Weaned...how young? Dead mother

How young can you wean rats from thier mother? The reason I ask is I just discovered one of my females dead. She has 13 pups that are 18 days old. I only have one other female that has a litter that is 2 days old. Is it possible to move that female from tub to tub. Any suggestions would be great.

I usally ween mine at 4 weeks. and they are usually still nursing too

At 18 days they should be starting to eat lab block and drink water....but still need moms milk some.

I wean completely at 21-24 days.

Do you have any other breeder females aside from the one with the 2 day old litter?

The problem with placing them with her is ...that is alot of work for one female to care for 2 litters with that many pups. The other problem is that the older ones may push the lil ones aside for milk and leave them to starve. or...the big ones can pile on top of the babies and suffocate them.

I've noticed them eating the lab block but haven't seen them drink from the sipper yet. None of my other females are ready and 23 pups would be a lot for one mom.

The youngest I have weaned is 21 days. 18 days is seriously pushing things but if they will drink they should be ok. If it were me I'd offer some milk (goat would be best but not necessary) soaked food, and see how they do leaving them separate.
If you have a gram scale its a great way to check up on them as well.

I sometimes wean at 3 weeks, if it's a small litter and they're fat. Go ahead and pull them into their own tub. Make the sipper low enough for them, mix the rat food with some kitten replacer milk to make it mushy morning and night, while also offering the blocks 24/7.

I think they'll be okay. ;)

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Originally Posted by littleindiangirl

I sometimes wean at 3 weeks, if it's a small litter and they're fat. Go ahead and pull them into their own tub. Make the sipper low enough for them, mix the rat food with some kitten replacer milk to make it mushy morning and night, while also offering the blocks 24/7.

I think they'll be okay. ;)

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I hadn't thought about the kitten replacer milk! Ignore the goat milk comment lol.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Skittles46

I hadn't thought about the kitten replacer milk! Ignore the goat milk comment lol.

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Haha! I type slow! Didn't see you had that covered ;)

You guy are really great! Thanks for all the info any other advice would also help. They look like they a doing ok but only time will tell.

What really suck most of all is that momma rat is dead!! That sucks. I know I have other mommas but it still SUCKS!

Now I have to tell my wife when she gets home. I know it sounds funny because we do feed all of our snakes rats but that not why I keep BP's, sometimes I wish we could feed them cereal.
\:tears::tears:

i have been putting lab block food in the tubs with the rats for the babies and they have been dispeering, so has the water alot faster lol