Should I make two female pets into breeders?

[singingtothewheat]

When I started breeding feeders my kids talked me into keeping two little females. Now I'm the ONLY one that messes with them. I really like my regular rats. The size is perfect even at a pretty young age for ball pythons.

Do you think breeding them will make them unfriendly? I hate rats as a teen and they were great till one got pregnant and then turned totally psycho.

[tomfromtheshade]

As long as you interact with rats I have found that breeding them makes no difference in their personalities.

[bokuza]

It's important to remember that rats handle everything differently pending the individual, while some may not change regardless of raising litter after litter there are some females who become nervous or aggressive with lasting effects after birthing/raising their young. From start to finish pregnancy is a very hormonal and emotionally involved process. It really boils down to it if the Mother can actually handle all of the stress, hormones and the pups themselves. After seeing some great rats turn to utter messes after raising just one litter, it makes sense to say so. I used to have a great pet rat doe until she got loose into the bucks cages one day. After raising her litter (successfully) she just never was the same and isn't as friendly anymore. Shes rather a shutter bug now sadly. Of course there are those who breeze threw it like pie too. Again, all on the rat. So yes, it can POSSIBLY effect their personality permanently or long term in my opinion. It's not all that common for it to be severe/mild but it definitely happens. So choose wisely on what you want to do and keep in mind it only takes one baby or a bad litter to kill a Mom rat off too.

[singingtothewheat]

Well, I had a talk with the girls lol (the rats) and we decided for right now they are just pets. I really like them. They are smart and sweet and I wouldn't want to change a thing about them. Well except maybe for someone else to clean the cage and stuff but other than that, not a thing. So, not now. The girls are good how they are.

[bokuza]

Well, I had a talk with the girls lol (the rats) and we decided for right now they are just pets. I really like them. They are smart and sweet and I wouldn't want to change a thing about them. Well except maybe for someone else to clean the cage and stuff but other than that, not a thing. So, not now. The girls are good how they are.

Haha. Sometimes I feel like if the breeders could talk they hate me to death and nonstop cuss at me. 14 pups is so much...

[singingtothewheat]

Haha. Sometimes I feel like if the breeders could talk they hate me to death and nonstop cuss at me. 14 pups is so much...

I know, can you even imagine. If I had 14 babies someone would have to die. lol