How Do Rats Give Birth to Live Young?

If you are wondering how rats give birth to live young, it’s not the kind of birth that you’re used to. Rats give birth to their young in a highly complicated process. The gestation period is roughly 22 days. During this time, the mother rats may have a few pups inside her and may go into labor. The delivery process can take up to two hours. During this time, the female rat begins to bleed lightly. Afterwards, she pushes the pups out one by one. It can happen head first or rump first. The placenta and umbilical cord are also removed.

Although female rats are wonderful mothers, they can also have problems during delivery. It is possible for the mother to become stressed and may even kill her babies. This may be caused by poor diet or stressful situations. If this happens, it’s best to remove the babies from the stressed female and return them once she has a chance to settle down.

Female rats typically give birth to live young between 21 and 26 days after being impregnated. The babies will be blind and deaf and weigh between 0.21 and 0.28 ounces. However, most rats die in the first year, which is why you need to be vigilant about feeding your pet.