separating nursing female from breeding group

[threezero]

So I have 2 breeding group setup right one, one is 1.2 and the other one is 1.1 (no other female could go with this male without being killed or seriously injured)

Every single one of the females are now nursing a little. The two female that is in the same breeding group have litter that are about 2 weeks apart so one is nursing pinkies and the other one is already nursing weanlings. I notice that the weanlings will also nurse from the other female, they will push the pinkies aside to get at the other females nipple and the other female doesn't seem to be able to fend them off. I suspect this is why the other litter is growing so slowly. So I have separate the mother and her pinkies from the breeding group for now.

Is this a good idea? The male is still in with the other female right now, what are the chance of them not accepting the seperate female back into their group? Also I notice the weanlings are already munching on solid food but still goes after the mother milk? Also they don't seem to be drinking from the water bottle, don't the parents teach them this? Sorry so many stupid question but this the first time i have successfully breed rats

[Southern_Breeder]

Just leave them together n let them do their thing. Its tough love for the little guys. The weanlings only have a week left or so, if that, of wanting the milk n then they will move on to the food and the younger ones will start to catch up.

[threezero]

does it matter if i have them separated? I have an extra tank setup anyways

[WmHrbst]

I run 2 females per tub and I rotate the male every 7 days. I leave the 2 females together the whole time and let them raise the babies. Once the babies are running around eating on their own (about 4-5 weeks) I put the weaned rats into the other racks. The females get about 2-3 weeks off before the male rotates back into their tub.

[MrLang]

It doesn't matter if you separate them. They'll accept the lot back in. Make sure you put the babies back in before the male babies start to mature at all (4 weeks) or the male might decide they are competing for his ladies and get mean. I put my females with babies back together when the babies get fuzzy around 2 weeks old with no problems. By that point the moms won't play tug-o-war for the babies and if they do, the babies won't get hurt by it.

They will learn to use the bottle - sometimes they have problems pushing the ball for the bottle in if it's a huge bottle but they'll learn. Everything you described is normal and if you're worried about bigger babies hogging all the nipples, it's fine to separate them.

[threezero]

thanks everyone! Now can i tell the babies are ready to go by themself in the grow out tub? I can see the oldest litter munching on food all by themselve and drinking water by themselve however they still try to suckle on their mother. Is it ok to seperate the babies now?