I used to really enjoy the behavior of one of my now-retired moms, after all of her kids had been fed off. I'd put her back in the all female enclosure, and she would just become a pile of "clean me, NOW" mush for the first week!! It was really hilarious. She'd just waddle up to one of the other girls and flop down, begging to be groomed. When the other female gave in, she'd get this look of complete Heaven on her face, and lean into the other girl with joy. As if to say, "Finally I'M the one being pampered!" None of the current breeders do that.

I've heard people communal mothering from birth and, it just doesn't seem right to me. I had an accident where two moms had babies at once (i was asleep and was planning to seperate them when i woke, they were not "due" for approximately 5 days, so i thought they'd be okay until i woke up). Babies EVERYwhere. They were completely scattered, no nests, and they kept trying to make their own piles, but the other would go over and steal some, causing the other one to steal from that one, causing more scattering. I put the moms in holding, seperated two groups of babies, cleaned/sat up the tanks and put a mom in each. They were fine after that. So, now when I hear about people leaving two moms (or more) together to give birth and "share" the kids, I just blank it from my mind and move on. I couldn't imagine that nightmare again. I was so scared the babies were injured, but I thoroughly checked and luckily got to them before they were hurt.

Putting two moms together when the babies are 15 days, though, sounds like a much better idea.

Anyway, this way we're not hijacking this thread...isn't it a bit annoying when you warn someone that the rats (or any animal) may bite, yet they continue to aggravate the poor animals? My boyfriend was poking his finger into the wire female cage, and I kept warning he was going to get bit. He kept thinking he was faster than them, and then BAM! He got bit. I was a bit irritated with that. I mean, I felt really bad he got hurt, but I kept warning him. It's terrible that it has to actually happen before they learn, sometimes.