Mom's who eat their young...

[mykee]

Recently, within the last month or so, I've noticed that at far fewer rats make it to weanling age. The mothers have taken a liking to eating their young. Most of my rats (breeders) pop out 12-18 babies, when the babies are ready to be seperated, there are maybe 4-8 that are left. Nothing has changed in their husbandry, if you will. They get an exclusive diet of Mazuri 6F and have their water changed every second day. They are cleaned every 4 days (colonies of 1.2). The breeding females are only 6-8 months old. I keep two mothers in one rack, away from any non-pregnant females and males. Any ideas why this is happening? Liek I said, nothing has changed in the year + that I have been breeding my own rats. I'm confused....