Rat Breeding... (advice please)

[Byte]

Ok me and my brother purchased a male and female rat for the hopes of breeding so we can feed the rat pups to our snakes....

What steps should be taken for the breeding to happen???

We want to make this as easy on the rats as possible (if possible)

Thanx in adavance for your help...

-Kayla

[_BoidFinatic_]

Are they sexually mature? If not, wait a few more months.

[tmlowe5704]

Ok me and my brother purchased a male and female rat for the hopes of breeding so we can feed the rat pups to our snakes....

What steps should be taken for the breeding to happen???

We want to make this as easy on the rats as possible (if possible)

Thanx in adavance for your help...

-Kayla

make sure you feed them properly. there is a sticky in the feeder thread explaining how to make a mix that is cheap and nutritious to make sure your rats are healthy enough

[Byte]

can you post a link to that for me please...???

[Byte]

Are they sexually mature? If not, wait a few more months.

Yes they are large rats... both sexually mature.

When we bought them we made sure that they were both "ready" to breed.

I can post pics of them so you can see how big they are??

[Byte]

We have them housed together at the moment... is that ok????

If we need to divide the tub that they are in how would we make a divider???

-Kayla

[_BoidFinatic_]

We have them housed together at the moment... is that ok????

If we need to divide the tub that they are in how would we make a divider???

-Kayla

You may leave them together. Rats are social and they enjoy each other's company.

[Byte]

when reasearching we read that we should keep them apart untill the female is in heat (which occurs ever 5-6 days) then put them together so we dont stress the female out.

Is that just someones opinion or is it true?

[JLC]

Yes they are large rats... both sexually mature.

How old are they? Because the really big ones are often too old to breed, especially if the female has never had pups before.

[JLC]

when reasearching we read that we should keep them apart untill the female is in heat (which occurs ever 5-6 days) then put them together so we dont stress the female out.

Is that just someones opinion or is it true?

I'm just going by the many threads I've read on the topic here....

Rats are social creatures and really need a buddy with them to thrive. But leaving a male/female together all the time can cause complications with the male trying to breed while the female is still nursing her current litter, etc. But until she actually gets pregnant, I don't see any reason to keep them separate.