Rat re-mate

[garthy]

Just wondering when it's ok to take a female away from her young, for the purpose of re-mating. I'm not exactly sure how old the little ones are at the moment but they have their eyes well and truly open and are scampering around their enclosure. Also I just had another female give birth to 18 young, will she eat some of these to ensure the survival of the the others? I sure theyve done this before.

 

[Hetty]

She will only be able to get pregnant again if she's on heat/in season. The babies are weaners, they won't need their mother much longer if at all. Just wait a week or so.

And the other mother will probably eat some babies. 18 is a lot to manage. If you need pinkies I suggest you take some now, otherwise leave her alone. If you're in a hurry to get more rats though, cull some yourself anyway, 18 babies will take a very long time to grow.

 

[Rosemary]

A female rat will come back on heat within 24 hrs of taking her young away from her regardless of their age. I also believe that they re cycle within 24 hrs of giving birth......that might be a bit hard to work on tho unless you want the male to eat the young....ok IF you have taken the pinkies straight off her tho

 

[lil_ben]

just take the mother away when she gives the babies

 

[Australis]

Just never remove the male.

 

[FAY]

Wait 'till the babies are totally independent.

 

[garthy]

could I put a male in with mum n bubs? Or will he hurt them? I could knock em all over now in prep for my pair of hatcho olives, but I'd rather grow them out.

 

[scorps]

if they are his bub ad hes been with them the whole time the male wont harm them (usaly)

 

[garthy]

if they are his bub ad hes been with them the whole time the male wont harm them (usaly)

I took him out when I thought she was pregnant. So not sure whether he would know. Does anyone know of males that actively harm juvenile rats? (i'm thinking of male lions killing all cubs other than their own)

 

[vs380kw]

i leave all my males with the mums and the bubs and have not had a prob so far but things do and will happen one day lets just hope its later then sooner

 

[blackthorn]

I'd be waiting 'til the babies are weaned, if their eyes are open you should only have to wait a week or two for that to happen.
As for the rat with 18 babies, if you have another rat with young babies or one that's about to give birth, then you might be able to offload a couple into the other litter.

 

[Craig2]

rats wean at about 21 days so about 3 weeks after birth they are good to be taken from mother if you keep the male in her tub all the time with good rats you should get a litter every 21-25 days. normaly run 2 females to 1 male and leave them like this till you are ready to cull them off and restock new breeders.
about every 6-8 months or when litter numbers dwindle (its advised not to feed old breeders to your snake as they are quite fatty and have been linked to fatty liver deseaes in some species of snakes.