Reptile & Amphibian Forums

One of my rats had a litter, she was being housed with another female. I have removed the other female, my question is. Is it safe to keep two female rats together while one has a litter. Can I move the other female back in if she gets pregnant? I just didn’t want to make any mistakes I wasn’t sure if the rat that just had her litter would get defensive. Sure is nice breeding your own she had 12, thats 12 rats I dont have to buy.Thanks

Jake

You shouldn't have any problems keeping mothers together. If they both have litters at the same time (not necessarily the same age) you find that they take turns feeding each others babies and you'll find them switching babies back and forth with no problems. I used to switch them into a nursing tank but now I just leave them alone and pull the babies once they are weaned and move them to a grow up tank. One of mine just had 11 babies a couple nights ago and another in the same cage is ready to drop any day now so I'll be watching the switching process soon. Good luck and enjoy your free rats (not free but you know what I mean), Scott.
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Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

"In any civilized society, it is every citizen's responsibility to obey just laws.
But at the same time, it is every citizen's responsibility to disobey unjust laws."
—Martin Luther King Jr

Thanks for the reply. I will move her back in.

Jake

>>Thanks for the reply. I will move her back in.
>>
>>Jake

Moving her back may or may not work once she has been out. Rats are pretty individual. I figure that if they are gonna get hostile it will happen right before birth and rarely. Also, no blood, no foul. They may wrestle and scream but just be setting up rules. Worse thing you might get is one rat over mothering all the babies, but usually they get tired out fast enough and the others start swapping out time with the pups.
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Sonya