*achem* rat breeder steps in
all female rats have nipples, all male rats have balls. No males have nipples, not ever, but some females may look like they have balls. So go with the nipples. No nipples= Male....Nipples=Female
When sexing a boy pinkie from a girl pinkie rat, The vagina and the anus of the female are very close together, usually within a few millimeters of eachother....the males Anus and Penile opening are 1/2 to 3/4 of a centimeter apart
Males should always be removed once the females are impregnated and believe me when i say it only takes one day. any more can stress the pregnant mommas out and they can miscarry. females technically shouldnt be housed together after babies are born cause they can fight over who gets to raise the baby and get canabalistic. although an unsuitable mother can have her babies removed and given to a nursing mother to take over the responsibility
Also for the health of mothers and babies (even if babies are food....especially if babies are food) you should get enough females to scatter the births so that no one female should have babies more than every 6 months to a year. this wont take many cages as only birthing/new mothers should be seperated.
You wouldnt want to feed a frail or diseased rat to a snake as it could sicken the snake or give it no nutrients.
Rats should be fed a variety of foods such as fruits (excluding oranges) vegetables, meats (cooked), breads and pastas. (cheese, jam or peanut butter can and will choke and kill your rat) this will give you the best bang for your buck when feeding a snake, a healthy and meaty rat. Plus it is cheaper to feed if given small portions of whatever food you make for yourself than buying the expensive and non-nutritional and often cancer causeing Hagen blocks or seed mixes (almonds and onions will also kill a rat, they are poisonous)
you can also add vitamins to your rats water to make it healthier and thus making it better for your snake.
and you must NEVER and i mean NEVER house any of your rodents, rats or mice on PINE or CEDAR bedding. this causes respiratory and skin diseases on the rodent and also causes the harmful oils of the cedar and pine to be absorbed into the skin and then being passed into your snake. if you wont bed your snake on pine or cedar why let him ingest its dangerous oils.
Anything else just ask
