When Do Rats Breed?
WouterRats reach sexual maturity around 6 to 10 weeks of age. They do not breed during the winter, however, because of the cold temperatures. During the warmer months, however, breeding may increase. The average gestation period is about 21 to 23 days. Once a female is pregnant, she will begin to build a nest. The best material for nesting is tissue paper. A new litter should be ready for breeding at four to six weeks of age.
Rats typically have a four to six-day oestrus cycle, which means they go into heat every four to six days. During this period, she will store eggs and release them eight hours after mating. Female rats are reflex ovulators, meaning that they release eggs by jumping about and vibrating their bodies.
Rats can produce up to 14 litters at once. You must make sure that the rat you are breeding is healthy and tame enough to produce healthy offspring. If you’re trying to breed for show, you must be prepared to care for a lot of extra mouths. If you’re not prepared for the extra babies, it’s better to avoid breeding.
A pregnant rat will have a sideways belly enlargement. Rats have a two-pronged uterus, which is designed to hold more babies. Babies will lie along the horns of the uterus. You should not count the babies by their size, however, as this is not a reliable indicator of litter size.
