Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I'm looking at breeding some rats but I'm not sure we've cooled down enough to start. We are still reaching 88 degrees.
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Jay A. Martin

Isn't there a dark cooler place in your house? 88 F might be too hot. They like mildly lit enviroments that isn't too noisy. It really depends. I wouldn't say 88 F would be impossible but what i'm saying is, if you lower the temperature to about 70 that will be great for them.

You're too hot, I'm too cold.... Life's a B and than you die

They would be in the garage - wife would not allow them in the house. Can't say that I blame her - there are already too many snakes in the house.

I would like to start breeding soon but we won't cool down until around October. Right now, we stay below 90 in my garage.
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Jay A. Martin

My rats have been doing O.K. this summer. It has been in the 90s F on many occasions and over 100 F several times. I did have one time when there was a birth on a day when it hit 98 F. Of the eleven babies that I saw (could have been more), 6 died. I'm not sure if the heat killed them after birth, they were born early due to the heat, the mom was so exhausted she didn't care for them properly, or what.

I can't really say that I've been getting the production I would normally get, but I've been holding off cycles since my son took his snakes over to his house, and I don't keep good enough records to be definitive.

If you start with younger rats now, they might be just of age when it cools off.

DeMak

I live in Tennesse and it has been pretty hot this summer. I keep and breed my rats in the garage in my breeding rack. I have a fan in there to keep the air circulating and all the rats seem to be doing fine. I have had excellent production from all the mothers and all the litters have lived. Fortunately it's starting to slightly cool down around here. But I have not had any problems with the rats concerning the temperatures. Not sure if it's my luck or if they just tolerate it and are used to it by now. Of course, they sleep during the day for the most part, so maybe the heat doesn't bother them.

Maybe that helps some. Good luck.
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Michael