my female rat is pregnant finally

[spottedpython]

the rats i had didn't do anything i had them for 8 months and still no babies so i got rid of them and brought a friendly male rat from the pet shop and then when i dicided to get my diamond python i got a female rat now a month later shes pregnant i hope she won't kill them as its going to be her first litter.

 

[dobermanmick]

If you had them that long they must have been the same sex for them not to breed !

 

[spottedpython]

nope 2 were females and one was male

 

[dobermanmick]

well he may have been batting for the wrong team by the sound of it .
my male jumps the girls as soon as they ovulate! he grabs them and holds them down and has his way !

 

[spottedpython]

i think the male rat i had was a dud

 

[Tommo]

poor little sterile rat

some pet shops now sell their rats and mice desexed

 

[Magpie]

Hmmm sounds like the supposedly gay mice that I had.
Now getting 2-3 litters of mice per week you'll all be happy to hear.
How many you averaging with those macho southern mice nuthn2do?

 

[spottedpython]

ok do i need to take the male out or will he be alright to leave in there would he eat the babies

 

[glacey]

I usually find that the male takes more care of the babies than the female. But you probably need to rest the female for a few weeks before putting the male back in.

 

[spottedpython]

ok lets say i go to feed my python a rat pinkie and she doesn't it if i put it back with the mother would the mother kill it and the other pinkies too

 

[dobermanmick]

I left my male with the females due to a lack of alternate accomadation
one of the females kept taking the others babies and eventually ended up keeping and feeding them all
they all lived happily together but i have now made more tubs and they are seperated
i have never had a problem with gay mice or rats .

 

[dobermanmick]

freeze the lot you shouldnt need anything bigger before they run out

 

[glacey]

I've found that the mother will want nothing to do with a baby that has human scent - so wear rubber gloves when putting them into snakes enclosure and again if putting them back - it worked for me.

One of my females has had 60+ babies this year and hasn't killed any.

Shes now having a rest!

 

[spottedpython]

dobermanmick i can't freeze them my pythons will only eat live i have fussy eatters i've tryed making them angry to grab it the mouse bleeding i have even tryed stunded and they still won't take

 

[dobermanmick]

My kids handled the babies all the time from about 3-4 days old we were told once the rats know your scent they dont mind you handling them and returning them to the nest
Dont know about the snake smell though?

 

[Magpie]

lol, I have personally put rats in with pythons for over 24 hours and never had a problem with their mum rejecting them when I put them back in the nest. I also handle the babies and even swap them from tub to tub with never an issue.

 

[Adam]

I never have a problem with handling the babies and then putting them back.That's just me though.