My rat had pups young. Is it wrong? What's the right breeding age?

Hello. The first thing to do is remove or isolate the male rat so he does not harm the pups. Then, just relax & let mum do her thing. She is providing warmth & protection to her young, & as long as she has easy access to food & water, she will nurse them well. Good luck & thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Hello. Thank you for using PetCoach. This food is the best for pregnant/breeding/nursing rats: ( https://www.animates.co.nz/vetafarm-origins-rodent-food-350g.html ) You can offer small amounts of fruit and vegetables (such as: apples, bananas, peas, broccoli, sprouts and carrots). Cooked egg, cooked chicken and cooked pasta are also fine to give. If she is being a good mother you should not have to do anything to feed the pups. By about 3 weeks of age they are fully developed and will start eating solid food, though they are still being fed by their mother for about another week. Remember, after 4 to 4.5 weeks, the males should be separated from the rest of the pups and mom since they could impregnate their mother. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

The gestation period for a rat is normally 22 days, but can vary from 21 to 23 (and rarely to 26). A postpartum pregnancy will last 28 days. Two weeks into the pregnancy the mother's abdomen will usually start expanding, but not always. As the birth approaches, you may be able to see the pups moving inside her, or feel them if you gently feel her abdomen. Her mammary glands will also start to enlarge two weeks into the pregnancy. The birth process normally takes about an hour or two. In general, the mother rat will deliver a new pup every 5-10 minutes. In rats, the average litter size is 6-13 pups. The first sign is a bloody discharge from the vagina. Next, the contractions will cause her to stretch out while her sides suck in, in a most amazing way. Once the babies start arriving, the mother will sit up and help deliver them with her hands and teeth. Then she will clean off the birth sac and lick the newborn. The mother will usually eat each placenta and the umbilical cord. During this process a healthy baby will wiggle and squeak, which inhibits its mother from eating it too. However, if a baby is weak or dead, this inhibition may not occur. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You are correct in planning for the arrival of the pups. I recommend separating the male as soon as you are sure that the female is pregnant, because females can get pregnant again very shortly after giving birth. It is important to keep the pups quiet and calm, to prevent the mother from eating them when stressed. You should also not touch the pups until they are about 14 days old. There are several types of nesting material available in pet stores, or you could use pieces of paperCut up into small strips. The pups should be separated from their mother when they are about 14 to 21 days old. At this point they should be able to eat normal adult mouse food. I hope this helps and I’m happy to answer any additional questions you may have!

Hello. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I agree with the pet store. Hairless rats will be full grown at 5 months of age and these guys appear younger. I would guess they are about 3 months of age. That is the best I can do by just looking at photos. If you want a more accurate age I would suggest you take them to an exotics vet for an in-person examination. They may be able to tell more from the teeth and actual weight. Hope this helps. Best wishes. They are adorable!

Thank you for using Pet Coach to address your questions about Shine and your male hamster. That is unusual behavior. Hamsters can produce prolifically. So only producing two litters makes me concerned that something in one of the hamster's body is not normal. Likely one of them has abnormalities in the reproductive tract making it difficult to conceive. I would agree with the other vet that something was likely wrong in the milk which is why the pups didn't make it. Additionally, hamsters generally live 2-3 years. At their ages, fertility is going to be significantly decreased. At Shine's age, I would also be hesitant to breed her again. Pregnancy in older animals carries higher risks. I'm not sure there is anything you can do to increase fertility short of seeing a specialist for hormone supplements. If you are looking to breed hamsters again, I would advise to get a young adult female OR get a new pair of a male and female. Younger hamsters have much better fertility rates. I hope I have answered your questions. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

I have had many pet rats and I love them! They are smart and interactive! They do have some health problems though. Upper respiratory issues are very common so you will always want to use a dust free litter like Care Fresh and keep their cage SUPER clean! You also see a lot of cancer which is unfortunate. About 2 years is the average life expectancy. Make sure to get 2 or more rats of all the same sex. Females tend to be more active then males but both are sweet. Females also tend to get along a little better than the males. I approve your decision!