Rasing Rats

[jwk811]

I am starting to raise my own rats and was wondering if it would be okay to mix different litters. All the litters are going to be related because they will all come from just two rats. A few scenarios:

1. Say two rats have a litter and after the kittens are weaned I will put them into another tank (and yes males and females seperate tanks). Now if those two same parents have another litter could I mix them with the rats from the last litter?

2. Say two pairs of rats have kittens (and they would have the same grandparents (if that matters)), now will each litter be able to mix together once they are weaned?

I just don't want these rats to fight if they feel like the rats are intruders.

[_BoidFinatic_]

Rats are very social animals. I have yet to have a problem with fighting when adding new additions to my breeder colony. They don't have to be related in any way in order to get along .

[jwk811]

Great thanks. That was what I was hoping for.

[_BoidFinatic_]

Great thanks. That was what I was hoping for.

Good luck with your breeders .

[jwk811]

Thanks, man. I think they just had a session a few minutes ago, lol.

[frankykeno]

Whether they are related or not rats will scuffle and swarm new members into their enclosure. They aren't being aggressive, they just need to check everyone out and sort out who they are. They will stand and box, roll each other over, sit on the newcomer, chase and occasionally nip. They don't usually seriously injure each other but if there is a great size difference or you have a particularily dominant rat, injuries from fights can occur. You just need to monitor these things. Overcrowding is never good and will cause more problems than it's ever worth. Try to keep feeders with other feeders of the same gender and similar in size if at all possible.