Rat Breeding Help

[Chillswitch]

I can't seem to master the "secret" to breeding feeder rats for my snakes.

I have one male that I was breeding to three females, in separate 10 gallon tanks. I have the tanks on a desk in my unused office room by a window. It's fairly warm in my house, generally around 75-78F. I treat them like I would pet rats, handling them often, and keeping their diet interesting. I give them fruit, nuts, crackers, dog food, all sorts of tasty rat things. It's been two months, with a few matings, but no signs of pregnancy whatsoever from anyone.

To add to my confusion, and frustration, I used to have pet rats, and at one point tried breeding my favorite female. After several months of nothing, I threw in the towel, and just started keeping her together with the boys like it was no problem...and never, ever, ever once had baby rats, not for the rest of her life. Considering most of my pet rats always lived to 3-4 years (one was 5 I believe) they weren't unhealthy or unhappy. I just don't get it.

I've got a small collection of snakes, and wanted to try my hand at breeding a couple of my ball pythons this season. I was hoping to have my own food supply by then so that I could be sure I had plenty ready for a clutch of babies. If I can't breed rats, a food staple of mother nature, bane of human society, based largely on their ability to out-breed any other creature on earth...how am I ever going to breed snakes?!

So where do I buy this secret rat fertility potion?

 

[Necoco]

I would try housing them all together for a while. Rats are social creatures by nature so keeping them all separate could be why they wont breed? Also,I heard some dog food is bad for them too if it has red dye in it.
I just now got my first breeding pair so hopefully someone with a little more experience can add to this. ^^

 

[Helenthereef]

http://www.faunaclassifieds.com/forums/showthread.php?t=280573

check this thread out, recently discussing same question

 

[heatherp]

I used to have a problem with my rats but never that they wouldnt breed, sometimes its because the rat is already too old when you get it as an adult, i starter with 3 siamese females and one hairless male, only because thats all the pet store had, i kept them all together in a 15 gallon tank, kept them fed on lab blocks and soon one of the females was pregnant, i moved her to her own tub and did the same when the last two became pregnant, i moved them together since they showed at the same time.

Since then i have had a lot of litters, however i noticed one litter was very small, i belive its because the female was stressed, i believe she had a litter a little over a month after having a litter, i only got about 5 babies from her, since then i give them time before letting them be with the male, however i like to keep at least 2 moms together at the same time, i have a 20 gallon i kept 5 rats in, 4 female and 1 male, 3 of the females were showing so i removed the male and the 4th female, all 3 females have had their babies at the same time, all in a different spot, i have a rat rack im using to grow weanlings and medium rats, as well as for some asfs and a group of mice, however i have rather dull success with mice.

I have fed my rats and mice dog food before, when i was out of lab blocks and there was no difference in the animals other then they went through it faster. I have a 40 gallon tank now, it houses 1 male and over 10 female rats, large girls, only one is small, because i got her at a small size and she had a litter, im not sure she will grow any bigger so i just put her with my breeders.

i have experienced the difference between well cared for rats and rats that are just looked at as feeders or breeders. Some of the breeder rats i recently got all have ear damage, most likely from flies eating their ears. Before that i got feeders and every one of them was aggressive and jumpy, they killed off my rats and they got loose when trying to feed them to my ball pythons.

my rats are raised indoors in my office, the racks are fine, but i enjoy being able to see my animals.

only tip i can give is keep more then 2 with a male, if they dont show signs of being pregnant within a month then try new females, if you have to get medium females and grow them up yourself, that way you know they arent too old. you dont need to hold them often, leave them alone and let them do their business, handle them and pet them when feeding or watering,thats what i do.

sorry for the huge rant, just letting my experience be known good luck

 

[Chillswitch]

Thanks for all the advice!

It took a few months, but eventually they got started. I've got two females that are showing.

I used to have a problem with my rats but never that they wouldnt breed, sometimes its because the rat is already too old when you get it as an adult, i starter with 3 siamese females and one hairless male, only because thats all the pet store had, i kept them all together in a 15 gallon tank, kept them fed on lab blocks and soon one of the females was pregnant, i moved her to her own tub and did the same when the last two became pregnant, i moved them together since they showed at the same time.

Since then i have had a lot of litters, however i noticed one litter was very small, i belive its because the female was stressed, i believe she had a litter a little over a month after having a litter, i only got about 5 babies from her, since then i give them time before letting them be with the male, however i like to keep at least 2 moms together at the same time, i have a 20 gallon i kept 5 rats in, 4 female and 1 male, 3 of the females were showing so i removed the male and the 4th female, all 3 females have had their babies at the same time, all in a different spot, i have a rat rack im using to grow weanlings and medium rats, as well as for some asfs and a group of mice, however i have rather dull success with mice.

I have fed my rats and mice dog food before, when i was out of lab blocks and there was no difference in the animals other then they went through it faster. I have a 40 gallon tank now, it houses 1 male and over 10 female rats, large girls, only one is small, because i got her at a small size and she had a litter, im not sure she will grow any bigger so i just put her with my breeders.

i have experienced the difference between well cared for rats and rats that are just looked at as feeders or breeders. Some of the breeder rats i recently got all have ear damage, most likely from flies eating their ears. Before that i got feeders and every one of them was aggressive and jumpy, they killed off my rats and they got loose when trying to feed them to my ball pythons.

my rats are raised indoors in my office, the racks are fine, but i enjoy being able to see my animals.

only tip i can give is keep more then 2 with a male, if they dont show signs of being pregnant within a month then try new females, if you have to get medium females and grow them up yourself, that way you know they arent too old. you dont need to hold them often, leave them alone and let them do their business, handle them and pet them when feeding or watering,thats what i do.

sorry for the huge rant, just letting my experience be known good luck

Nah, thanks for the rant! I asked for help and am glad I got some.

I did suspect they might be too old, as I did get them already full grown at a chain pet store and I know they were probably hanging out for a while. Even though the two look pregnant now, they still might be too old, so I'm raising up some young females in the meantime.

I like your idea with the 40 gallon. I might just go ahead and get something like that to house everyone in, and use my smaller tanks for separating.

Thanks!

 

[heatherp]

no prob, congrats on the girls, if they are to old you may only get that litter from them, but you never know their age when you get them from pet stores, i started up before i had reptiles with 2 large females as pets, then i ended up getting 2 small females and a small male since thats all they had, and i ended up with 5 breeders, had a 50 gallon tank that wouldnt hold them all, had too many to count, hairless and all.

The cannibalization rate in rats is pretty crazy, if there isnt enough space they will do it, if they dont have water they will do it, so far they hold off if i cant tell about their food, but i have been breeding rodents from age 12 when i got my first 2 hamsters that were suppost to be the same gender from petco.

if you have any further questions let me know. if you were close enough i would give you a young group to start you, a male and a few young females, all carry the gene for dumbo but im sure that doesnt matter when they are feeders haha.

anyway again, good luck, and get yourself up and running with your rats there.