The average female rat typically births between 8 and 18 pups. Baby rats are born blind and deaf. If this is the first litter, the litter must be kept in a safe place. Weaning takes place 21 days after the birth. After giving birth, female rats can become pregnant again quickly. However, it is not good for them to have both a litter and be pregnant. To restore her full strength, it is recommended that the female has a rest period of at most 2 months between litter rearing and pregnancies.
Rat reproduction and breeding can be affected by factors like age, malnutrition, and abnormal light cycles. Poor food, insufficient water, excessive noise, poor nesting material, deformed or sick pups, and overcrowding in group housing can all lead to it abandoning or aborting their babies. Reproductive problems in healthy rats are rare.
Male rats reach sexual maturity around 6-10 weeks old; female rats breed at 8-12 weeks.
Females and males must be kept separate from this point onwards. Average gestation takes 21 to 23 days. Sometimes, pregnancy can be detected as early as 2 weeks after birth by feeling the abdomen, noticing weight gain, or breast (breast)development. Pregnant rats will build a nest and should be provided with the right materials. For nesting, tissue paper is a great choice.
Very common: Female rats can go into heat within 48 hours after giving birth. The gestation time is between 21-23 days.
Litter size: Female rats can produce litters of between 5 to 12 pups, and depending on their species can have six litters a year. Amazingly, girl rats can have as many as seven litters per year. This means that they can produce up to 84 offspring each year
Sexual maturity: Newborn rats can reach sexual maturity within 3 months.
These traits are what make rats so resilient in urban environments.
Although rats reproduce at a frightening rate, there are many things that can be done to prevent a population from growing exponentially.
If ignored, a rodent infestation could spiral out of control. There are many factors that can restrict the population, including the lack of food and shelter as well as disease and in-fighting.
Most people are shocked at the rapid rate of reproduction in rats. Pest control professionals have always advised that early warning signs of a problem with rats be recognized to prevent very large numbers of litter a year.
There are many stories about the rising rat population or rat explosions. Local newspapers often report on increasing sightings or their rapidly exploding breeding strategy.
Rat populations are often attributed to weather and favorable environmental conditions. To increase their numbers, rodents do not need extra help from Mother Nature. As they can also be assisted by humans.
The interactive infographic “The Rise of the Rats” explains how a Norway rat can reproduce in an ideal environment.
A female rat usually gives birth to six litters a year consisting of up to 12 rat pups. However, 5-10 pups are more common.
After nine weeks, brown rats reach sexual maturity. This means that a population of rats can grow from just two rats to about 1,250 within a year. There is also potential for exponential growth.
Many businesses president (and vice president) are well aware of the dangers that rodents can cause to their property and the dangerous parasites and diseases they can spread. Do you realize how costly a rodent infestation could cost your business?
Rentokil Steritech commissioned a report that identified rats as the most destructive pest to businesses. They cause machine downtime and electrical equipment damage, which results in an average of eight lost workdays each year.
Rats are almost always present in any environment that has humans. Experts believe that rats are more common in large cities such as New York and London than humans. It is an alarming thought, but it is more plausible now that we know more about the reproduction rate.
How many litters do rats have? Amazingly, a female rat typically births 6-12 babies in one litter!
You can quickly see that 6-12 babies could easily add up to more than 200 babies by the end of 12 months. Wow!
You might be wondering how often rats have babies. Although a female rat can produce 17 litters per year, she will only have 5 to 7 litters per year.
A female rat can become pregnant at six weeks of age and can have litters until the time they reach menopause, which is approximately 18 months.
Although it might seem unbelievable, rats can have litters every 3-4 weeks. This could theoretically translate to 17 litters per year!
A brown rat is the most popular pet rat as well as the most common city rat. Their gestation period is 21-24 days.
The gestation period for the black rat is 23 days while that of the Polynesian Rat is 21-24 days.
All three types have their own litters of six to twelve babies.
As far as it is natural, wild rats and pets have the same number of litters a year. Wild rats can breed however they wish, and wild rats can do so without interference. Pet rats, on the other hand, will be housed separately and monitored to prevent pregnancy.
If you see any sign that a rat problem might be in your home, garage or business be sure to call your local pest control to have it taken care of right away. Since if left unchecked, rats can grow exponentially and you’ll have a bigger issue on your hands due to a lack of pest control efforts.
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