Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I've been breeing mice for some time.
A couple of weeks ago I decided to try my hand at rats. Yesterday I looked in my enclosure and the female ate the males face off. It was horrid. Today when I'm changing out the litter I noticed that she is now gravid.
What is the deal with this?
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0.1 Rubber Boa
1.1 Eastern Hognose Snakes
1.1 Western Hognose Snakes
1.0 Durango Mountain Kingsnake
1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1 Woma's (new!)
Spadefoot
Black Knobbed Sawback
Northern Diamondback
Florida Redbellied Slider
Australian Redbellied Side Neck
Western Painted
Southern Painted
1.0 African Hedgehog
1.0 Sulcata
2.1 Leopard (Babcocki) 1.0 borrowed (thanks Bobby)
2 Plecos
2 Silver Dollars
3 Bosemian Rainbows
2 Clown Loaches
1 African Dwarf Frog
1 Khuli Loach
1 Cory Cat
1 Upside Down Catfish
2.0 Fire Guramis

uhh... I think that is it.

np
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0.1 Rubber Boa
1.1 Eastern Hognose Snakes
1.1 Western Hognose Snakes
1.0 Durango Mountain Kingsnake
1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1 Woma's (new!)
Spadefoot
Black Knobbed Sawback
Northern Diamondback
Florida Redbellied Slider
Australian Redbellied Side Neck
Western Painted
Southern Painted
1.0 African Hedgehog
1.0 Sulcata
2.1 Leopard (Babcocki) 1.0 borrowed (thanks Bobby)
2 Plecos
2 Silver Dollars
3 Bosemian Rainbows
2 Clown Loaches
1 African Dwarf Frog
1 Khuli Loach
1 Cory Cat
1 Upside Down Catfish
2.0 Fire Guramis

uhh... I think that is it.

I was gonna reply, but really don't have much input. If it were me I would go on with life. I have never had a rat cannabalize like that. I have had hamsters and mice do it....even gerbils, but never rats. I would give her a new man after she weans her litter and see what happens with him. I am thinking it was an isolated incidence.
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Sonya

np
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0.1 Rubber Boa
1.1 Eastern Hognose Snakes
1.1 Western Hognose Snakes
1.0 Durango Mountain Kingsnake
1.0 California Kingsnake
1.1 Woma's (new!)
Spadefoot
Black Knobbed Sawback
Northern Diamondback
Florida Redbellied Slider
Australian Redbellied Side Neck
Western Painted
Southern Painted
1.0 African Hedgehog
1.0 Sulcata
2.1 Leopard (Babcocki) 1.0 borrowed (thanks Bobby)
2 Plecos
2 Silver Dollars
3 Bosemian Rainbows
2 Clown Loaches
1 African Dwarf Frog
1 Khuli Loach
1 Cory Cat
1 Upside Down Catfish
2.0 Fire Guramis

uhh... I think that is it.

he probably died and she cannibalized him. I doubt that a female rat can take out a healthy male rat. I wouldn't worry about it. I would just raise up one of the sons for future breeding.

Here's my two cents. I think alot of what we call killing or cannablism is actually just tidying up. If you are an animal that lives in a den and a mate, sibling or offspring dies, you have to clean it up. The body cannot be left there to rot and spread disease.

DeMak

I told them!! The cross breeding of rats to a praying mantis was madness! But would they listen?!? NO!!!

Seriously, though....It happens sometimes. Do you have 1 male to 1 female? Maybe she was gravid, and he was still trying for some action, and she chewed his face off. Try another male, with a ratio of 1-3 or 1-4 and see what happens.
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1.1 Ball Python
0.0.1 corn snake
1.0 Bearded Dragon
0.0.2 fish
1.2 cats
3.1 kids
1.0 husband