For a specific study I need to have female pregnant rats irraiated on E17. Currently I am using Long-Evans. I have used several methods to see if the female rats (currently 2 of them) are pregnant, either by checking:
- vaginal plug
- vaginal fluid [for sperm]
For three rats in row, by presence of sperm I thought that females have become pregnant. However, they were not. I want to know if there is any other way possible to check for their pregnancy.
As you haven't received any further answers in quite some time and I have passed by your question often, I will agree with Mamdouh. I have raised chickens, turkeys, ducks, and guineas. They can definitely tell the difference, as he suggests. You just need to find the right male rat, befriend him, and become familiar with his behavior. He'll let you know for certain about the females.
Why don't you explore thermal imaging technique to determine pregnancy. IR cameras can be used to determine pregnancy among animals.
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