Quote:
Originally Posted by sattva
... two rats in a cage... Took them home and my mom made me keep them in the garage... the female had given birth and either male or the female threw all the babies out of the cage onto the cold cement... So yea! I would check to make sure everybody is behaving...
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Lots of possible causes for that:
1) the male present was not the father of the pups
2) too much change in the environment, and too fast
3) temperature extremes
You said "garage... cold cement." She may have become impregnated at room temperature (e.g. 70F) and then all of sudden thrust into <50F. Not good, slows metabolism down to the point where she can't lactate.
Checking "to make sure everybody is behaving" is futile. What ya gonna do call in the Rodent Whisperer to lecture her on mother duties? IME of 40yrs of breeding
Mus musculus and
Rattus norvegicus females which become pregnant and then remain under the same settings/conditions thru gestation nearly always successfully raise their young.
Mastomys natalensis are an exception. They will breed on low protein, high fat lab block, which is insufficient for milk production. Then as their pups starve they will eat them. Number 1 beginner mistake.
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