Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a very bizarre question about rats.

I've just begun to breed rats. I have 1.3 and two of them have already had litters. I have the boy rat and the oldest female rat in a separate cage. I noticed that the old female was wheezing, and quite pregnant, just yesterday. Today I was checking to see if she'd had the babies, not sure if I was going to pull them all or what, and I noticed that she seemed more sick than before, but she seemed... how do I say... dilated in her vulva area (or whatever they call it on a rat). Has anyone noticed this on rats before? Is it a sign of labor?

also any advice about the pinkie rats? (if she is beginning labor) Should I put them with the other momma rats, or could they get whatever the older female rat has? Also what about the male rat... Waht should I do with him? Is he "contaminated" or will he be able to go back with the girl rats later on? I do plan on keeping some of the baby rats to raise up as breeders, but I don't want to wait until these guys are old enough to breed to continue my breeding program.

Thanks a bunch for any advice. I'm super new at rats, and feel ridiculously pleased to have baby rats.
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~Sasheena

Wheezing can be caused by on irratation from use of wood chips. I had a similar case and changed over to shreded paper & newspaper. Rats tend to get respiratory infectons from Pine chips. Sometimes they even get colds. I keep 1.2 rats, females share litter dutes, male is non- aggressive with his own offspring. Let her have her offspring with the male present. Rats are social animals. Look up pet rat breeders for more informative breeding/health care information on google.com. Also are they warm? near drafts? what type of caging? What are they eating?