Rat Breeding the Redneck Way

Well I guess for starters we need to cover the main point. Rats are family oriented animals. They feud between one another like the Hatfields and McCoys. Non family females will bicker and kill one another's babies. If you buy from Pet stores to get your breeders. Keep the females separate.Place the male in with each one. When each one looks to be gravid take him out. Once the babies are 3 weeks old. Wean them off. Place the babies together and try and keep them together. You can separate males from females but keep the females together. From the babies you raise. You can choose your breeder pairs trios etc.. When you set these up as breeders in 16 weeks. You can place a male with them and leave him in.You should soon have babies rolling again. But keep your store bought females going. And doing the same as mentioned before. If you buy from a breeder they should be able to set you up with sisters for your breeding groups and you can skip the first part. Keeping the weaning babies together makes them think. They are family because they spend so much time together. During the time from weaning to breeding age.

Now with all that out of the way.

1) Housing : I use anything that they can't chew out of. You can build rack and what not. I used aquariums and stuff. Doesn't really matter as long as they are contained.
2) Water : Plenty of fresh water is the best way to go.
3)Bedding : I use Pine shaving like for Horse stalls. The pelleted kind works really well and keeps the smell down better. Tractor supply sells both. When using pelleted shaving. It only takes a little to go a long way. When it expands it will fill up more.So only use a small amount per cage.
4) Feeding : Well this topic is one that seems to be a lot of controversey over. I my self use Diamond High Energy Dog food in the Red Bag. It's high Protein and High fat will make your rats boom with babies. It has no red Dies or anything. Many things are used in the pet trade to feed rats for snake food. I've used them all over the last 12 years raising rats. The Diamond is hands down better than anything else IMHO.


Ok I hope I didn't miss anything. If I did and I didn't hit on something. Please feel free to ask questions. I will be happy to delve further into this conversation. I enjoy breeding rats as much as reptiles. lol

I tried raising my own feeders for a little while but between the odor and a young daughter that fawns over everything cute and fuzzy, it just didn't work out.

Very informative post! Thanks!

Do you sell feeders, by the way?

Yes I do when I have a surplus. At the moment I have my numbers of breeders down compared to normal. But if I had some people looking for them. I could be back at full force in no time. Once my buddy takes his snakes back home. I will be having a lot of surplus rats. I've dropped my collection of snakes down quite a bit.

Cool. Well, if you have any to sell I'm sure there are several here who would be happy to buy them. We have a few breeders among us and can always use some more!

That would be really cool.I've got the room and time to produce a shit load of Rats. I just don't because the market is cornered around here. Not many snake keepers around here either. Which is why I do the most of my business online. I'm located about 3 miles south of a town called Minor Hill Tn. . I'm in Alabama but barely. lol

Thanks much!

How do you clean the rat cages? Soap and water, water only, etc.? I've taken to water only as of late due to water/bleach solution mixed with amonia from the rat urine = bad. LOL

Ad do you keep your males with the females at all times (provided the females are all family)? There's debate everywhere as to whether this is good or bad, but the moms produce more frequqently that way. Of course, I'd love to give the moms some time off (preferably a month off after birthing a litter) but right now I have barely anything in the freezer, and have been unable to do that. But hearing the pros and cons of each would help greatly if you have any advice to give. Lately, I've been using 5 females to every one male, and it's working so far, though I'd kinda like to take that down to 4 females to every one male (but again, freezer's almost empty). I've not found my males killing any babies so far, and that seems to be the main topic in most debates.

Also, what temps are most preferred for the most breeding? I've been told between 60-80 degrees, but not sure if that's accurate or not?

Any other issues or things to avoid with them would also be greatly appreciated.

PythonPassion wrote:

Thanks much!

