rodent cannibalism

[zoe]

and sure enuf the twats that touched them had sentenced them to an early death

btw that wasnt meaning that everyone who touches them is a twat, just that these kids were told not to and they still did

[rodentrancher]

Try adding Electrolytes to the water and Vitamin D supplement(due to no sunlight). this may help cure the problem.

[herptrader]

There are all sorts of reasons why this might happen. Sometimes it is just the parents cleaning up babies that have died.

Sometimes it is first time mothers who just don't handle it well. These are called snake food because they will often continue the "habbit".

Stress is another factor that may parents to eat the babies... too hot, too cold, unsufficient food or water etc. etc.

To me the key with breeding feeder rodents is to keep enough records so that only those with the very best track record offspring are used for the next breeding generation. It is amazing how well the breeding colonly can go with a bit of effort on the record keeping front.

[Magpie]

Where can you get D3 for rats from?

[peterescue]

Hey rodent rancher, Dont often see rats sunning themselves do you?
Little buggers are nocturnal.
Peter

[nuthn2do]

any1 ever had any cases of this ?

You only got 1 male per tub, and keep him in there the whole time?
If males have been separated from the colony for a while they may kill the offspring, then everyone has a feast

[Bryony]

when i was little my mouse ate one of her young and it lookedlike a mousey kabab!
She ate all the middle out and left the bum and the head, now for a 9 year old that was pretty horrible and cool at the same time!!!!

[rodentrancher]

Originally Posted by peterescue

Hey rodent rancher, Dont often see rats sunning themselves do you?
Little buggers are nocturnal.
Peter

Well, we find that they love a bit of sunlight coming in thru the doors of the container(26ft) on the milder days Peter. Cheers Cheryl

[africancichlidau]

It is amazing how well the breeding colonly can go with a bit of effort on the record keeping front.

Isn't that the truth!
Record keeping on everything to do with wildlife husbandry can lift the game in so many ways.

[peterescue]

Hi Cheryl, I was being cheeky.
Mine get sun during winter as there is a glass door on ther garage. They seem to like it.
Peter

[SnakeWrangler]

Sometimes the male will eat the babies no matter what, a few years back I bought some mice for the kids, of course they bred and the male ended up looking like a RAT! He got so huge after consuming about 10 babies. I couldn't believe it. He was never taken out either.

[rodentrancher]

We keep record cards stuck to the front of every breeding box which show weaning dates, how many we take from each litter etc etc. Also notes on any that are eaten or die. If we find any are eaten, we usually put in a new male and out with the old one. Gotta have those records, or we would be totally bamboozled hey? LOL. Cheers Cheryl.