At What Age Can Rats Get Pregnant?
WouterRats can get pregnant at an early age and the first signs of pregnancy are visible on the abdomen. Rats will also enlarge along their sides, with a rounder belly than normal. In the third week of pregnancy, the pregnant female rat will lose its fur around her nipples, which makes the babies easier to suckle. The pregnant female will also experience blood discharge from the vagina.
The age at which rats can become pregnant is variable, but the average gestation period is 22 days, with the longest pregnancies lasting up to 27 days. At around two weeks pregnant, the female will expand her abdomen and her mammary glands will enlarge. You can help the female deliver her pups by providing her with nesting material. The father rat should be removed before the female gives birth. Although he won’t harm her pups, he may get pregnant again, which would be extremely undesirable.
Rats reach sexual maturity at 6 to 10 weeks, but males may not be sexually mature until eight to 12 weeks. Females can be kept together, but should be housed separately. Rats can get pregnant again soon after giving birth. It is important to give female rats at least two months of rest in between pregnancies, so that she can regain strength.
Rats are excellent mothers, but females may experience problems when they’re stressed. Stress can result from a difficult birth, environmental disturbance, or even an unbalanced diet. If a female is stressed and cannot deliver her baby, you can remove the babies and place them elsewhere.
