Hello. I also posted on the mice breeding section, but as I'm also trying my hand at breeding feeder rats, I figured this was the most appropriate place!

I had mentioned that there are VERY FEW private rodent breeders around where I live in my previous post. In fact, I was surprised to find the breeder I did, because most people who "breed" rats in my area are really just kids who didn't realize they weren't supposed to put males and females together, end up with babies, and then try and get rid of them on craigslist. That, and most, if not all of the local pet stores around my area switched to suppliers which do not stock rats at all. All in all, attaining rats was very frustrating, but I finally found some and started of with a 1.3 ratio. HOWEVER, this is where it gets a bit sketchy.
The breeder I got them from bred on a large scale for feeders as well, as he also bred and sold a wide variety of snakes. What he did not do was keep any of his rats (ranging in ages from about 10-14 weeks old) separated according to sex. He basically left them all together all of the time, and his girlfriend acted shocked when she found a little of pinks in the cage as I was standing there, as well as another very large, pregnant female. I don't understand how there could have been any surprise as the rats were only doing what rats left together do: breed. That being the case, I paid him and left with my rats.
Since that point, one female has been left in her own enclosure, as we suspected she might have already been pregnant, while I separated the other two females and the male by himself for a week in order to let them settle in, get used to their new food/environment/handler, etc. I've now placed the male in with the other two females and it's been exactly 1 week since I reintroduced him in the those remaining two females. (It appears the other female may not be pregnant after all, but there's still a week left to wait and see). This brings me to my question:
I was a little nervous about how long I should leave the male in with the two females at this point, considering they've already been together a week, and they were housed with males prior to being brought home? I know some people like to wait to separate until females are visibly pregnant, but what if these girls don't show as much?

Overall, even though these rats are intended to be breeders for snake food, I felt like I couldn't leave the ones I selected there. At least now they have adequate space and housing, plenty of food and fresh veggies and someone to clean their bins out regularly... However, now I'm a little perplexed as to what to do with females who've probably never lived a day separated from any males. All advice welcome.