Weanlings Dead

So my 11 baby ASFs are 5 weeks old. I just weaned them yesterday from their mother. I checked in right now and it looks like 1 of the smaller babies it close to death. Very little life to the little fella. Was he weaned too early? And what was the problem?


Almost all the other babies have been doing fine... And I even have smaller babies than the one that died.

Are you sure they can reach the food? are you sure the water bottle is functioning correctly? Do not wean until their eyes are all the way open.

If you checked these things, and they are all good.... and it was developed enough to be weined, It may just be one of those things. I loose one every now and then... but not very often at all.

Just to review what I do... I wait until their eyes are all the way open. I seperate the weanlings by sex when I pull them from the parents. the boys go in one tub, and the girls go in another tub. Each week I seperate new babies and put them in the same tubs as the previous week... so both my male and female grow up tubs have many different litters and ages in them. I hardly ever loose a baby, but it does happen. Just like any other lifeform on this earth, there are defects. there are things that go wrong in development. And there are things that happen and can not be explained.

Hope this helps,

Mike

Yea, that helps! Thanks a lot Mike.

I think I may have just weaned that one particular rat too early. So once I start pulling the weaners out, I can potentially leave the 'runts' still with the mothers?

I guess I figured I should just pull all of them out at the same time...

Yes. any that aren't quite ready yet get a few more days with mom. even if she is taking care of a brand new litter.

The lessen here. Don't be to quick to pull out your weaners. :D

LOL!!!

Not until you are sure they are big enough and ready to go!! :)