Weanling rats in rack system

[Tsanford]

I began breeding rats a little over a month ago and I'm finally at the point where I have to wean the litters.

I have a whole rack system with concrete mixing tubs and 1/2" mesh where the food and water sits on top.

Today I sexed and separated all 4 litters into 2 tubs, the weanlings are 25 days old and have been eating block food while with the mom's.

My question here is are the weaning rats capable of eating the block through the 1/2" mesh like the adults or do I need to put their food in a bowl? I have never observed them eating that way while with the mom's so I don't know if the mom's was getting them did for them. I did put a piece of wood under the food to get them closer for less reach.

What do you all do?

[Kat_Dog]

I would wait another week at least to wean them, they're kinda young to wean right now.

They should eat through the wire just fine, my babies start doing that around 4 weeks. Rats are naturally scavengers, they find crafty ways to get food.

[John Marker]

They will be fine. If they are eating in with their moms, they will eat on their own. Besides, 4 weeks is only 3 days older than 25 days. If they are ready, you can wean them as early as 3 weeks.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

They can be weaned at 3 weeks and placed in their own tubs at that time without any issues.

[MrLang]

I sometimes throw them a small scoop in the tub for convenience but they'll get it from the wire just fine. They jump and hang upside down on the wire and nibble till the chunks fall through.

[Tsanford]

Thanks all for the response! I no longer need to worry about them starving hah.

The guide that I followed for breeding rats said to wean at 21 days, but I did wait till 25.

I first bred 4 litters to get a head start and get a surplus of smaller rats for my younger snakes, and then i recently started to real schedule of 3 litters per week.

[PitOnTheProwl]

You haven't seen them hanging like little monkeys eating upside down??
They will be fine.

[Tsanford]

My wife takes care of the rats, and the snakes are my thing ;-) I don't pay to much attention to the rats but for feeding time bwuahaha