What gives...

[SlitherinSisters]

Yep yep I would separate them, I know I've said this before

Where did you get your breeders? Were they adults when you got them? They could have been retired breeders if they were adults. Adults at pet stores tend to be retired or bad breeders.

If they are new moms that could be the problem too, but usually new moms do pretty well.

I have a couple girls that have been giving birth to a lot of stillborns lately, but they are getting pretty old. I know the one girl is creeping up on three years old as of August. The other girl is over 2 years old, but I'm not exactly sure how much older than 2 she is.

[tomfromtheshade]

I've refined and improved the stock that I got from you Gary. I have gotten all of the white off of those. All jet black now like ninjas...from the tip of their tail to the tip of their nose...nary a white hair to be seen.

And my jet black dumbos would be hardier in your hot building with their bigger heat releasing ears and their more laid back demeanor lol.

Someday you will get a rat from me Gary lol.

if they have access to water then your statement in untrue.

Rats kill offspring when they feel they can not sustain the entire colony, then they weed out the weak.

My building hits 90's most of the summer. Many southern breeder's buildings are not temp controlled.


I would say you either have a bad female or a bad male.

Retry with different breeding stock.

I would take Tom up on his offer if you are capable. He has some good breeding stock....I know, much of it came from me

[tomfromtheshade]

If it gets really hot, the humidity from bedding(shavings) will cause respiratory issues which can lead to death. I personally switch to pellet bedding in summer months to help avoid this. This is one of the many reasons I frown on the "big tub" caging so many people seem so happy with.

and I do agree, 70-80 is an optimal temp but not crucial. My rats see 90's in the summer months ( I have fans in my building) and see a low of 45 in the winter.

What do you mean by "big tub"?

[suzuki4life]

What do you mean by "big tub"?

the big 40-60 gallon ones they cut the sides out of.

[suzuki4life]

I've refined and improved the stock that I got from you Gary. I have gotten all of the white off of those. All jet black now like ninjas...from the tip of their tail to the tip of their nose...nary a white hair to be seen.

And my jet black dumbos would be hardier in your hot building with their bigger heat releasing ears and their more laid back demeanor lol.

Someday you will get a rat from me Gary lol.

if you have bred them calm then you have failed. My objective was to regain their natural wild and mean demeanor. You know, the instinct to survive and kill.

you will learn someday grasshopper.

and improving my stock and bragging about it is like adding a k&n filter to a Ferrari and claiming it to be faster.

[tomfromtheshade]

if you have bred them calm then you have failed. My objective was to regain their natural wild and mean demeanor. You know, the instinct to survive and kill.

you will learn someday grasshopper.

and improving my stock and bragging about it is like adding a k&n filter to a Ferrari and claiming it to be faster.

LOL. You and I are taking a little different approach. I swear that your rats would decimate the wild population if they ever escaped LOL.

My rats are plenty vigorous, but they don't bite the shinola out of me or run around at 185 miles per hour like your rats do.

Also, I think that if I kept mine like you kept yours they would probably wild up as well. Even the big black male that I got from you is pretty decent to handle in my herd.

Did you ever think that the dumbo ears might give your rats an advantage in losing bodyheat in the summer?

Maybe that is just the mad scientist in me?

Seriously though, what I meant by improving was that I got all of the white hairs out of them. I have some that have zero white on them at all. I know that you're trying to get away from the white in your colony.

And furthermore, you know that Im a Harley guy. I go slow and look good LMAO.

[suzuki4life]

LOL. You and I are taking a little different approach. I swear that your rats would decimate the wild population if they ever escaped LOL.

My rats are plenty vigorous, but they don't bite the shinola out of me or run around at 185 miles per hour like your rats do.

Also, I think that if I kept mine like you kept yours they would probably wild up as well. Even the big black male that I got from you is pretty decent to handle in my herd.

Did you ever think that the dumbo ears might give your rats an advantage in losing bodyheat in the summer?

Maybe that is just the mad scientist in me?

Seriously though, what I meant by improving was that I got all of the white hairs out of them. I have some that have zero white on them at all. I know that you're trying to get away from the white in your colony.

And furthermore, you know that Im a Harley guy. I go slow and look good LMAO.

dunno, they don't stay still long enough to use a pyrometer on their ears. Literature states they use their tails for temp control. I have to use what I have read on their body systems. I like experimentation as much as the next but not gonna argue their body systems with guys who have dissected them.

I think your offer to Ben was a great idea to get him going and a very nice offering. Huge props to you for being a stand up guy!!!

[CoolioTiffany]

If you're just now beginning this colony it could take a while until you get it up and running.

I'm just now starting up mine, all I need is two females. Hopefully breeding goes well for you, wish you the best

[jben]

Yep yep I would separate them, I know I've said this before

Where did you get your breeders? Were they adults when you got them? They could have been retired breeders if they were adults. Adults at pet stores tend to be retired or bad breeders.

If they are new moms that could be the problem too, but usually new moms do pretty well.

I have a couple girls that have been giving birth to a lot of stillborns lately, but they are getting pretty old. I know the one girl is creeping up on three years old as of August. The other girl is over 2 years old, but I'm not exactly sure how much older than 2 she is.

I bought them from a local breeder, they were about 80-100g when i got them

I think your offer to Ben was a great idea to get him going and a very nice offering. Huge props to you for being a stand up guy!!!

I agree with Gary, this is your second offer to me and i really appreciate it Tom, you are a stand up guy.
Tom, PM sent.

If you're just now beginning this colony it could take a while until you get it up and running.

I'm just now starting up mine, all I need is two females. Hopefully breeding goes well for you, wish you the best

I've had this colony for a couple of months now with very minimal results.

Thank you all for your advice and tips, all of you have been very helpful.

[WingedWolfPsion]

It took me a while to get my rats established at first--they kept falling ill with Myco or just dying for mysterious reasons. I also had problems every time I added new rats from outside--a bout of illness and the whole thing over again.

Now that I have a BIG collection established and don't have to bring in new animals, I'm having much better luck. I do breed them in groups of 1.2 or 1.3. There may be more losses, but it's a space issue--even with losses, I get more babies for the space involved this way.