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Rat Pinks!!

tyflier

tyflier

[Insert Witty Commentary]
HOORAY!!!

I have had my rat pair (female dumbo rex berkshire, male rex hooded), since they were freshly weaned, about a month and a half ago. They were so cute, I didn't really care if they mated, so long as they were friendly, and my daughter absolutely adores them.

Over the last week or so, I had noticed an incredible amount of weight gain in the female. She didn't ever "look" pregnant, but man was she getting heavy. So I assumed the deed had been done, and I would see some babies in a couple weeks.

I woke up early yesterday morning to some "odd" squeaks and squeals in the cage, and went to investigate. At around 8am, Starr, my female, was standing in the corner of her cage, and every minute or two, she would "twitch" her backside, and give a short little yelp. To me, it looked like birthing contractions, but there was no sign of babies.

At around 11:30, I went and checked on her again, and she had one little tiny cute pink that she was cleaning up...but she was still having contractions. However, I needed to go to work, and could only hope and assume that my assessment of further contractions(and more babies) was accurate.

I got home from work at around 7pm last night, and there was 11 beautiful little baby pink ratties, all suckling, all welping and squeaking, and one very lonely dad, hanging out in the corner by himself. Hopefully as the babies age over the next few days, Ringo, the father, will be allowed back into the "family unit"...First is the babies, then Ringo(sire), and finally, the proud mama, Starr.

Thanks for looking!!
 

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awwwwwwwwwww. how cute. especially like the dad. i am breeding mice soon and i cant wait 2 see the babies. ( shame we have to feed them)

good luck with the cutties

lee
 
Congrats on the pups.
Rex is the one gene I haven't been able to find around here.

With both parents rexes you can expect rexes, normals and double rexes, which are usually hairless or nearly so.

You should be able to identify the rexes and double rexes very soon, they'll have curly whiskers.
 
you do realize you should seperate them or you will keep having litters. my self and a few friends have rats and unless breeding always seperate the males and females. you also have to worry if you keep the pups and raise them about inbreeding.

None the less, congrats!
 
I know this is about rats and not trying to steal a thread but how long do mice be pregnant for. Am thinkin bout breeding them for a lil while. dont' wnat to keep them just have a few litters. so how long are they pregnant and after they are born and you take them from the mother, how long will she be before she gets pregnant again.
 
Jcapicy said:
you do realize you should seperate them or you will keep having litters. my self and a few friends have rats and unless breeding always seperate the males and females. you also have to worry if you keep the pups and raise them about inbreeding.

None the less, congrats!
Click to expand...

Seeing as this is the FEEDER forum on a pet snake board, I think that having litters is kind of the point.

...and I really don't think you need to worry much about inbreeding until many many generations away. line breeding is done all the time and labs in-breed rodents for hundreds of generations.
 
Flagg said:
...and I really don't think you need to worry much about inbreeding until many many generations away. line breeding is done all the time and labs in-breed rodents for hundreds of generations.
Click to expand...

And since they're feeders you don't need to worry much about that at all . . .
 
:rofl: :roflmao: :rofl: I am so glad someone addressed the issue of "feeding" as regards back-to-back breedings.

I have a BP and a BCI(as well as several colubrids and breeding plans for next spring :D), and I work in a pet store where I can sell dumbo rex babies for around $10 a piece. The whole point is to have as many babies as possible. From this first litter I am allowing 1 male and 1 female to live through adulthood and become breeders specifically for the shop. The rest will be culled at appropriate sizes to keep the freezer stocked. The more the merrier, I always say. These will also be used when my three 1.2 colonies of mice start falling behind. I sell the piebald mice(pretty common in one colony...2-3 in every litter) at the shop, and feed the rest. Supplemental income, and all that jazz...;).

Thanks for the compliments. I am so excited that they are doing what they are supposed to do. I feel like a proud father, or something! :D
 
newsnakeowner1978 said:
I know this is about rats and not trying to steal a thread but how long do mice be pregnant for. Am thinkin bout breeding them for a lil while. dont' wnat to keep them just have a few litters. so how long are they pregnant and after they are born and you take them from the mother, how long will she be before she gets pregnant again.
Click to expand...
It's about the same for both mice and rats. Roughly 3 weeks pregnancy and 3 weeks to wean...give or take. I haven't really kept track all that much. I notice when they are pregnant and when they give birth, than I go by size for weaning. Once the shape(pointy face, narrow head and shoulders, wide hip and rump) starts to look like a small adult, that's pretty much time to wean because they are, well...a small adult.

[edit]Oh, and most females are at their most fertile period within a couple days of giving birth. If you want back-to-back litters, just keep the colony together, and leave the male in there. If not, pull him out.
 
Congrats! I have two female rats and a male in together. The one girl had babies the day after I got her (alas, only 3 made it as she was in poor condition). Don't worry, Dad will be allowed back in the family group in no time! (In most cases!) My lot used to all pile together in the nest! lol They would all groom and protect the babies too.
(My rats are pets but the young are food). As someone said, inbreeding is not a major concern.

CONGRATS again! :) My OTHER female ratty is also preggers so I hope she drops soon! (And has more than 3! lol) And my one girl mousie had THIRTEEN babies the other day! lol Keeping all the females from that litter and possibly one or two males.
 
Congrats!! I'm sure your daughter is in heaven... lol

For a first litter, 11 is a very good number. Hopefully, sons and daughters will be just as prolific.
 
tyflier said:
It's about the same for both mice and rats. Roughly 3 weeks pregnancy and 3 weeks to wean...give or take. I haven't really kept track all that much. I notice when they are pregnant and when they give birth, than I go by size for weaning. Once the shape(pointy face, narrow head and shoulders, wide hip and rump) starts to look like a small adult, that's pretty much time to wean because they are, well...a small adult.

[edit]Oh, and most females are at their most fertile period within a couple days of giving birth. If you want back-to-back litters, just keep the colony together, and leave the male in there. If not, pull him out.
Click to expand...


Tks tyflier. you been a great help.
 
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