Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a few of my younger female rats in with my breeder male who is full size. These females are around 150 grams. I recently found 2 of the mothers had given birth in the breeding cage (before I had a chance to separate them) and only gave birth to 2 offspring each. In addition, when I found the babies they were dead. They were not mutilated in any way, just dead and warm. I found a young male in the grow out tub (that I had failed to remove) prior to moving the females into the breeder cage. The male in that was in the grow out tub was the size of a small rat (around 100 grams). My questions are:

Is it possible that the small male got these 2 females pregnant, and that's why they had small litters?

Is it possible that my adult male has reached the end of his breeding age and I should retire him?

Is it possible that the females are too small to produce normal size litters?

Is it possible that the recently colder temperatures are having an impact on litter size?

I'd appreciate any insight you can offer.

Thanks in advance,
Anthony-

How old are the girls? I would think that if they are smalls and still growing themselves that they just are putting too much energy into growth to raise a litter too.

Whether they only had two pups or not I would give them a second chance.
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Sonya

1.1 Candoia Paulson
2.2 Western Hognose
1.2 Mexican Black King
1.3 Greenish Ratsnake
1.1 Yellow Ratsnake
3.1 Everglades Ratsnake
2.1 Honduran Milksnake
0.1 Mexican Milksnake
1.1 Black Pinesnake
1.2 Sumatran Shortailed Python
1.3 Boa constrictor
2.2 Childrens Python
0.0.1 Green Tree Python
1.0 Irian Jaya Python
0.0.2 Timor Monitor
2.2 Mossy Leaftail Gecko
1.1 African Helmeted olivacea
0.1 Savannah Cat F7
1.1 Sugar Glider
Numerous Dogs, Cats, Birds, Fish pets and fosters
Husband
2.1 teens plus…..
You get the picture.

rats eat there young sometimes for know reason. being first time mothers this might be the case. two male rats will mess things up too. if they go with out water or food for even a few hours they sometimes eat there young.

>>rats eat there young sometimes for know reason. being first time mothers this might be the case. two male rats will mess things up too. if they go with out water or food for even a few hours they sometimes eat there young.

IF the young were just dead and not mutilated I would think more to the end that the young moms had stillborns or early young premies. Both likely with first time especially small moms.

I rarely have adult rats eat pups unless it is cleaning up already dead pups or they are being fed inadequate food. This is part of young young moms really since they are trying to eat to grow and their pups are sucking the life out of them. Supplementing with a higher fat/protein cat food often helps. (this straight from a mazuri dealer)

Hopper rats still in with mom will tend to cannabalize and or starve them to death by hogging all the milk.

Lack of food or water will certainly mess with your production for obvious reasons.

In many many years of rat production I can count on one hand the number of times a male or multiple males have been an issue. (with mice two boys will totally screw up a group) other than getting lazy and wanting to sleep instead of breed I don't see the boy being at fault. Few pups would, to me, indicate fewer viable eggs, again, the mom still growing issue. Not as likely something wrong with the boy or there would be no pregnancy at all.
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Sonya

1.1 Candoia Paulson
2.2 Western Hognose
1.2 Mexican Black King
1.3 Greenish Ratsnake
1.1 Yellow Ratsnake
3.1 Everglades Ratsnake
2.1 Honduran Milksnake
0.1 Mexican Milksnake
1.1 Black Pinesnake
1.2 Sumatran Shortailed Python
1.3 Boa constrictor
2.2 Childrens Python
0.0.1 Green Tree Python
1.0 Irian Jaya Python
0.0.2 Timor Monitor
2.2 Mossy Leaftail Gecko
1.1 African Helmeted olivacea
0.1 Savannah Cat F7
1.1 Sugar Glider
Numerous Dogs, Cats, Birds, Fish pets and fosters
Husband
2.1 teens plus…..
You get the picture.