Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a quick question.

I have never used more than one male to a group but not sure if I should just leave them.

I went to the store and bought 4 more rats today that were supposed to be females. Well, when I got back the guy apparently didn't knwo the diff. b/n males and females and dropped a male in w/ the other 3F. I have heard that you should never introduce males to the group as they will fight over the ladies unless they are siblings. Well, these are all pretty young except one large female I got. Now the 2 males are small and a medium and don't seem to care about eachother. The one F that died I trashed, as the meds might affect the monitor, and the other sickly one I took back to the store and he said they probably all have respiratory infections, should breed fine sick and will trade me for another but chances are it is going to be infected as he only sells feeders not breeders according to him. I checked them out and seem free of infections. They are all on meds via the water to prevent anything. So for the record I have 6F (med and 1 large) and the 2 males. Should I just leave them in the 20 gal lng, or should I just divide them into 1:3 groups

What is your take on it.
Thanks.......

Nevermind, I just separated them into 2 groups of 1:3. Just to avoid any problems from occuring........

That many rats in a 20L you'd have had problems anyway.. I keep that many in a 55 gallon breeder aquarium. Plus I have a 20L for expecting mothers. I'm working on plans for a rack system...but its going to take a while since my Savannah Monitor's new enclosure comes first and foremost.

>>That many rats in a 20L you'd have had problems anyway.. I keep that many in a 55 gallon breeder aquarium. Plus I have a 20L for expecting mothers. I'm working on plans for a rack system...but its going to take a while since my Savannah Monitor's new enclosure comes first and foremost.

Good point! I didn't note that too. Yeah. The only bummer with rats to me is the room they need. I go with wire cages. I have 18X24s and can have 4 rats in there. I don't crowd my moms. They need the room to get away from the babies too. I usually turn it into two levels with boxes. They are a bit spoiled.
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Sonya

>>Nevermind, I just separated them into 2 groups of 1:3. Just to avoid any problems from occuring........

I have one male and somewhere working on a dozen girls. He makes the rounds with the groups of 2-4 and that way I have a continuous supply of sizes and he is always in someone else's cage....thereby not needing one of his own. He is pushing a year and I am going to save a couple boys from the next couple groups. I have my dumbo/hairless line I want preserved and I also have some outbred ones I want a male from.
The joy of rats is that they can be moved group to group or doubled up with boys and usually you don't have troubles. Unlike MICE!
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Sonya

I had a problem with my 2 males fighting. My one, original breeder had to be put down for snake food. He kept beating up on everyone. Pups, adult females.. the other male. Up until then he had a great temperment... all the sudden, in a 2 week period he put holes in 3 of my girls before I could seperate them... They're fine.. a round of antibiotics in the water and neosporin applied.. they're nice and healed now.. My 7ft boa ate extra well.. Morpheous was well over 2 lbs.... (I hadn't weighed him in a while)

>>I had a problem with my 2 males fighting. My one, original breeder had to be put down for snake food. He kept beating up on everyone. Pups, adult females.. the other male. Up until then he had a great temperment... all the sudden, in a 2 week period he put holes in 3 of my girls before I could seperate them... They're fine.. a round of antibiotics in the water and neosporin applied.. they're nice and healed now.. My 7ft boa ate extra well.. Morpheous was well over 2 lbs.... (I hadn't weighed him in a while)

Yeah, with rats you get more of an individual trouble than a just plain hate other males thing-like mice do. Sounds like yours just had a temperament change. Pets and otherwise will do that and who knows why...bad luck and bad temperament I would say. I have had girls do it too.
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Sonya