Oldest rat had a bad litter...suggestions?

[Gorelith]

My oldest breeder rat is a female, she's given me several great litters over the passed 2 years. Last night she had another long anticipated litter although she only had 6 pups, 3 of them were D.O.A. She wasn't line bred, she was hand selected from premium stock, I always gave her a minimum of 1-2 months recovery time (without a male present) after every litter. Is she just getting old and passed her prime? Is it time for her to become a feeder and not a breeder? She's alone now with her 3 live pups. I've never had D.O.A. rats or mice before, did I do something wrong or is she just getting old? Any and all help would be appreciated.

[Dom]

2 years to me is getting very old .. for litters anyway .. ussually I replace my bredding rats after about 10 to 15 litters simply because litters become smaller and less babies survive...

I would suggest either a pet or a feeder ..

[sSNAKESs.com]

I second the notion! send her in live! woo

[Linds]

standard breeding life of female breeder rats is 6-8 months. After that feed em off, or if retire them

[Gorelith]

Jeff, that sounds like a plan to me, lol

[patricia]

At two years old, this old girl has certainly earned her retirement. She's got very little time left, so make a pet of her for those few months. She deserves some kindness and loving.

:sun:

[Gorelith]

if i just feed her to one of my snakes, i don't have to keep feeding her, maintaining her and it's a free meal for one of my ball pythons. I never got into mouse and rat breeding to have pets, I know this may sound kinda cruel but she's earned her keep as a breeder now it's time for her to earn her keep as a feeder.

[marisa]

I always tell my mice....."Do your duty!"

Because the way I see it, if they aren't getting females pregnant, or they aren't having babies, or they aren't meant to be feeders as they get bigger, they are just wasted space for more feeders and eating food others could eat!

It does sound cruel but its not. Not if you keep your mice/rats in clean conditions, with good food and fresh water. As long as healthy animals are treated humainly, as well as sick ones I don't find it cruel. Even though my mice are for FOOD ONLY they get treated with the same respect that my reptiles do on a daily basis.

Hey I even hold the little buggers sometimes!

marisa

[Gorelith]

that is all in all what they're for....feeders that is. I hold mine too, and I pamper the heck out of them because I only want my snakes eating the best. I'm giving them Nutriphase rodent diet, fresh water everyday, i even change their bedding every 2 days.
I buy the 2 cubic feet of bedding at $6.88 it usually lasts me about 2 months. The rats love it, I have to clean them cause I can't stand the smell if I don't.

[patricia]

I've no difficulty at all in using the majority of my breeders as feeders once I decide to withdraw them from breeding. But, oce in a while, I find myself feeling that an individual truly has earned a quiet retirment. I think that applies in this case. He's talking about a rat that has been consistently reproducing for him for two years, and I think that's a phenomenal span of time.

BTW, when I do decide to consign them to the feed inventory, I humanely kill them. Under no circumstances would I consider putting her into the cage live. That is just plain unnecessaryt cruelty, besides being fraught with risks for the diner. I'm amazed that anyone still thinks that's "cool'. It isn't, it's just mean. If you've got a snake that under no circumstances will eat pre-killed, then at least don't chosse this venerable old lady as its next meal. Show her a little respect as a reward for her unstinting generosity to you.

[Gorelith]

the mother wasn't producing any milk. I got her some alfalfa hay and I'll probably give her for a couple more weeks. Either way she's going to be used as food.

[rattekonigin]

I realize this thread is a little old, but I figured I'd add my 2 cents in...a rat at 2 years old is equivalent to a person at 73 (got this from a rat book), so age definitely would be a reason she's not giving you lots of good babies.

[patricia]

Ratte:

Thanks for this information. My own eldest doe is presently aged about 20 months, and has been retired from breeding for about four months already. What is the name and ISBN of the book that you refer to? I'd like to see if I can obtain it through interlibrary loan.

[rattekonigin]

I'll have to go dig it out to get the ISBN, I'll go do that and post back here later tonight...it's actually called "Training Your Pet Rat" but it contains mostly general care stuff...Anyway, I'll get back to you.

[rattekonigin]

ISBN for "Training Your Pet Rat" by Gery Bucsis and Barbara Somerville : 0-7641-1208-2
And it's published by Barron's