breeding rat tank

[sk8er4life]

i was wonder would it be ok if i started a breeding pair of ratd in a 10 gallon tank?

[Shelby]

I wouldn't. Aquariums don't have enough air circulation for rats. Plus that, 10g is too small. I use large rubbermaid bins for my breeder rats.

[sk8er4life]

wut size rubbermaid?

[Shelby]

Mine is 16"W x 24"L, but bigger is better.

[sk8er4life]

wut if i kept the female in rubbermaid and the male in the tank and put them together in the rubbermaid when i want them to breed, then once they do, take the male out and keep the female and her upcoming babies in the rubbermaid, wud that work?

[Shelby]

I suppose. Though rats are social creatures, that male may be stressed without the company of another rat, and still an aquarium is not a very good home for a rat. Plus that, you may have to keep them together for a week or more before they breed. Especially at first.

I keep mine all together all the time. Works fine for me.

[sk8er4life]

i was readin up on breeding rats and saig that if i keep them together and they breed when the girl is prgnant or when she jus got done with birth that it is unhealthy

[Ginevive]

I have two females; that way, while one momma has her babies, the male rat can be with the other female. Actually I am raising another young female to be a third mom rat, so he will definately never be alone. I think that they actually can get depressed when they're alone. But never try to put a male in with another strange male; they almost always fight.
I only use 10g tanks when a mother rat has her babies. They really do not move around much at this time, spending most of their time on the "nest" they create, suckling the babies. But all non-baby-having females are in the big, under-the-bed type rubbermaid containers and that gives them enough room to run around with the male.
Make sure you give them something wooden to chew on. They need to chew, and if they have nothing, they'll resort to gnawing holes in their water bottles!

[sk8er4life]

i guess ill just start breedin when i have more snakes to feed because id probably ending up having a whole lot of leftover rats that will end up growin to big for one snake at this size and then my room will end up smellin like te petstore!