How do you clean the rat cages? Soap and water, water only, etc.? I've taken to water only as of late due to water/bleach solution mixed with amonia from the rat urine = bad. LOL

Ad do you keep your males with the females at all times (provided the females are all family)? There's debate everywhere as to whether this is good or bad, but the moms produce more frequqently that way. Of course, I'd love to give the moms some time off (preferably a month off after birthing a litter) but right now I have barely anything in the freezer, and have been unable to do that. But hearing the pros and cons of each would help greatly if you have any advice to give. Lately, I've been using 5 females to every one male, and it's working so far, though I'd kinda like to take that down to 4 females to every one male (but again, freezer's almost empty). I've not found my males killing any babies so far, and that seems to be the main topic in most debates.

Also, what temps are most preferred for the most breeding? I've been told between 60-80 degrees, but not sure if that's accurate or not?

Any other issues or things to avoid with them would also be greatly appreciated.

As far as cleaning goes. I just use dish detergent.

I keep the males in at all times most of the time.Males will not eat their own babies. If he does feed him off. You have to keep your females changed out about once every 9 months to a year this way. I feed mine usually buy the time they get so old anyway. Leaving the male in really takes a toll of the females over a period of time. But feeding a good High protein diet helps with that.

Females that are given time to raise their brood and then let them male breed them will produce twice as long as one that has the male left in. I've kept females for as long as 2 years this way.

Keeping 1.5 is a good ratio but don't use more than 5 in one cage. Because when the babies wean the mothers will mutilate them. They will chew off arms and stuff. When rats think they are about to be over crowded will start eating the smaller ones. 5 females seems to be the limit.

As far as temps go. Your right on that. If the temps go over 95 degrees. Your males will go sterile. They will start to produce when the weather cools. But you'll be without until they do. If they get that high.

Thanks much! Very good info to know.

As for keeping the males in all the time: I'm feeding mine the Mazuri 6F rodent breeder, and it's high protein, and is supposed to be good for moms who are doing back-to-back litters. So hopefully I'm OK there. LOL

And that's definitely good to know about the moms mutilating the babies once they get bigger--I did not know that. I've been trying to pull babies as soon as they are weaned and get them in a separate tub away from the parents, and so far I've not had issues. But I will definitely keep an eye on that since I am kinda at the max on number of females with a male. I'm using a rat rack with the cement tubs:

Hopefully those tubs are large enough so that even with the 5 females and one male, it doesn't overcrowd them too much as long as I pull weaned rats on out.

Glad to hear I was told correctly on temps. I know from experience that the production slowed when it got cooler this winter, so I moved them around and got them so that I could keep them with a heater to warm them back up. Already have an air conditioner here that I'm planning to put in this weekend for when it gets warm (I just got the breeders and rack last fall, and didn't have cooling issues last year).

You've really been a fountain of knowledge for me here--thanks so much!

I like the set up. I've been thinking of doing the same thing. I just use what I've got at the moment. lol I like the set up though. That is the best way to do it. What is the Protein and fat content of the feed you are feeding. I'm curious to what it is. Sounds like you've got your stuff together. One more tip you can add a couple of teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract to every gallon of drinking water. This will help with the Amonia smell in the rats urine. Some say it works great. I'm still undecided. lol Nothing beats weekly or bi weekly cage cleaning.

Redneck wrote:

I like the set up. I've been thinking of doing the same thing. I just use what I've got at the moment. lol I like the set up though. That is the best way to do it. What is the Protein and fat content of the feed you are feeding. I'm curious to what it is. Sounds like you've got your stuff together. One more tip you can add a couple of teaspoons of Pure Vanilla Extract to every gallon of drinking water. This will help with the Amonia smell in the rats urine. Some say it works great. I'm still undecided. lol Nothing beats weekly or bi weekly cage cleaning.

sounds like a gourmet dessert for the snakes.. just add a dash of cinnamon

LOL I was lucky enough to find someone locally selling the rodent rack and the breeders--I am horrible at building things from scratch, but if you give me a kit with instructions, I can put pieces together all day long! But I was glad to be able to buy that rat rack--I wouldn't have even considered getting into it otherwise (don't have room).

