Quote Originally Posted by SatanicIntention
It surely wouldn't hurt and it sounds like you have a good plan. I've heard that albinos are a particular lab strain that consistently produce good, healthy, large litters. Being a good mother is usually genetic, as is being a bad mother that eats babies.

Hope that helped a bit.
Becky is right, you do have a good plan. Also, I heard the same about lab strain that produce good, healthy, large litters... when I was breeding rats for prey, I consistantly chose the generic white type rats, and they did very well producing quality off spring consistantly for me. And being a good mother is very much genetic as is being a bad mother that eats her babies (IME). I had several projects going on, breeding for prey and breeding for the fancy rat public, in both groups I noticed that quality of mothering did seem to be genetic, as thier offspring often turned out like thier own parents, be it good or bad. And that would tell me what "line" to continue to use for breeding to get a mother who was good and not killing her babies, but still producing what I felt was quality for that line and good enough for me for whatever purpose the animal was being bred for. But the difference I noticed in my groups that may not be true in others who do/did the same, is that my white rodents seemed to produce bigger litters with bigger babies in general compared to the fancy rodents. I do not know if it is cause "fancy" rodents tend to be bred for specific traits, usually appearance and temperment and somehow that cuts out bigger litters and bigger babies.... who knows, however, it is my understanding that white rodents originally came from lab settings who were bred for bigger litters and bigger healthier babies to further whatever research was needing to be done.. but this has been my experience with this situation.