at what age do you remove young rats...

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Originally Posted by Bruce Whitehead

Ruddy teet leeches!

Bruce

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:8: Oh my gosh!

I pull mine once their eyes are open and they are running around. I suppose that's probably around 4 weeks.

We wean at 35 grams, unless they are just extraordinarily large pups, and then they get a little longer.

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

never ever seen a 9 week old rat give birth.....ever.

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I didn't say you should breed them at that age, I was simply stating that the females become sexually mature at 4 1/2 to 5 WEEKS of age. Not that you SHOULD breed them, but it is possible. And for the record, I HAVE seen a 6 week old rat get pregnant. It was not good on her and all of the offspring died.

So...yes...I stand by what I said. You should not wait any longer than the 4 1/2 to 5 weeks to wean. Longer than that and you run the possibility of that happening.

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Originally Posted by SlitherinSisters

:8: Oh my gosh!

I pull mine once their eyes are open and they are running around. I suppose that's probably around 4 weeks.

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yours dont open eyes and move on their own til 4 weeks??? mine do that at 2 weeks give or take a few days

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Originally Posted by Becca Granger

I didn't say you should breed them at that age, I was simply stating that the females become sexually mature at 4 1/2 to 5 WEEKS of age. Not that you SHOULD breed them, but it is possible. And for the record, I HAVE seen a 6 week old rat get pregnant. It was not good on her and all of the offspring died.

So...yes...I stand by what I said. You should not wait any longer than the 4 1/2 to 5 weeks to wean. Longer than that and you run the possibility of that happening.

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so you saw a 10 week rat give birth then?

I'm going to solve the dispute over how young can they breed/give birth. I just put five 24 day old females in with my best male, "Jack the Raper". He NEVER misses a female in heat. I will track when each one gives birth and I will report back lol.

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Originally Posted by tomfromtheshade

I'm going to solve the dispute over how young can they breed/give birth. I just put five 24 day old females in with my best male, "Jack the Raper". He NEVER misses a female in heat. I will track when each one gives birth and I will report back lol.

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I am betting you won't see a baby before a mother hits at very least 12 weeks.


that would be 8 weeks of age for the mom.

its here for the record nothing more.
5-6 weeks is just too variable....would depend too much on diet, crowding/stress temps etc....


not saying it couldn't, but not consistent basis.

lol @ his name, my stud male is named rat jeremy haha

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Originally Posted by suzuki4life

so you saw a 10 week rat give birth then?

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10 to 11 weeks, yes. And it was not good on her. She had a small litter of five kits and all five died within a few days of birth. On top of that, the female never gained much weight and remained small through the entirety of her life. Can I ask you something...why are you being such a jack@$$ about this? I run a rattery, I've been raising rats since I was 15 years old. I am now 37. Throughout all of this, I have learned a lot of things. One of them....was NOT to leave boys in with girls after having reached sexual maturity. Pulling them sooner than the 4 or 5 weeks is fine if they can make it on their own, but unless you want to chance a possible bad pregnancy with one of your young females, that is what I suggest. You're entitled to your own opinions, but stop bashing mine.

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Originally Posted by Becca Granger

10 to 11 weeks, yes. And it was not good on her. She had a small litter of five kits and all five died within a few days of birth. On top of that, the female never gained much weight and remained small through the entirety of her life. Can I ask you something...why are you being such a jack@$$ about this? I run a rattery, I've been raising rats since I was 15 years old. I am now 37. Throughout all of this, I have learned a lot of things. One of them....was NOT to leave boys in with girls after having reached sexual maturity. Pulling them sooner than the 4 or 5 weeks is fine if they can make it on their own, but unless you want to chance a possible bad pregnancy with one of your young females, that is what I suggest. You're entitled to your own opinions, but stop bashing mine.

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I am a small breeder producing mainly rats but I also produce pygmy mice and have experience with mice, jirds, gerbils, and asf stock. I have been in the "game" maybe 18 years. If asking very valid questions about your experiences and narrowing down your statements to get exact answers makes me deserving of such derogatory statements, then that is truly sad. If doubting your statements puts you on edge and your ego at risk. Oh well.

and for the record, you were never "bashed" by me



bash·ing
   /ˈbæʃɪŋ/ Show Spelled[bash-ing] Show IPA
–noun
1.
the act of beating, whipping, or thrashing: a series of unsolved bashings and robberies.
2.
a decisive defeat: We gave the visiting team a good bashing.
3.
(used in combination)
a.
unprovoked physical assaults against members of a specified group: gay-bashing.
b.
verbal abuse, as of a group or a nation: