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  1. #1
    BPnet Veteran Jonny2184's Avatar
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    Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    Can anyone tell me how I can clean my rat cage when my rat mom is nursing 5 day old rats???
    They smell sooooooo badly and I want to clean them!

    Hamsters, I used to get my hands to smell like there bedding and then I would take them out and clean them like that???

    Is it possible to do it with rats???

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    BPnet Veteran Uncle Festae's Avatar
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    Re: Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    Quote Originally Posted by Jonny2184
    Can anyone tell me how I can clean my rat cage when my rat mom is nursing 5 day old rats???
    Same as you would anytime.....the mothers arent going to abandon them cause they smell like you, at least that hs been my experience. I take the mother out first, then take out all the lil nipple biters, in case momma decides she doesnt want me taking them, but usually they're happy time give them up to me

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    BPnet Veteran monk90222's Avatar
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    Re: Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    I usually wait about a week then I remove the female and put her in a separate container, then I remove all the babies and some of the nesting bedding. I put them in like a deli cup or some other small container (you want them to retain the heat) I then clean as usual but I put the babies back in the cage first. Then the mom goes in. She usually quickly moves the babies around and makes a new nest. I have never had a mother reject the babies after a cleaning. Good Luck!

  4. #4
    BPnet Veteran Shelby's Avatar
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    Re: Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    At 5 days old the mom won't abandon them if you clean the cage.. I usually wait 2 days after they are born before I clean cages.

    April
    My art gallery (herp related) http://cerulean-serpent.deviantart.com/

  5. #5
    BPnet Veteran Uncle Festae's Avatar
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    Re: Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    Quote Originally Posted by monk90222
    I remove the female and put her in a separate container, then I remove all the babies and some of the nesting bedding. I put them in like a deli cup or some other small container (you want them to retain the heat) I then clean as usual but I put the babies back in the cage first. Then the mom goes in. !
    Thats exactly how I do it too Charlie, except I clean whenever I feel like it LOL ....Last week I had to clean a cage when a momma was right in the middle of delivery...just picked her up, put her in a clean cage, then gave her the babies that had already popped out, no problems

  6. #6
    BPnet Veteran frankykeno's Avatar
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    Re: Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    I actually use cleaning time as a good time to check out the babies without momma rat hovering over them and getting in my way. Just pop her into a secure container, pop out the babies and have a good look over them for growth, milkbands (if visible) and general health. Clean the cage, scoop out a slight depression in the corner momma rat prefers and pop the babies back in there. Add in momma rat and she'll happily do the rest. I've never had a female rat reject her young because of cleaning or my scent on them. She may for a moment ignore them as she checks out her clean digs and grabs a drink and something from the food bowl but she'll soon go back to the little leeches that are hollering for her.
    ~~Joanna~~

  7. #7
    BPnet Veteran Jonny2184's Avatar
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    Re: Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    Thanks guys... I was super worried Id have to live with that aweful smell!
    Thank god!

    anyway my mom and dad might enjoy getting to see the little ones too at the same time!

    thanks again!

  8. #8
    Steel Magnolia rabernet's Avatar
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    Re: Cleaning a nursing rat mom

    I agree - momma is just fine - in fact, Scarlett had her second litter yesterday (15 babies) and even yesterday afternoon, she didn't mind me checking them over and doing a head count. Two were much smaller than the rest, so not sure if they'll make it, but they had really good milk bands as well.


    She did start to move them as I was doing a head count, actually helped me with the counting, as I just started counting one at a time as she moved them! LOL

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