I have been breeding pet store bought rat strains for over a year and my largest litter was from an old breeder at 13 which 2 made it out to maturity. My average litter size is 7 babies. Is there a strain of super producing rats like there are with mice, if so can someone please tell me the name of them and where to find them?
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Rat question?
JMillr2101
Dec 25, 2003 11:29 PM
Replies (2)
Sonya
Dec 26, 2003 08:54 AM
>>I have been breeding pet store bought rat strains for over a year and my largest litter was from an old breeder at 13 which 2 made it out to maturity. My average litter size is 7 babies. Is there a strain of super producing rats like there are with mice, if so can someone please tell me the name of them and where to find them?
I personally don't think that 'super' rats are worth the money but then I have found various strains that do produce fine and work with that. I get at least 8 pups to maturity or the mom is gone. First time litters are sometimes discounted but after that the averages had better be good. I want a couple of sizes so I tend to cull down litters to get to larger pups faster. That said I have no troubles getting over a dozen.
If I were you I would go find some different rats. Get some small mediums and start from there. Don't get larges as they may be past their prime. Also, feed the heck out of your moms. I baby mine. The day they give birth they get cheerios, veges and yogurt...especially if it is a huge (high teens to 20s) litter. Make sure what you are feeding is high teens AT LEAST for protein and generally low twenties is better, with a decent fat %, like 6-10.
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Sonya
pyrotek2k
Dec 26, 2003 12:31 PM
I have been breeding normal hooded type pet store rats for 16 months now too. However, I have had more success than you have in terms of litter quantities. I get 6-10 for first timers, and then 8-16 for "in-prime" females. If you back to back breed, or breed "worn out" slut rats, haha, expect less, rats bodies only allow them to make so much energy for babies. I have bred back to back due to lack of caging to seperate out the pairs earlier in my breeding career, and that does produce lower yields.
Later
Jon
