Dirty Enclosure w/babies

My trio had babies a couple days ago and I am concerned about whether or not I should try to clean their enclosure. It needs cleaning, but I'm not sure how to go about moving the babies without the parents freaking to much to get it cleaned. Should I just wait for a while? Thanks.

Red

Its not that big of a deal red. Just remove the adults first. Then move the babies to a clean holding tank. Clean the cage and put the adults back in first and then return the babies. Unless she is still having babies on cleaning day we just clean the cage. 24 hours after babies are born you can clean the cage. I just don't recommend cleaning the cage with babies that are under 24 hours old after that you are good to clean. Also if they are first time breeders you should be careful pulling adults they like to bite. after a few litters they do calm down and get with the program and don't mind at all about you cleaning there cage. They know whats going on and just deal with it.

I honestly never know when babies are born these days, but if it's cleaning day, they get cleaned.

I get a new or holding tub ready (sometimes a 12 qt tub with aspen) throw the adults in there. Then I get my bowl and scoop the babies with some of the aspen from the nest into the bowl. Rats are very tuned to scent, and I figure it keeps the little bugs from squirming away and getting fussy.

Clean the tub, fresh litter, fresh aspen.

Put in babies with their small bit of old nest aspen for scenting purposes. (Otherwise, I find the babies will wiggle out of the nest, the scent from the used aspen bits seems to keep them happy and in place)

Then I put in whatever extras, wood, paper rolls, seeds. Then replace parents and move on to next tub.

Bada bing!

I do pretty much exactly what Connie does. Parents out first, parents back in last - tends to keep you from getting nipped by them.

ha Connie and joanna do you guys ever have problems with the adults moving the babies around after you put the adults back in. We save the babies for last so that you don't have one mom start dragging all the babies around while putting the other adults back in.

Right after I sent you the pm, I decided it just had to be cleaned. We took the adults out, put the pinky pile in with the 'rents, cleaned the tubs, put the adults back in, then the pinks back in with the adults. No baby eating, so I was happy. We for sure have 2 separate litters in there, and a third on the way, so I am glad to have production going again.

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Originally Posted by snakedork

ha Connie and joanna do you guys ever have problems with the adults moving the babies around after you put the adults back in. We save the babies for last so that you don't have one mom start dragging all the babies around while putting the other adults back in.

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Yep sometimes a fussy or really dominant female will do that. I use hides for the breeder ASF's so when I return the babies (and a bit of their used litter), I put them back in the hide. Generally the adults are so busy checking out the filled food bowls they don't mess with the babies much. If you are having that issue though, as long as the female isn't biting at the baby, she won't hurt it. You can also distract her from that by offering a food type only given on cage cleaning day - a bit of greens or other fruit or veggie.

Btw, the big long boxes from capri sun drink pouches make super ASF hides. :)

You guys and gals are all awesome. Thank you so much for all the responses. You have been very helpful. Here are a couple of pics for your trouble. :) Oh, my other female(Laverne) is getting ready to have her first litter too. Man, the first(Shirley) had nine. I wonder how many Laverne will have? The male's name is... ...yup, you guessed it, Squiggy. Probably shouldn't have named them, but my wife couldn't resist. I keep telling her, they are not pets. :D

Best,
Red

Here they are in the spare tub while theirs is being cleaned.
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...d/100_2942.jpg
The Babies
http://i38.photobucket.com/albums/e1...d/100_2941.jpg

Cuties!!! got a self or two there...nice. My mommas have placed all the little guys to a corner before, right after cleaning. But I leave them and soon she puts them back in there hut. They do get better with more litters. I also use clementine boxes cut in half as a nice cheap hut.:gj:

I have mine in 10 gallon tanks. I have 3 groups - one for the breeders, one for the weaned females, one for the weaned males. So, I have 4 10 gallon tanks - I have an extra 10 gallon that I would prepare, then move the rats there, moving the adults first then the babies. I then clean the 10 gallon that they just vacated and prep it for the next set of rats and so on leaving one empty tank after I'm all done.

I'm getting pretty fast with the clean-up. By the way, the first thing I do before dumping substrate is take out all of the hides, tubes, water bottles, food hoppers, wheels, etc. for all 3 tanks and rinse them off with dishwasher soap and very hot water in a big tub. Using hot water to rinse makes them dry much faster. Then I fill out the water bottles and the food hoppers. So then when I set-up the fresh tank, I just towel dry the stuff and put it in the fresh tank then put the rats in. I usually get this all done well under an hour but, I've been known to spend A LOT of time just watching the rats run around in the fresh tank trying to "re-arrange" everything, digging the substrate, moving babies, etc., that I sometimes find myself wasting an entire Saturday morning...