Stupid begginer question

[BrandonB]

Ok I am starting to breed rats now and I build the rack got everything set up and bought 8 females 2 males. Ok at the pet store the males had huge testies but when I put them all in the racks I cant really tell the males from the females. I know they retract them when they are scared. But looking at one I know is a male and one I know to be female I cant tell the difference and They really dont like to hold still and let you check there junk.

If any one could post pictures of a female compared to a male when he is scared and point out the diffrences to me that would be great.

[frankykeno]

Just pick them up gently with one hand around their body under their "armpits". Let their body dangle from your hand (they'll squirm a bit) and umm....what dangles the most is your male LOL

[MeMe]

Just pick them up gently with one hand around their body under their "armpits". Let their body dangle from your hand (they'll squirm a bit) and umm....what dangles the most is your male LOL

great post Jo!

[frankykeno]

hehehehehehehe thank you Meme. Sometimes trying to describe certain bits and pieces related to reproduction isn't easy on a family friendly forum without becoming overly graphic. I've got to remember to trade mark "butt pillows" though LOL

Btw Brandon, no question is stupid when you are learning about things. It's only stupid not to ask dear so go ahead and ask anything you need to know about your new rats.

Heck you should see me trying to sex mice....I'm pitiful and almost always get it wrong!

[MeMe]

hehehehehehehe thank you Meme. Sometimes trying to describe certain bits and pieces related to reproduction isn't easy on a family friendly forum without becoming overly graphic. I've got to remember to trade mark "butt pillows" though LOL

yea I kno what you mean!

butt pillows! That is a new one!!!

I love it!

[frankykeno]

You've never heard me use that one. LOL I thought pretty much everyone had by now. It's my favorite term for that part of the male rat anatomy (since they basically sit on the dang things so much, just made sense to me to call them that)

[MeMe]

You've never heard me use that one. LOL I thought pretty much everyone had by now. It's my favorite term for that part of the male rat anatomy (since they basically sit on the dang things so much, just made sense to me to call them that)

nope. never heard of it!

but that will definitely be the new term for those things!

[BrandonB]

Ok I will try that out. Thanks for that advice.

[Kagez28]

yea mice are defiantly a pain to sex.

[frankykeno]

Sounds sort of silly but I did read it on a mouse breeders site. They suggested putting in a fairly high little food bowl for the mice and waiting patiently while they all hopped up for a snack. The males, with their butts sort of hanging off the bowl and all relaxed having a snack, tend to let down their "best bits" and it's easier to visually sex them without having to grab them at all. I did try it with some mice and dang it but it does work!

(My mom would be so proud of me.....oogling poor lil mice while they eat dinner....staring fixedly at their back ends....oh yes mom would be ever so proud! LMAO)