Reptile & Amphibian Forums

i plan on getting a male ang three females to stat breeding for my monitor, but the problem is how do sex a rat. and what size should i get? thanks

Male rats over 4 weeks old are very easy to tell from females. Once 4 weeks old their testicles drop and well, you can see that easily. For younger rats, the distance between the anus and urethra is greater in a male than a female. Once females are about 2 weeks old an their fur starts to grow, you can see their nipples. Males don't develop nipples at all.

Hope this helps

Adult rats are simple to sex. If you lift the rat up by the tail, you will usually see some obvious bulges if it is a male rat. Female rats will not have these.
Younger rats are sometimes harder to tell the difference. But if you're planning on breeding right away, you will want to go with the largest rats you can find (providing they're healthy.) Rats that are bred too early are often stunted in growth, and therefore will not have as long and productive a breeding life. I usually like to buy females that are just below "jumbo" size; if you buy jumbos, you really have no idea of telling how old they are. I then let them rest and grow for a few weeks before tossing in the breeder male for a few nights, and in less than a month you have a mommy rat!
The babies grow fast, so you may find the need to euthanize and freeze them before they outgrow your needed size. Make sure you are not squeamish about doing this before you start! And try not to get too attached.
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2.1 Ball pythons: Goblin, Nothing, and Bela
1.0 Boa Constrictor Imperator: Apache
0.1 albino Cranwell's horned frog: Bene
1.0 Tiger salamander: Slasher
1.0 black kittycat, Inky
A bunch of Oscar cichlids, one giant pleco, huge breeding lot of "fancy" (read: deformed) goldfish, and me an' the boyfriend.