Selecting for Large Litter Size

[snakesRkewl]

Our rats average 12-15 with 17 to 19 not uncommon.
We selectively hold back females from large litters and cull half of the litter early on so those hold backs get lots of attention and food.

[RobNJ]

Small litters aren't uncommon for first timers. They'll drop more babiein the next couple, then peak for anywhere for 4-6 more months and then production will start to tail off. I've had litters as small as 5, as large as 20, with 14-15 being about the average for those peak months.

[gsarchie]

Our rats average 12-15 with 17 to 19 not uncommon.
We selectively hold back females from large litters and cull half of the litter early on so those hold backs get lots of attention and food.

Exactly how early on do you cull? I was thinking that I'd like to do this from some of the big litters and would either feed off some siblings or spread the babies out between other nursing mothers.

[snakesRkewl]

Exactly how early on do you cull? I was thinking that I'd like to do this from some of the big litters and would either feed off some siblings or spread the babies out between other nursing mothers.

I cull as soon as they are fuzzing up and I know what color they will be.
Typically at 2 weeks I start feeding off males and the black kits unless I want to hold back a black that carries multiple dilute genes.