Gerbil, Rat, or Hamster Bredding!!! QUESTION! :]?

Question

okay so i know eveyone is going to tell me DONT DO IT, but i want to breed an animal. not like a dog or cat...probably a rodent. i want to KEEP the babies and raise them and have the experience, so i dont want to give them away and i am responsible.

how many rats gerbils or hamsters are in each round of birth? average..

and which is easier?

just wanted some opinions with experiences or knowlege

Answer 1

The fact that you don't seem to know much about the animals birthing practices begs me to tell you that you shouldn't be breeding them in the first place.

Also, by breeding once, you're most likely going to have plenty of accidental breedings.

You're not experienced or educated on the animals, and apart from things that could go wrong during the actual birth, they will most likely continue breeding (and in breeding at that), which would most likely produce even worse results.

Do the animals a favour, and lose the silly idea that you want to breed them.

Answer 2

Well I am a gerbil and they have litters from 1-12 but usually around 4-6.  Gerbil breeding is the easiest because the father helps out tremendously. And u can pick them up newborn.

Answer 3

Please please please DONT breed her if you got her from a petstore, petstore rats are very prone to problems when giving birth.

This should also help

http://www.goosemoose.com/component/opti...

Just read a couple of those.

Answer 4

20, give or take. We're thinking about breeding one of our female rats with my nieces. I want to but I wouldn't keep them all, and there a lot of rats that don't have homes and part of me doesn't want to add to it. I went through the animal breeding thing like 4 years ago with a stray cat we were taking care of. wonderful experience.

Answer 5

Okay, since you know already: Don't do it.

Hamsters:IF you insist:

Do you have a small animal vet and funding in case the pregnancy or birth goes wrong? Or if one severely injures the other?

Do you know both of their medical histories? Pet store hamsters should not be bred, as you don't know their family history with defects or injuries. The hamsters you have now may even be inbred.

If you got them from a breeder, call and ask the breeder's advice.

Are you planning to keep the babies or adopt them out?

If you are planning on keeping them, you need to get enough living spaces for them- new cages, etc.

If you are going to adopt them out, you should have enough homes BEFORE the babies are conceived.

How old is the female?

If she gives birth and decides she isn't ready, she will eat her babies.

The male needs to either not be housed with her during the pregnancy, or removed IMMEDIATELY after the babies are born, or he will impregnate her within minutes or hours or birth, that's how hamsters work.

Do you know enough not to try and change the bedding for a week or so after the babies are born, so as not to upset the mom? If they smell like humans, she will eat them.

That is a lot to think about and do research into.

Gerbils are very similar.

Rats, I have no idea.

Answer 6

rats can have between 1-20. average is about 12. you'd have to remove the dad before mom gives birth or she could become pregnant again, which isn't good for her at all. she needs time to nurse the babies and rest before being bred again. with rats you can wean them at 4-5 weeks and they NEED to be separated by 6 weeks, as the babies could start breeding. the boys could live with dad and the girls with mom. just make sure the cages are big enough to accommodate them all, depending on how many are born.

rats aren't difficult, you could leave the pair together for a week (or until she starts showing even) and then you'll know they've bred. but if you do breed rats, the female should be at least 7 months, and 8 is prime. and try not to breed her after a 1, especially if she's never had babies before =)