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Can I keep two male rats in one cage?

Cheryl Marchek AKA JM

Cheryl Marchek AKA JM

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Usually I would ask this over at KS, but figured I would start trying to use more of the forums here.

Anyway~ I know I can't keep two male mice in one cage as they will fight, but I keep hearing that rats are not as bad as mice. Does the more even temperment extend to keeping two adult males in one breeding cage? Or am I just asking for trouble with that? I have one very large cage that I keep the male and several females in now. I move the females when I see they are visibally pregnant (it's a wire cage, so I move the females or I lose babies). Thing is I think the male is having a hard time keeping up with his job now, and I want to add more girls (Need more rat pups, getting more ball pythons)
 
I'd say with females in the mix, you're running a risk. Two males raised with only each other for company have gotten along, but I think when you add breeding competition into the mix, you're asking for trouble.

You said you'd lose babies if you didn't move the females from the wire cage? I assume that means the cage has a wire bottom? That's not really recommended for rats, it will cause them foot problems. You might want to cover at least part of the wire floor with something so that they can get some relief from walking on the wire.
 
Stupid cage

No, the cage is wire, with a solid bottom, and two tiers that are wire. I have a nest box on the top tier as well cuz they seem to insist on sleeping up there and I hate to see them sleeping on the wire. Don't worry, this stupid cage gives them plenty of option to be off the wire floor. I wish I could say I was drunk when I bought that cage, but I was sober, I have no idea why I bought it, or why I spent so much money on it (I got ripped so bad I'm not even willing to admit what I spent on it! Don't go to Petsmart after feeder rat supplies!!)

Problem is, when the pups start crawling they crawl right out of that nest box through the wire and out onto the floor. Either that or the moms are pushing them through the wires!! I made a "Nursery tank" after a week straight of finding little squirming rats all over the house. Damn near stepped on a few. Usually they didn't even have their eyes open yet! I tell ya, it was tuff on the cat. He's really good about leaving the rats alone, but he sure put up a howling when he found a little rat in his food bowl!! LOL!!

Too bad I can't move two males into that cage. That really what I figured, but I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask.
 
Hi Cheryl

I have 3 45g tanks setup with 2males-10females . Even though there are 10 females for every tank, There has never been more than 6 in a tank at a time due to mothers out nursing ( I do the same as you by removing the pregnant females) I have been doing this for over 8 months and have yet to see the males fight. I think you will be fine haveing 2 males with the females.
 
you would have to start a new colony with the 2 males and however many females you want with them. if they are all started together and the enclosure you plan on using is large enough you may or may not be able to get away with it. or just start another bin with 1 male to multiple females. IMO it is best to have multiple bins so if you lose one bin to disease or whatever you will still have others to fall back on.
 
90%=100%

If things go a certain way 90 percent of the time then you need to go about your business as if it happens 100% of the time. If 9 times out of 10 male rats fight then they fight all the time, play the odds. More bins are better than one huge bin. Also you can get the rabbit piss gaurds and put them in every corner of the wire cage they will stop the rats from pushing out the babies, if you put them behind the nest boxes. Also how many babies do the mothers average per litter and what are you feeding them? it is better to just leave the rats together all the time and just take out rats as you need them. If you have to take out pregnant rats its slows the process down and means you arent housing them appropriately.

Digby Rigby
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http://exoticfeeders.com the feeder forums
 
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