GREAT moma rat. possible problem???

[pixie6710]

ok i got this female in june and got her breed ing but the first time she had babie's she had my first lucky number...13! then the next time she had my other lucky number...17! is it normal for rat's to have that many babies?

[snakesRkewl]

ok i got this female in june and got her breed ing but the first time she had babie's she had my first lucky number...13! then the next time she had my other lucky number...17! is it normal for rat's to have that many babies?

Those are really good sized litters but not uncommon really.
I get 13 to 15 in my litters quite often, but 10-12 is more common.
Congrats on the large litters

[tomfromtheshade]

They are just good litters. That is above average, but anywhere between 10-20 is not unheard of.

[tomfromtheshade]

In fact, if you are choosing replacement females or holdbacks to breed, I would take them from those two litters. Good genes = good colony.

[Shenzi Sixaxis]

I agree, grab some females to keep from those litters!

From what I read here and on CS.com, it seems rats breed a lot better than mice with bigger litters, too.

Keep an eye on your girl that she doesn't get skinny. My one good girl who had only 7 babies decided that she would take care of about 20 babies (8 died from the big litter and I fed off 2 from the small litter) since the other mother had 13 but didn't care for them at all, and she lost quite a bit of weight after about three days. She looks okay now, but just watch for that. Yogurt and Zoomed's Can O' Superworms and Can O' Grasshoppers work wonders if you have that problem. :3

[snakesRkewl]

In fact, if you are choosing replacement females or holdbacks to breed, I would take them from those two litters. Good genes = good colony.

I agree.
At 2 weeks when I see the coat colors I want I start culling that litter down to about 4 babies by week 3 and then by week 4 and wean time the hold over babies are chunky

[mechnut450]

man I feel cheated then I only get 4-12 pups if lucky the one rat just dropped 4 pups this week and her andtheother female seem to be figihting over who goingot care for them. ( nothing bloody just going back and forth takeing the pups and making new bedding piles. I think the other one will drop this week if iI m lucky. but I need like 16 a week every week and i know the 5 females I got will make keep those kind of nubers for me. I guessI need a 10x12 shed just ot keep rats in, and a better vaccumm sealer to prevent freezer burn(from improper sealed bags)

[snakesRkewl]

I need like 16 a week every week and i know the 5 females I got will make keep those kind of numbers for me.

5 females times 10 babies average = 50 babies every 2 - 2 1/2 months.

If you need 64 rats a month then your short a few females according to my math

[pixie6710]

In fact, if you are choosing replacement females or holdbacks to breed, I would take them from those two litters. Good genes = good colony.

i will do that thx

[pixie6710]

man I feel cheated then I only get 4-12 pups if lucky the one rat just dropped 4 pups this week and her andtheother female seem to be figihting over who goingot care for them. ( nothing bloody just going back and forth takeing the pups and making new bedding piles. I think the other one will drop this week if iI m lucky. but I need like 16 a week every week and i know the 5 females I got will make keep those kind of nubers for me. I guessI need a 10x12 shed just ot keep rats in, and a better vaccumm sealer to prevent freezer burn(from improper sealed bags)

my rfemale and the other good girl we have both count their babie's and when we feed the babie's off they start takeing eachother's to replace their babie's or take babie's no one want's. my girl has taken in 30 babies befor cuz one of the other girls refused them all. my girl is lucky she is a fatty lol