These animals always lived next to humans. And for all the time of such a neighborhood, different peoples have developed a variety of “relations” with them. And if in Europe they were called devil creatures, then in China they were always held in high esteem. And other peoples of the East treat these animals with respect. And their role in the development of science is generally impossible to overestimate. And these animals are rats. But if their wild species - black rat and pasuk have a bad "reputation" in some countries, then domestic rats are the favorites of many people.
And many people care about how many domestic rats live. And, unfortunately, their lifespan is short - 3-4 years maximum. But then nature endowed these animals with high fecundity. And thanks to breeders, many new species of these rodents have appeared. And besides rats with standard hair there are also satin rats with shiny hair and Rex with mustache and wavy hair. Bred breeders and domestic rats with a more exotic appearance. These are sphinxes, dumbo and tailless. And in terms of color, domestic rodents also went far from their wild relatives. Their wool can have white, black, chocolate, blue and other shades. There are also specimens with a heterogeneous color. These include the Himalayan, Siamese, silver, sable and the like colors. And even knowing how many decorative rats live, hardly anyone will refuse such a motley pet.
The reproductive ability of these animals is impressive. After all, every 4-5 days their females have estrus. It happens mainly in the evenings and lasts about 12 hours. At this time, she is ready to accept the male in order to leave offspring. And such a craving for the extension of the genus is commensurate with how many rats live. This can be used for their breeding at home. Theoretically, only a male and a female can be kept for this. However, it is believed that rats do not breed in pairs. And for a guarantee on one male it is recommended to keep 2-3 females.
And so that the female could give birth calmly, she would need a large nest. In size, such nests are usually superior to a simple rat house. And now they can easily be found on sale. Such a nest looks like an oblong plastic collapsible vessel with an opening on one of the ends. Also for these purposes, a fairly spacious house made of plywood, wood or plastic is suitable. The main thing is to provide the female with materials for the nest device, and then she will cope herself.
And then the fact that how many rats live will be completely justified. After all, the average size of one brood of a female is 12 rat pups. But this number can vary from 1 to 22 cubs. Also, each female has 12 nipples. But if she is well fed, then her “motherly love” will be enough even for the largest brood. She will divide the rat pups into two groups and will feed them in turn. It is enough to provide the female and her offspring with a capacious housing.
As already mentioned, estrus in females is quite common. But you should not use each such "case" to mate. The female, after she feeds one brood, needs to be given 2-3 months to rest. This approach will also affect how many rats live. The age for her first mating should also be controlled. Physiologically, they become fit for pregnancy 5-6 weeks after birth. But the first contact with the male should be postponed to a later date - 3.5-4 months. And if there are no problems with the offspring, then up to the age of one year, the female can regularly extend her genus. Males for mating are selected quite strong, from the age of 6 months. And if they “prove themselves” well in this matter, then they will be able to fertilize females until death.
Also on the aspect of how many rats live, their nutrition also affects. The food for these animals must be balanced, and it must contain all the necessary nutrients. All products intended for them must be well cleaned and rinsed. They should be stored in a sealed container so that wild rodents cannot reach them. Root crops and vegetables, before giving to rats, are carefully sorted so as not to get rotten or damaged, they are also cleaned from the ground. Then these vegetables should be washed and cut into large pieces.
Even rats can be given boiled or pasteurized milk, which should be fresh and free from impurities or odors. Usually, two meals a day are enough for rats: in the evening and in the morning. Moreover, the evening ration should be more, since the rat leads a nocturnal lifestyle. Well, pregnant females need to be fed 3-4 times a day. Rats love various cereals: millet, wheat, barley, oats, corn and others. Also, they will not give up vegetables such as radishes, carrots, cabbage, eggplant and pumpkin. From greens, they can be given dill, parsley, cilantro, celery and radish tops. These animals also eat berries, dairy products, meat, dry and soya feed. As you can see, there should not be a problem with the nutrition of these rodents even in winter.