Rats, one of the world’s most prevalent types of animals, have long since evolved to live alongside humans, even though this coexistence is not always met with the warmest of receptions. One of the reasons rats have been such a successful species is that they can survive in a diverse variety of environments, including attics and loft areas. They also have a high reproduction rate and are gregarious creatures, meaning that if rats reside on a property, more than one rat will often be present simultaneously.
How Frequently do Rats Produce Babies?
After around five weeks from birth, rats reach the age at which they may reproduce sexually. After reaching adulthood, a female rat has the potential to have up to five litres of offspring every year. A rat colony may expand almost exponentially if there is an abundance of food supplies and secure space for the rats to reside in. This is often when rats are discovered in an attic since attics typically provide both conditions. When it comes to the rate at which they may create offspring, female rats have several advantages, one of which is that after they have given birth to their young, there is no physical barrier preventing them from getting pregnant again shortly afterwards.
Mating, Gestation, and Rat Babies
Because rats do not practise monogamy, male rats will often mate with various females. Because they tend to ejaculate more than once during the mating process, there is a good likelihood that they will successfully impregnate the female.
The average length of time a woman is pregnant is around 21 days. Although a female rat will typically give birth to a litter of about seven young rats, the number of offspring may vary depending on variables such as the local environment, food availability, and the type of rat.
A litter of newborn rats will develop rapidly from hairless pinkies to juveniles from birth. They will separate from their mother and become self-sufficient during the next five weeks. This implies that if a female rat has five litters in a year, she will have a nest of infants with her for up to half of the year. This is because female rats give birth to their young in a nest.
Is There a Season for Rat Breeding?
This issue requires more sophisticated thinking since there is no definitive yes or no response. The rats reproduce continuously throughout the year in areas with more significant populations of brown rats, such as towns and cities, where constant access to good food sources exists. (However, the litter amount may be slightly reduced because it is winter.) However, some rat species that live in other settings may occasionally only mate during specific periods of the year. This is done to provide offspring with the most excellent chance of surviving.
How to Handle a Rat Nest If You Find It While Trying to Get Rid of an Infestation
When dealing with a rat infestation, many people find themselves in the extremely tough scenario of having caught and removed the mother rat but still having a little nest with a litter of young rats. This is a predicament that many people find themselves in. Depending on how old the young are, they may be submissive and not move at all, or they may already be crawling about the nest exploring their surroundings.
It may be challenging to find a compassionate resolution to this predicament. If you leave the nest without caring for the young, they will starve to death without their mother. As the young rats die and decay, the nest may become a source of unpleasant odours and other issues. You will not be allowed to take them to a wildlife rehabilitation expert in most cases because they are pretty standard and are also considered a nuisance species. One possible approach is to suffocate the young rats as fast as possible by placing them in a tiny container or plastic bag and then sealing them.
Also Checkout: If I See One Rat, Are There More?