that albinos are far less superior than normals.

[tomfromtheshade]

You guys crack me up.

There is nothing wrong with blue rats.

My blue dumbos are awesome animals.

[Jay_Bunny]

I have talked with my sister, and she is having the same issue. She feeds her rats Mazuri 6F (we are both going to the store to get some today) and fresh foods. She does not overcrowd and gives the females breaks inbetween litters. Even still, hers are on their 3rd and 4th litters and still, over half of the babies don't survive. We got our rats from the same places around town. So we are thinking of getting rid of the rats we know are not producing well and selling them off as feeders and getting new rats from a better source.

And as far as the blues go, ours do not produce well at all. Her blue berkshire, Blue, has had 2 litters and almost none of them have survived. I think maybe a few did, but I'm not sure. I know she was pretty upset about it. My blue hooded just had her 4th litter. Every single litter with her has been a disaster. Out of 4 litters (close to 60 babies) only 3 survived to weaning age. The rest were eaten, killed, died from not being fed, were fed off when they got so weak. I will not breed my blue hooded girl ever again. She will be kept as a pet. I'm going to try her daughter (a beige hooded dumbo) but we will see if this bad mothering instinct gets passed down.

[rabernet]

I think it's because the snakes will become attracted to that particular color/scheme and may stop feeding on the albino's we normally use for feedings? Please correct me if I am wrong.

You're wrong.

A rat is a rat - my snakes could care less what color they are.

It's because blue's (in general) are HORRIBLE breeders, I tried working with them. The females will often die while in labor, or they'll just drop dead. They're very inbred because they are a desired coloration and pet store sell them for more.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I'm going to try her daughter (a beige hooded dumbo) but we will see if this bad mothering instinct gets passed down.

I wouldn't if you have bad stock holding back their offsprings is not gonna solve your problems (see what I wrote about being selective when holding back offsprings)

Holdback offsprings from females

with good temperment

that are good nurturing mother

that have a good production

Start from scratch and get your stock from somewhere else, preferably a local breeder that has a well established colony if you can do that.