Thats usually how I can tell one of the rats is about to drop pups. There will be one rat over at the hopper or the water bottle (always guarding the food or water!) and every other rat in the tub is huddled in a miserable little rat pile as far from her as they can get, trying NOT to twitch. And if any of them twitch, she delivers the nasty beatings, and once everyone is safely back in their corner she will go back to guarding the food and water!



Your other questions........



It is fine to leave the older pups in even when your female drops more pups. If their are a LOT of pups and only one nursing female you don't want to leave them, but I usually run 1.4, and have anything from pinks to hoppers in the tubs all the time.



You male was whooping up on the female because you removed ALL of the pups. This says to him she has completed her job and must be ready and receptive to mating again. So he is harrassing her. BUT, she was receptive 3 weeks ago and is pregnant again already, so she is busy saying "Not tonight Dear, I've got about 15 pinkies sitting on my bladder!"

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