Breeding Rats

Do Not Breed a nasty rat, this trait is incurable!

Before deciding to breed your rats, you must first consider how you will find homes for all the babies. Rats have large litters. Twelve babies average and eighteen is not unusual. It can be difficult to find good homes for many rat babies. If you plan to sell them to a pet store, they may sell them as snake food.

The best time to breed a female rat for the first time is at 4 to 5 months old. Never breed a female older then 8 months for the first time because her pelvic bones will have fused and she may have difficulty or die when giving birth. Also don't breed a rat that is too skinny or fat, they will probably not take.

The maternity cage should be 16 inches by 30 inches by 14 inches and should have a nestbox and a place for mamma rat to get away from her young.

Female rats come minto heat once every four to five days, during the evvening. When a rat is in heat, her vagina will gape open and she will usually react to handling by arching her back and vibrating her ears. It is best to wait till she is in heat before placing her in the males cage.

Her gestation period is 21-23 days. Birth usually occurs during the day and lasts 30-60 minutes. They are born hairless, blind and deaf. Don't touch the babies till 2 weeks later, due to the mothers aggression. At 2 weeks the eyes open and at 4 weeks the are weaned. Males should be removed at five weeks to prevent any in-breeding.



This is just like my mama rat, to a tee, I tell ya.

Comic Strip from Excalibur Rodents

Most info taken from Critters USA magazine by Fancy Publishers.