Oh Kelly what rotten luck to have this happen in both litters. I can't think of what could be going on here. Just more questions to try and nail down what it might be.


What caging are both litters and their mothers in? What bedding? Exactly how old are both litters and have you had any loss of young in either litter prior to these events? Are the dead ones just laying there or is their evidence of them being cannabalized or killed by their mother (I did see you mentioned finding parts of one...ick!)? It's very odd for rat females to kill their young once they've survived birth (at least in my limited experience) unless something is driving the female is cull her own litter. Figuring out what that cause is, is all I can think of. Personally until I knew what was up I wouldn't feed the dead ones but that's just me being my usually over-cautious self.

Just to confirm...each female is in her own enclosure with just her own litter (or what is left of it)? Are you seeing good mothering behaviours from these females (nursing, cleaning, licking the rat babies bottoms, etc.)? Are these two females acting oddly (more nervous, nippy, depressed or ill looking)?

So sorry for all the questions but something might click in one of the many rat breeders on the forum that could at least give you some idea why this has happened.

Here's a link I have on megacolon with pics and so forth. Wondering though if it was megacolon what the chances are you'd get it in both litters from different fathers bred to two seperate females? You said I think that the rats seem to be pooping but have a look at the megacolon pics and see if they resemble the dead ones at all.

http://ratguide.com/health/digestive/megacolon.php


~~Jo~~