at long last..

[Ginevive]

One of my female rats has finally given birth. She had 10 healthy pups a few days ago and they are doing great. Just wanted to share the news and see how everyone else's breeding colonies are doing.

[Smulkin]

Good to hear!

Right now we've got 3 that just dropped (8-15 in litters), 1 who is ready to, 3 who have litters nearing wean-time and a scad of breeders and various juveniles.

All in all now we are up to 7 10gal 1 30gal and a 50gal - and fast approaching the need to freeze some of them - though the new improved hearty spring appetites of the herps may prove me wrong on that. It has hit or will exceed self-sustaining for our household - who'd have thunk it possible from such unintended beginnings lol.

[Brandon.O]

Congrats !

My very small breeding(i only have one female and one male right now) colony has been doing very well.My Momma mouse had babies about 6 days ago and she is most likely pregnant again (her and the male mated later on that evening) She only had 6 babies....but thats alright there is more on the way.

I have a question.

If i kill and freeze all but one baby will she still take care of it and raise it up.

The reason im asking is becuase through all these litters there has never been a light grey and white baby that looked like her and i would like to keep one.

[Ginevive]

Glad your rats are breeding like.. well, rats, Smulkin!

Hm Brandon, I have never done that before, but I did kill off several rat babies (leaving about 3) once and the mother treated them fine.
Let's see if anyone else has any other input.

[Smulkin]

Even through attrition from feeding them off the mommy rat will take care of any/all babies in there regardless of numbers - they will even take another rat's babies and raise them as their own (not sure if the moms having been previous cagemates has anything to do with that) but they do not seem to differentiate between their own and others - seems like anything little and squealing for milk gets some luvin.

This of course in my admittedly limited experience.

[Brandon.O]

Thanks guys.

I dont know if im even going to let even one live, i only have 1 frozen little mouse in the freezer and i need these 6 more.

If you guys didnt already know.I just keep the female at my place, the males are loaned to me by a friend.Since there really isnt THAT MUCH special about these babies i think they will all go into the freezer and after this next litter ill get her pregnant with another better looking father.

But thanks for the info, now i know for next time !