First time breeding

[ZacharyPoller]

Well I went to the store today and they had a pregnant mother a father and a weaned rat (female) from her last litter. I picked them all up the female is going to go into a 10gallon with her pup and the male is going to go into a 30 gallon and I am picking up another female tomorrow for him and I have another 10 gallon for that mother and I have a 20 gallon I will use to raise them up for the size feeders I need. I am excited to start this. The guy before me bought the mother for his burm and I went to grab her for him and saw she was preggo and handed him another male from another tank and let him know that I am going to let her carry her babies to full term. Gave him my number so in a few months down the road he can pick up some adult rats from me.

Here they all are before I separated them. They where all sleeping so cute until I woke one taking the picture




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[CptJack]

Okay. Couple of problems here.

Rats don't do well alone - you'd do well getting another male and keeping the males together and the females together. Move one of the boys into the females to breed them when its time, but don't leave them housed alone. I know they're breeders for feeders, but health matters and rats are CRAZY social and you're going to have issues caring for them if they lose their little minds from isolation.

Rats can and do get pregnant at 4 weeks old. If you're raising to adults, you're going to have to gender separate or you're going to have rats giving birth LONG before they're 'large', or even adult (if they don't have complications giving birth/from being pregnant that young). So if you're raising them up to full size, you're going to need to separate the pups by gender.

[ZacharyPoller]

Okay. Couple of problems here.

Rats don't do well alone - you'd do well getting another male and keeping the males together and the females together. Move one of the boys into the females to breed them when its time, but don't leave them housed alone. I know they're breeders for feeders, but health matters and rats are CRAZY social and you're going to have issues caring for them if they lose their little minds from isolation.

Rats can and do get pregnant at 4 weeks old. If you're raising to adults, you're going to have to gender separate or you're going to have rats giving birth LONG before they're 'large', or even adult (if they don't have complications giving birth/from being pregnant that young). So if you're raising them up to full size, you're going to need to separate the pups by gender.

OK so basically my pregnant female now should I leave her with her pup and another male till she gives birth?

Also so when I move the other male move him with at least 2 more (3 males total) so when i put a male in with the females there is still at least 2 males together. Also when I get females I should get 3 and keep them together but what do I do when one gives birth move her to a separate tank with her babies?

I have plenty of tanks the store near my house is closing so i can get 10 gallons for 5$ and 20 gallons for 12$

Thanks for the help I am new so all help is appreciated although there feeders I plan to care for them as pets and even now I can tell you some will end up future breeders (pets) ..

And sex separation I plan to do at 3 weeks .. Thanks for adding that


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[CptJack]

As long as you aren't overcrowding the females can stay together hen one has a litter. If things are oo tight for that just separate her out at about 18 days. They're really, truly, communal animals. In good conditions, with good diets and ample space you don't need to worry about other females hurting the babies. Even males are usually fine with the little ones but since females are back into heat within 24 hours, you don't want that.


But yeah, they can stay together right now. Not sure how pregnant she is, but just move the baby with whichever parent it's the same gender as and make sure everybody has a cage mate or more over the long term.

[ZacharyPoller]

The mother and her baby I will move ( both females) ... The male I will move with 2 other males and I will also pick up 3 more females and leave them together and when they are really pregnant I will move them to there own 10g

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[ZacharyPoller]

As long as you aren't overcrowding the females can stay together hen one has a litter. If things are oo tight for that just separate her out at about 18 days. They're really, truly, communal animals. In good conditions, with good diets and ample space you don't need to worry about other females hurting the babies. Even males are usually fine with the little ones but since females are back into heat within 24 hours, you don't want that.


But yeah, they can stay together right now. Not sure how pregnant she is, but just move the baby with whichever parent it's the same gender as and make sure everybody has a cage mate or more over the long term.

Thanks again


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[ZacharyPoller]

They are born, 19 babies all with milk bands when I got home from work


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