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WTf...My buck ate my doe!

When I was raising rats, I would have a 6 females to 1 male. If one female was going to give birth I would put her be in different cage by herself. This way she can take care of the pups without others eating them. This also gives her a break from being breed 4 days after she has her babies. From my rat girls, I got bigger litters and healthier babies due to giving them break. When the babies were eating solid food, the momma rat went back to the breed cage and the babies were raised to the size needed.
 
I apologize for this being off subject. I had two female non-breeding mice in one cage and one morning when i came in to feed them one was dead with her neck broken and bite marks all over her while the other female was fine. I was wanting to know if this was a temperament thing or what because I really have no clue on this as to why it happened.
 
Gator said:
When I was raising rats, I would have a 6 females to 1 male. If one female was going to give birth I would put her be in different cage by herself. This way she can take care of the pups without others eating them. This also gives her a break from being breed 4 days after she has her babies. From my rat girls, I got bigger litters and healthier babies due to giving them break. When the babies were eating solid food, the momma rat went back to the breed cage and the babies were raised to the size needed.
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Thats what I was doing, when she had her first litter I was at work so I removed her and the pups from the male and she had 2 months break from him, the pups were well on food before I put her back in with him, then here we are about a month from when I put her back in with the male and she was all prego, I think next time for sure I will just remove the pregnant female from the rest to have her own tub.
 
Wow that is insane.Ive been breeding rats for close to 15 years and have never had anything like that happen EVER.Ive never lost a female during birthing either so maybe ive just had good luck.But if that ever happened Id freak.
Ive had new mothers occasionally eat babies but thats as far it goes with any kind of cannibalism.
 
joann42 said:
Wow that is insane.Ive been breeding rats for close to 15 years and have never had anything like that happen EVER.Ive never lost a female during birthing either so maybe ive just had good luck.But if that ever happened Id freak.
Ive had new mothers occasionally eat babies but thats as far it goes with any kind of cannibalism.
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I was on the verge of "freak"en out lol.
 
Well, I tried to introduce a male with him in a new cage and he tried to kill the younger buck :(

Here is the rat killer himself...
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I think im problubly just going to put him up on craigslist for either a solitary pet or snake food because I got him for breeding and if he cant cohab with any other rat he is no good to me.
 
Yeah have been breeding rodents for a while and never had this issue. First off never put 2 males in the same cage if they been apart for to long i have had 2 male that grew up together since they where little put them in separate tubs in the rack system then one day while cleaning tossed them together and they fought like there where the last 2 males on the planet. Also most males won't eat the litters if they know it's there own. if you add a prego female in there that had gotten pregnat from another male this sometimes will happened. Also most of the time if you see a dead rat or mouse in a cage that has been eaten. The reason they do this one the rat died from what ever cause but they will eat the carcass to hide any smell from predator such as cats,foxes and what not from finding where they maybe located at. I know we don't have foxes and what not in our homes but it's a instinct that they must just do. When you put females in there with him you sure he isn't jsut tring to breed with them ? and are you intruducing them together with new bedding if not by putting a new rat in a "dirty" cage that has been sented by him will also make hi angry aswell?
 
well the female that he ate was the same female that had the first litter without incident. They got along just fine that is part of the reason I am so shocked about what happened to her.

As far as when I tried to introduce the other male it was in a new, cleaned cage with all new bedding and new water bottle and cleaned food dish so there should have been no smell of any other rats in that cage. Also it was just him and the other male there were no other female rats present.

So now atm I have 1 colony of 1.2 and then the 2 other males in separate cages. So 1 cage 3 rats and 1 cage 1 rat, one cage 1 rat. I know that rats are suppose to be social animals that is why I tried to introduce the 2 males together thinking maybe that they would be "lonely" enough that they would get along, I was wrong.

I suppose I could save 2 or 3 females from the next litter I get and try to introduce them to "killer" and see how it goes but I would almost rather use the other younger buck that is single since he seems to be less aggressive. I guess im just nervous to put another rat in with him. Even though they are all to eventually be feeders or breeders I would hate to put an animal in with another animal that is going to kill it without mercy.
 
Allalaskan said:
well the female that he ate was the same female that had the first litter without incident. They got along just fine that is part of the reason I am so shocked about what happened to her.

As far as when I tried to introduce the other male it was in a new, cleaned cage with all new bedding and new water bottle and cleaned food dish so there should have been no smell of any other rats in that cage. Also it was just him and the other male there were no other female rats present.

So now atm I have 1 colony of 1.2 and then the 2 other males in separate cages. So 1 cage 3 rats and 1 cage 1 rat, one cage 1 rat. I know that rats are suppose to be social animals that is why I tried to introduce the 2 males together thinking maybe that they would be "lonely" enough that they would get along, I was wrong.

