i have been breeding rats off and on since i was 17, im 37 now, dang im old....

use aspen for the bedding, change it once a week, a male and 2 females is what i have currently..... i usually get litters at about the same time from each female, rats are great parents the male will help, the females will keep the babies to gether in a nest and take turns, thats works well for me because i have a female who gets lazy after the first week and the other female takes over..... mine are in a 55 gallon tank...... and they have hides to(LOL) rats like to hide, they play to...

for the smell a little vanilla extract in the water bottle helps.

food:

mine get lab blocks first and fore most...

but they also get dog kibble, cooked meats, cooked dry beans, cooked and fresh veggies, fruits, peanut butter sandwiches, bananas they love bananas, chicken bones, hard boiled eggs with the shells cracked(that keeps them busy all night)dandelion leaves, chickweed.... when feeding rats foods that are high in protiens keep a watch on their ears and eyes any signs of brown spots(little sores) cut the protien out for a few weeks.

i cut down the way i feed my rat for 2 months, and this litter of babies was smaller than usual, i think the diet makes for "fatter" babies, the pic below is week old babies.

hope i helped

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