How long after a rat has kittens can she become pregnant again?
A rat will go into heat as soon as the last kitten or pup is born. That is why it is so important to separate the mother rat from all other male rats BEFORE she has babies. Boy rats can make great dads, but you can’t stop them from making the mom pregnant again, so it’s best to take them out. Baby rats need to stay with their mom until they are 5 – 6 weeks old. But if the mom gets pregnant again so soon, she will abandon the first babies when they are only 3 weeks old so she can take care of the second ones. It is definitely NOT good for a rat to have multiple litters back-to-back. It is hard on her body, it makes her abandon the first litter, and the second litter wont be as healthy because the mom will already be worn out for the first litter. Rats are supposed to have several months to rest before having another litter. Also, make sure you separate the babies from the mom when they are 5 weeks old so that they don’t impregnate the mom or each other. Edit to add: Rat fanciers in the
