When to change bedding...

Momma rat had some babies last night @ 9pm. About 19 total, her cage Looks like a bomb went off in it. Bloody news paper, aspen bedding the whole 9 yards. She is still housed with the male. I do have a spare tank to put her and babies in but I guess my question is how soon can I change her bedding? Should I do a partial change to get most of the soiled stuff out? I checked the babies today she had 2 dead ones looked like the had been trampled on that I removed and I fed one live to my beardie. But question in point is when should I change the bedding...:confused:
Thanks in advance,
Jeff

I usually change the bedding the week before she gives birth that way I wont have to change again til babies are atleast a week old. I would remove the male. He will try to breed with her and end up trampling the babies. I usually remove my males once i can tell females are pregnant. Dont touch her babies though, she will likely eat them if you do.

Ok so remove the male. Yeah I was off by about 2 days went to change the bedding last night and (poof) she was giving birth. I will remove my male, Do you think I could do a partial change of the bedding.She is in a 20 gallon critter tank.
Thanks again.

you don't need to remove the male. I change the bedding weekly but your nose should tell you when. Since my stuff is in an outdoor building I could get away with biweekly and I do in the winter. But summer humidity drives the ammonia smell through the roof.

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

you don't need to remove the male. I change the bedding weekly but your nose should tell you when. Since my stuff is in an outdoor building I could get away with biweekly and I do in the winter. But summer humidity drives the ammonia smell through the roof.

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I'm changing mines twice a week right now.

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Originally Posted by Delco Baller

Momma rat had some babies last night @ 9pm. About 19 total, her cage Looks like a bomb went off in it. Bloody news paper, aspen bedding the whole 9 yards. She is still housed with the male. I do have a spare tank to put her and babies in but I guess my question is how soon can I change her bedding? Should I do a partial change to get most of the soiled stuff out? I checked the babies today she had 2 dead ones looked like the had been trampled on that I removed and I fed one live to my beardie. But question in point is when should I change the bedding...:confused:
Thanks in advance,
Jeff

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I do nothing special for mothers giving birth. i just clean on normal 5 day schedule. My females dont mind me messing with them day of giving birth. If i notice birthing during cleaning i come back to that tub later.

I clean rats every Friday so whether the babies are a week old or just a few hours old, the enclosures get cleaned up, which of course involves removing babies placing them in a clean tub along with mom.

Never had a mother eating her babies because of it either.

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Originally Posted by ImBooBy

I usually change the bedding the week before she gives birth that way I wont have to change again til babies are atleast a week old. I would remove the male. He will try to breed with her and end up trampling the babies. I usually remove my males once i can tell females are pregnant. Dont touch her babies though, she will likely eat them if you do.

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You must have some very poor momma rats if they'll eat the babies.
I've never had a mom rat eat babies and I've even helped deliver babies, saying that she might eat them is just not true :confused:
If they did ever eat their babies they would then become snake food.

Thank you all for the help, I will attempt to clean tomorrow night. That will give mama one more day to settle in.
Thanks again,
Jeff
:gj:

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Originally Posted by snakesRkewl

You must have some very poor momma rats if they'll eat the babies.
I've never had a mom rat eat babies and I've even helped deliver babies, saying that she might eat them is just not true :confused:
If they did ever eat their babies they would then become snake food.

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It is not uncommon for rodents to eat their young, consider yourself fortunate that it has not happened to you...yet