When to start weaning?

Still new to breeding, my first litter is now walking and eyes open. I just wanted to get a general idea from everyone on here when they start to wean.

Rats will start weaning around 3-4 weeks of age. They'll be fully weaned by 5-6 weeks of age. For productivity, many feeder operations will wean younger. Many pet breeders will wean later. I personally leave my babies with their mother until they are 4-5 weeks of age, depending on how quickly they are growing and how big and developed they are at that time.

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Rats will start weaning around 3-4 weeks of age. They'll be fully weaned by 5-6 weeks of age. For productivity, many feeder operations will wean younger. Many pet breeders will wean later. I personally leave my babies with their mother until they are 4-5 weeks of age, depending on how quickly they are growing and how big and developed they are at that time.

I wean feeders off at 4-5 weeks of age. I leave hold backs in with their mother a little longer.

4 weeks and they are pulled pet or feeder or hold back.

Unless the litter is large 14 or more I wean at 3 weeks.

I wean mine when I see them running around, eating and drinking on their own. If some are from the same litter but smaller in size I typically leave them behind a little longer with the mothers.

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Originally Posted by Deborah

Unless the litter is large 14 or more I wean at 3 weeks.

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Same here. Unless I don't have any spare tubs or forget to move them lol. For me, the smaller the litter, the earlier I can wean.


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Thanks for the responses, I think I'm going to go ahead and wean them this weekend. My biggest concern is them reaching the top of the wire to eat in the deep tubs.

Ill monitor them more closely tonight to see if they have been reaching for food/water on the overhead wires. If I was to pull some that wasn't ready would momma take them back??

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Diamond Serpents

Thanks for the responses, I think I'm going to go ahead and wean them this weekend. My biggest concern is them reaching the top of the wire to eat in the deep tubs.

Ill monitor them more closely tonight to see if they have been reaching for food/water on the overhead wires. If I was to pull some that wasn't ready would momma take them back??

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I usually put a turned over water dish in the tub for babies to reach food and water. Sometimes I even give them a water bottle so they can reach water more easy. But they can also climb the hardware cloth upside down to reach themselves.

Yes, mama will take back babies if you put them in with her.


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by Diamond Serpents

Thanks for the responses, I think I'm going to go ahead and wean them this weekend. My biggest concern is them reaching the top of the wire to eat in the deep tubs.

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You can flip a ceramic bowl over on it's top and they'll use it to stand on.

I do a hard stop at the the end of 4 weeks which is basically when they have their eyes open and can move around without wobbling too bad. If you leave them with the mom after that they will be lazy and nurse rather than eat on their own - this takes a lot of energy out of the mom and they don't 'last' as long as breeders.

Another thing I would caution that I found out the hard way was do not keep anything that is nursing in any way with a mom that is about to give birth. I don't need to give details, just trust me. Don't do that.

I dont even pay attention to how old when I see getting arounf good I starting throwing a handful of feed in with them when I notice them eating then I put them in a tub with a retired breeder girl who I use as a nanny

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