And here's the link to the pdf version of the feed that I'm using info:
https://www.mazuri.com/PDF/5M30.pdf

It's made by Purina, and specifically designed for breeder rats. I have been getting it at a Co-Op about 45-60 minutes away, but I've finally managed to get my local Co-Op to order it for me, though it takes almost 3 weeks to get it in. But I've started now by ordering two more bags when I pick up two bags . . . that way they'll have it when I'm needing it! LOL It's not really all that bad cost wise either; it runs $23.99 per bag for a 50 lb bag. Typically two bags will last me about 6-8 weeks, depending on how many rats I'm holding back to grow to larger sizes.

And thanks for the tip on vanilla extract . . . I did not know that either, and may try it out soon. The one thing I have heard people say though, is that when feeding the Mazuri, the rat feces/urine doesn't smell as strong as when they are on dog food (and I would almost believe that, as for almost a week I've been feeding them dog food since I was waiting on Co-Op to get my Mazuri in, and boy did the rat room stink when I went in there today). I do know from experience that dog food makes their poo runnier. Dog food is greasier than the mazuri, thus the reason for the runnier poo. Plus, with my setup, the Mazuri stays on top of the cheesecloth hardware (I think that's what it's called?) much better than the dog food, as the Mazuri is larger pieces and doesn't fall through the cracks until it's chewed on quite a bit. But usually, once it gets that small, the rat pulls it through and eats it. I've never thrown away any of it when cleaning tubs (or at least none that I've noticed), but I have with dog food.

LOL!!!! It's the change is diet that makes it runnier. lol The dog food is more potent and their systems aren't used to it. The Diamond is easier to digest and doesn't cause that once they get used to eating it. I feed from the top on some of my cages too. The diamond high energy is a bigger round chunck the doesn't fall through the wire like the other brands does. They have to pull it through a piece at a time. That's why I only use it cause it's the perfect size.

try using vinager to clean cages, and a table sppon or two at most in the water bottles to cut down and absorb urine odors. cleaning the tubs with vinager also seems to help with the rats calmness towards each other and accepting each other's pups, as i switch rat colonies to differant tubs so they keep used to each other's smells, but masks it enough so they dont get nervous about it and eat young. also if you introduce new females when old ones are fed off, the colony accepts them just fine, and males together arnt getting hardly terratorial and i keep eight females to two males together. i know it must be the vinager, cause i was without it for monthes, and the losses were devastating and leaving slim hungry snakes unable to gorge daily to weekly as usual.

also just seem to be fine with wal-mart easy to get, old roy cheap complete red bag (was 25 dropped to twenty), but sucked with some other brands and wouldnt eat them, but just bought the old roy high performance brown bag (was thirty but price dropped to 25), and the dogs and rats are doing suddenly awsomer than before, just in two days on it ( i just ffreeze and/or feed off excess rats to big, to the dogs for now as treats that really boost them, but have about at least probly a dozen big rats in freezer if anyone can make more use as herp food).

hope this helps if your in a pinch at least to not have the high end stuff.

laughing dog wrote:

try using vinager to clean cages, and a table sppon or two at most in the water bottles to cut down and absorb urine odors. cleaning the tubs with vinager also seems to help with the rats calmness towards each other and accepting each other's pups, as i switch rat colonies to differant tubs so they keep used to each other's smells, but masks it enough so they dont get nervous about it and eat young. also if you introduce new females when old ones are fed off, the colony accepts them just fine, and males together arnt getting hardly terratorial and i keep eight females to two males together. i know it must be the vinager, cause i was without it for monthes, and the losses were devastating and leaving slim hungry snakes unable to gorge daily to weekly as usual.

also just seem to be fine with wal-mart easy to get, old roy cheap complete red bag (was 25 dropped to twenty), but sucked with some other brands and wouldnt eat them, but just bought the old roy high performance brown bag (was thirty but price dropped to 25), and the dogs and rats are doing suddenly awsomer than before, just in two days on it ( i just ffreeze and/or feed off excess rats to big, to the dogs for now as treats that really boost them, but have about at least probly a dozen big rats in freezer if anyone can make more use as herp food).

hope this helps if your in a pinch at least to not have the high end stuff.