I suppose I could save 2 or 3 females from the next litter I get and try to introduce them to "killer" and see how it goes but I would almost rather use the other younger buck that is single since he seems to be less aggressive. I guess im just nervous to put another rat in with him. Even though they are all to eventually be feeders or breeders I would hate to put an animal in with another animal that is going to kill it without mercy.
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I understand that maybe then putting him up for snake food or a pet would be a good idea i see whaere you coming from if hey is going to be angry. Just save up a new male and just start from scratch and go from there
 
You should have removed the male once you knew she was ready! The males get aggressive and like to eat the babies. Maybe he could sense they were coming and wanted to get to them? Next time for sure remove the male. Momma and babies only in one cage!
 
I def. would get rid of that male.He sounds warped.I would use him as a feeder though because someone may put him with another rat if hes a pet.
I keep males together too.But usually one breeder male with a couple of youngsters Im growing out.Ive never had a fight or injury either.
Maybe it has something to do with cage size and I always keep several hides(cardboard boxes of some kind) in each cage so they can get away from each other.

Ive had males clean the babies when kept with the mothers and litters, they make great dads normally.
 
jerrybforl said:
You should have removed the male once you knew she was ready! The males get aggressive and like to eat the babies. Maybe he could sense they were coming and wanted to get to them? Next time for sure remove the male. Momma and babies only in one cage!
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Do I sense attitude?

The first time she had a litter he did fine and showed no aggression.

Also I have been told by many who raise rats that it is fine to leave the male in as long as he is the ONLY male. I did remove him on her first litter right after she had the pups because I didnt want her to get pregnant right away. Until this point he has shown no signs of aggression so its not like I knew he was going to flip.

On a side note though I have been asking around, there is a guy at work that has a older larger bp so Im going to see how big of a rat he can eat and see if he wants him, but until now he has been fed mice (I seen him a couple weeks ago I told him he should be past mice now, how ever "killer" might be to big for him though) if not him Im sure I can post something on craigs list and find some one who needs a large rat for a feeder.
 
Ok whoever posted about males getting aggressive and liking to eat babies is completely wrong. I've bred rats for years and kept them for over 20 years, and they do not. Males are perfectly fine to stay with moms/babies BUT if you are breeding for show rats/pet rats you don't leave males in because you don't want her bred the day she gives birth and thus being pregnant WHILE nursing. For those raising feeders.. you might also want to pull them to give the moms breaks but many feeder breeders just leave them in colonies.
Males may not get along with other males, even if they have been together since a young age.. females or not. So I would not take his aggression against a male as an indicator of anything. But, it's your choice if you would rather feed him off or whatever.
I highly doubt the male killed her. She mostly likely died and then he ate her.
 
Do I sense attitude?

The first time she had a litter he did fine and showed no aggression.

Also I have been told by many who raise rats that it is fine to leave the male in as long as he is the ONLY male. I did remove him on her first litter right after she had the pups because I didnt want her to get pregnant right away. Until this point he has shown no signs of aggression so its not like I knew he was going to flip.
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No attitude stating facts. I used to raise rats as well! Very successfully I might add. If you remove the male don't think you would've had the problem!

Males are perfectly fine to stay with moms/babies BUT if you are breeding for show rats/pet rats you don't leave males in because you don't want her bred the day she gives birth and thus being pregnant WHILE nursing.
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I'm sorry but I will have to disagree! I've lost pups because of the male eating them in the tank with the mom. After that happened, I always removed the male and never had a problem after that. I'm not talking from my butt here just speaking from experience! Take it as you will. Besides, it would never hurt to remove the male right? Just my 2cents...
 
No, it's best to remove males if you are breeding for quality/show/pets or want to make it easier on the females, but typically males are NOT agressive towards females/babies.
Stress..overcrowding, and poor diet MIGHT increase those chances..also increasing the chances of does eating their young.
But like I said, I've had rats/bred rats for over 20 years and known alot of others that raised them as well, and never heard of males being aggressive (except toward each other, just as females can be toward other females)
 
So then we agree to disagree. You have your opinion and I have mine. I'm just saying that it's more likely he got aggressive than from her dying during birth. That's all. Again, if you doubt what's going on or not sure next time remove the male.
 
Gator said:
When I was raising rats, I would have a 6 females to 1 male. If one female was going to give birth I would put her be in different cage by herself. This way she can take care of the pups without others eating them. This also gives her a break from being breed 4 days after she has her babies. From my rat girls, I got bigger litters and healthier babies due to giving them break. When the babies were eating solid food, the momma rat went back to the breed cage and the babies were raised to the size needed.
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This is how I also do my rat breeding. I have a colony cage with 1 male and 6-8 females. Once the females look "pear-shaped" they are removed to a brood pen where they birth and raise thier babies alone. I have never before heard of a male eating a female, but have heard of males eating the babies and have heard major numbers of reports where 2 females with new babies will "fight" over the baby (they both want to mother them) which quite often leads to the death of the baby.

Once the babies are weaned, mamma goes back up into the colony cage, I also put about 10-15 kibbles of kitten food in the daily feedings for pregnant or nursing mamma's. It gives them the extra protien and fat that they need to raise a big litter. My females tend to birth 10-14 pups, and we very rarely even lose 1 out of a litter.
 
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