Well first, congratulations on ridding your colony of illness -- not impossible but can be very tough to do! Not to put a big downer on things, but keep your eyes/ears open because these things can pop back up on you.
So that said, why did your female only have two? Could be any number of reasons..... as you brought up, it could be because it's her first litter and she's young. About how much would you say she weighs? The term "Medium" is a pet-store label and could mean anything -- won't necessarily an indicator that a rodent would be ready for breeding.
It could also be that she actually did have more than the two but for whatever reasons (again, too young, not enough protein in the diet, a genetic or other defect only "visible" to the rats themselves, stress, etc.) the other pups were cannabalized. This can be done so efficiently that you might not know if you didn't see it happen.
How are the two pups you have doing? If her diet is adequate in protein (and some say a bit of extra fats - such as black oil sunflower seeds if only lab block is being used) then she was probably impregnated in her post-partum heat and she should produce again for you in about 21 days (minimum of course!)
Hope this helped!
Yes, will keep an extra eye out for the mysterious sickness bug flying around. I am still giving them meds and have some extra when I take them off. I took them off for about a week or 2 as I though they were getting immune to the treatment. SO after re-dosing they seemed to just hit that spot and get rid of it all together. The little guys still have a little sniffle a tiny bit and sincer they have it everybody gets the treatment.
OK. Next, I am with you on the fact that she may have nabbed them before I got back from the motorcycle track. Although the only thing I could see is red shavings. Which is totally normal. Maybe she had one hell of an appetite. About the protien while on food. I give more than eneough protein. This is the guaranteed diet as I have alot in a large rubbermaid waiting to be distributed. 16lbs dog food(high performance/ and puppy mixed, 20lbs of sunflower seeds (the skinny black ones not the ones with the zebra pattern stripes that are wide and at every liquor store), 5lbs cracked corn, 10lbs of rabbit feed, and always a batch of lunch meat. I'll give turkey luncheon meat (which is what I eat by the pack every other day or maybe two days) or I'll bake a chicken(I don't use salts, seasoning, etc (lowers fatcholesterol/blood preesure intake, and to think I am a health nut at 24 yrs old) I'll take the parts I don't eat and let the rats have it. Right now they have appx 1/3 thigh in each cage(only 3 cages).
As far as the 2 babies they are doing fine. No probs yet. She seem to be getting the hang of it. I have another that looks a little bloated so I'll see how she will do.....
That should about do it.....
Thanks
