When to change bedding...

[Delco Baller]

Momma rat had some babies last night @ 9pm. About 19 total, her cage Looks like a bomb went off in it. Bloody news paper, aspen bedding the whole 9 yards. She is still housed with the male. I do have a spare tank to put her and babies in but I guess my question is how soon can I change her bedding? Should I do a partial change to get most of the soiled stuff out? I checked the babies today she had 2 dead ones looked like the had been trampled on that I removed and I fed one live to my beardie. But question in point is when should I change the bedding...
Thanks in advance,
Jeff

[ImBooBy]

I usually change the bedding the week before she gives birth that way I wont have to change again til babies are atleast a week old. I would remove the male. He will try to breed with her and end up trampling the babies. I usually remove my males once i can tell females are pregnant. Dont touch her babies though, she will likely eat them if you do.

[Delco Baller]

Ok so remove the male. Yeah I was off by about 2 days went to change the bedding last night and (poof) she was giving birth. I will remove my male, Do you think I could do a partial change of the bedding.She is in a 20 gallon critter tank.
Thanks again.

[suzuki4life]

you don't need to remove the male. I change the bedding weekly but your nose should tell you when. Since my stuff is in an outdoor building I could get away with biweekly and I do in the winter. But summer humidity drives the ammonia smell through the roof.

[jben]

you don't need to remove the male. I change the bedding weekly but your nose should tell you when. Since my stuff is in an outdoor building I could get away with biweekly and I do in the winter. But summer humidity drives the ammonia smell through the roof.

I'm changing mines twice a week right now.

[RichsBallPythons]

Momma rat had some babies last night @ 9pm. About 19 total, her cage Looks like a bomb went off in it. Bloody news paper, aspen bedding the whole 9 yards. She is still housed with the male. I do have a spare tank to put her and babies in but I guess my question is how soon can I change her bedding? Should I do a partial change to get most of the soiled stuff out? I checked the babies today she had 2 dead ones looked like the had been trampled on that I removed and I fed one live to my beardie. But question in point is when should I change the bedding...
Thanks in advance,
Jeff

I do nothing special for mothers giving birth. i just clean on normal 5 day schedule. My females dont mind me messing with them day of giving birth. If i notice birthing during cleaning i come back to that tub later.

[Stewart_Reptiles]

I clean rats every Friday so whether the babies are a week old or just a few hours old, the enclosures get cleaned up, which of course involves removing babies placing them in a clean tub along with mom.

Never had a mother eating her babies because of it either.

[snakesRkewl]

I usually change the bedding the week before she gives birth that way I wont have to change again til babies are atleast a week old. I would remove the male. He will try to breed with her and end up trampling the babies. I usually remove my males once i can tell females are pregnant. Dont touch her babies though, she will likely eat them if you do.

You must have some very poor momma rats if they'll eat the babies.
I've never had a mom rat eat babies and I've even helped deliver babies, saying that she might eat them is just not true
If they did ever eat their babies they would then become snake food.

[Delco Baller]

Thank you all for the help, I will attempt to clean tomorrow night. That will give mama one more day to settle in.
Thanks again,
Jeff

[llovelace]

You must have some very poor momma rats if they'll eat the babies.
I've never had a mom rat eat babies and I've even helped deliver babies, saying that she might eat them is just not true
If they did ever eat their babies they would then become snake food.

It is not uncommon for rodents to eat their young, consider yourself fortunate that it has not happened to you...yet