Hi my two rats have baby's one litter is just over a week old they have there color and one that had baby's 5 days ago. I'm a small animal breeder and would like to put some gerbils in the cage that the other one is in or should i wait until the baby's leave there mother then do it.
2007-10-01 14:35:21 · 6 answers · asked by Denise 3 in Pets ➔ Rodents
oh i want to put in a none pregnant female rat with the two mothers and use the cage that the none female rat is in now. the two mothers are sisters and have been together there whole life.
2007-10-01 15:40:09 · update #1
i am not putting rats and gerbils together in the same cage I wanted to use the fish tank the one rat is in to put the gerbils the gerbils are in a cage right now by them self. i do not mix species they would kill each other i just wanted to know if you could put a female rat in with two mothers and there young baby's and thats what i do i breed small animals for pet stores and the public.and i do have extra cages i could put the rat in. it was just a question. i thought thats what this was for
2007-10-02 04:43:24 · update #2
ok and these are breed for pets only i do not raise reptiles snakes belong in the wild not stuck in a cage all day thats crule to the snake.if they don't sell they are free to a good home or i sell them to a pet store i have a few pet stores that take my animals
2007-10-02 04:47:17 · update #3
Personally i wouldnt until the babys are removed. Many females will protect the babys slightly too much and may either kill the new rat or the babys if she feels threatened.
theres no reason why they should not be introduced after the babys are gone though
2007-10-01 22:56:37 · answer #1 · answered by Andia 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
It is not a good idea to put another rat in a cage with mothers and babies, let alone a rodent of another species.
This sounds like a recipe for disaster. You might end up with dead babies, dead rats or dead gerbils. Maybe all of the above.
I agree that there already too many rats that already need homes.
BTW, If you haven't already gotten any snakes, I would strongly advise you not to. Most snakes live long lives and can grow to be too big to handle. If people stopped buying snakes there would be less need for feeder rodent factories. Not buying snakes would also mean less abandoned snakes.
Reptiles have reptilian brains while rodents (rats) can and do give love and affection. This is just wrong.
2007-10-01 17:50:04 · answer #2 · answered by bintrikkin 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
ok, first off..why are u breeding? we have so many poor rats at shelters being put to sleep (i just had to rescue one a couple days ago) and a small animal breeder should know this information, and should have enought cages to comfortably house every one of thier charges! ok now after my lecture, rats generally (unlike hamsters ect) do not eat eachothers young unless they are violent or the jelous type. a pregnant rat would probably help nurse and care for her sisters litter. do not mix breeds of animals (gerbils/rats) if ther is a litter. buy more cages, stop breeding what you can't house and read up on proper care/breeding
2007-10-01 17:00:10 · answer #3 · answered by Beatnik Bettie 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
I used to raise mice, and I would always keep the mother and her babies separate, since the others (especially males) would tend to kill and/or eat the babies. I suppose putting in additional females would be okay, but I would wait to put the gerbils in until they are a bit older or are weaned. I never actually had gerbils and mice at the same time.
2007-10-01 14:43:32 · answer #4 · answered by John D 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
I wouldn't put anyone else in with the mama rats while their pups are so small. The change could be stressful for them & it's not in their best interest to distract them from their families.
2007-10-01 17:11:43 · answer #5 · answered by Catkin 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
i dont think u should because the mother still needs to nurse and take care of eachother. so dont. wait until the babys are 1 month old k!
2007-10-01 14:44:08 · answer #6 · answered by Aly 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