Ol' Roy is really poor, in my opinion, as a food choice for dogs or rats. The main ingredient is ground yellow corn so they have to eat more of it to get what the nutrition they need and more waste is produced as a result. Food is one thing you don't want to skimp on.

Cleaning with vinegar is a good tip, though.

I know a lot of people that swear by the Mazuri diet.My way works for me. Looks like you have found your way. So good luck with all your rat breeding projects.

If you were closer to where i lived i would take your excess jumbo rats off you hands but Alcoa to morristown is a bit of a drive!!! LOL

The Hot weather has made my rats not produce as much right now. I just got in 5 boas and I am scratching for feeder rats at the moment. Thank God I've got chicken houses. So I've had plenty of feeders. Just not rats. I much rather feed rats than chicken but gotta do what you gotta do. lol

oh i wasnt by any means saying it was good food, but itll do better than any of the other stuff at most places that i can get to out here and not driving and waiting on training for a new job, claim higher, but have alot lower nutrition (the kind im using has meat as first ingrediants and is just for adult house mutt carpet sharks as maintainance main staple, as they get alot of other stuff i make), and just have better claims and packaging (as a vet assistant, i worked around and with nutritionists, and the standards and claims of most are false, and theactually dont have to put totally correct ingrediant info, and use alot of things that are actually allergy and sickness causing). if you want good food, you should only use some of the foster's and smith, nutro though found to use euthanized animals in food in instances of random quality testing, hi pro, certain purina types, the limited ingrediant science diets being the best just short shelf life and can be expensive, and one thing that sounds like or similar to nutro but i forget what it is). dont go by the AAFCO or whatever seal, ive seen how they really test food and animal health in there labs, and all the animals have to be is alive after a period, not healthy at all, and they just are always kept in a wire craewith grate with standard room to just stand up (which wouldnt seem to show how most or at least some dogs live). PS if anyone wants foster parents, ive found the siamese though slightly smaller, are always the most dutiful parents and raise the best litters even of any other rat, and curious if they would raise a whole litter of mice, as i had one raise one left that wasnt canabalized yet by the old mouse colony), but do tend to be aggressive in caring for them and routinely fight and steal from others if mixed, but maybe good for you who seperate out more.

Most all your dog food is made by one company now. So they pretty much all suck. The Diamond and Sports Mix brands. Are made in their own facilaties. I feed those brands and I feed the High Energy formulas. I've been raising rats for 15 years now. I've tried everything on the market. In my opinion when feeding rats nothing is gonna beat a good quality dog food. When it comes to producing numbers and producing feeders that are more nutricious for your snakes and lizards to eat. The gut load of the feeder is a major factor in reptile health. I always get a lot of comments on my snakes muscle tone. Well the diet my feeders get plays a big role in that. It takes time to see the results of what I am talking about. Your not gonna see an over night change. But over a period of time. The changes become obvious and your glad you did it. lol

well thanks a lot, i have no doubt about the diamond for rats, but the sports mix made them sick as hell as well as the dogs and they just all wouldnt eat it so i gave it away. probly work better if its so good i dont have to worry about it rich enough for preg to weaning, but to rich otherwise, and sometimes all around that higher quality cat food does...

Ol' Roy can cause your rats to get tumors. idk to what degree that would effect a snake but it cant be good. I def wouldnt use it if youre breeding rats for pets. A high quality all natural dog food is best. "Click here to see Diamond dog food sold at Tractor Supply Co"