How Young Can Rats Get Pregnant?

In the first few weeks after conception, the belly of a pregnant rat is usually round, but it may be pear-shaped or even move. This is because the fetus is small and delicate. It can be easily harmed by even the slightest touch. In the final weeks of pregnancy, the belly will be significantly rounder and the hips will widen. However, the belly does not give an accurate indication of the number of babies.

Rats are generally capable of giving birth without help, but they may require a C-section if the mom is older than six or eight months. If this happens, you should give the mother plenty of time to nurse her newborn. During this time, she should not be disturbed until at least seven days after giving birth. After that, the newborn rat should be weaned. Then, the mother should rest for at least two months before getting pregnant again. This will give her time to recover and rebuild her strength before the next birth.

Female rats don’t experience menopause, but they can lose their reproductive ability at about nine or twelve months of age. This is called estropause and is caused by disruption of hormones in the body. Female rats will produce a litter of six to thirteen pups.