Browse Instructions
How To Breed Pet Rats
Posted By: Stacyh;
Category: Pets;
November 22, 2008
Author StacyH;
Domesticated rats are fun pets. If you like rodents and want to experience the fun of raising babies, rats are cute and active little babies. They are also very smart. However, you need to know how not to breed more than you want.
1
Make sure you have a mature male and female rat in good health. Make sure the female is fully grown. A fully grown male is easy to identify. Rats can begin to breed as early as 3 months of age.
2
House them together and make sure they don't fight. Provide a small house or nest and paper or shredding material to keep the future mom happy.
3
Make sure you have a separate cage or housing to move the male into once the female has been bred.
4
Move the male once you are sure the female is expecting a litter. If she has the babies before the male is moved, move him immediately after. Do not keep the male close to the female. A female rat can be bred again within 48 hours of delivering a litter. Male and female rats can be great escape artists when motivated.
5
Give Mommy-rat her space, plenty of water and food, and add clean bedding now and then. Do not use cedar or pine shavings for your rats' bedding. The oils in wood shavings can damage the rats' respiratory system. Clean the cage, but keep it to a minimum. Mommy-rat will be very protective of her babies and may bite or become frantic if you bother her or her babies.
6
In just a few weeks the babies will begin eating solid food, but will still nurse for up to about 8 weeks. Once Mommy-rat starts nipping them to get a break or is fighting her babies for food, they should be separated. Mom needs to be away from her babies for a few days for them to be completely weaned and to give her a break.
7
Do not keep male and female rats together after about 8 weeks of age because they will soon start to breed!
8
Keep in mind that over-breeding is bad for Mommy-rats just as it is for dogs or cats. Over-producing rats that you don't want is irresponsible.
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