Weaning Baby Rats

[frankykeno]

My routine thus far has been to wean my baby rats on their 29th day so they have reached the 4 week stage. I'm wondering though about something.

It seems by the 3rd week my mother rats are totally sick of their litters and actively trying to escape from them. The baby rats are by then munching on the rat food and drinking from the water bottle so am I stressing out the mother rats by leaving them till 29 days? I've had some moms trying to jump out of the maternity tanks to get away from their big babies and one that stuffs herself on the top of her water bottle to avoid the little leeches (who gather down below - it's rather hilarious actually!)

Just want to do what is best for the babies and the breeding females and I'm still pretty new at this rat breeding deal.


~~Jo~~

[Adam_Wysocki]

3 weeks sounds about right ... if they're munching on food and drinking water, they'll be good to go.

I usually look at the amount of food in the feeder bin of each tub to get an idea of where I'm going to pull the weaners from.

-adam

[Smulkin]

3 weeks sounds about right ... if they're munching on food and drinking water, they'll be good to go.

I usually look at the amount of food in the feeder bin of each tub to get an idea of where I'm going to pull the weaners from.

-adam

I do pretty much the same thing - that is usually about the time they stop mewling for milk and have started dashing out to get the solid food.

[frankykeno]

Great advice, thanks! I figured when their own mothers are trying to get the heck away from them that maybe leaving them 4 full weeks was a bit much. The little boogerheads are munching everything in the food bowls but still harrassing their mothers for nursing if I leave them the full 4 weeks.

Time to go pull a mom out from the maternity tub then. She's currently perched on her water bottle right now trying to get away from the harrassing herd of little hairy monsters LOL.


~~Jo~~

[Wild Bill]

Great advice, thanks! I figured when their own mothers are trying to get the heck away from them that maybe leaving them 4 full weeks was a bit much. The little boogerheads are munching everything in the food bowls but still harrassing their mothers for nursing if I leave them the full 4 weeks.

Time to go pull a mom out from the maternity tub then. She's currently perched on her water bottle right now trying to get away from the harrassing herd of little hairy monsters LOL.


~~Jo~~

Too Funny!!! LOL !!!

[frankykeno]

Baby rats are hilarious! I've seen a couple of my poor momma rats struggling to get to their food dish or the water bottle and as they leave the nest and try to walk away the darn little leeches won't let go! So along they go, bumpity bumping under the poor momma rat latched on to her teats! Poor momma rat! LOL

My only albino female breeder is a smart mom. She set up her nesting area directly to the left of the water bottle so all she does is turn her head to take a sip of water. With 16 babies to raise this was a very smart rattie decision to make. I put her food bowl very close too. She's the one currently perched on the water bottle and valiantly trying to hop out of the maternity tank everytime it's opened. I think Snowball has had quite ENOUGH of this litter LOL.


~~Jo~~

[Shelby]

You know.. I notice that my mom rats like their nests below the food hopper so they can just up and reach for a bit of food, and the water bottle is right there too. Smart little boogers!

[mlededee]

i have 2 litters that are reaching the weanling stage as well. they are just over 3 weeks now and they are eating and drinking water and harrassing their poor moms. i read on one breeder's site that they like to leave babies in for a full 5 weeks just to make sure---yeah right! no way can i see doing that. i rearranged everyone 2 nights ago. put the males by themselves, 2 pregnant females in separate enclosures (and got new beebies shortly afterward), and put both moms and all the weaners into the big 3 story wire cage--and boy is it a party in there! i've only seen them nurse once since i moved them and the moms seem much happier now that they can get away a little more. so yeah, i'm thinking 3-3.5 weeks is just plenty and will very shortly be separating the boy and girl weanlings to their own enclosures.

[frankykeno]

Yep I seperated Snowball from her litter just now and she's looking quite pleased and happily snarfing down food undisturbed. The weans are having a good time harrassing Stubby and another too young to be bred female.

Just to double check...is it about 5 weeks of age that one has to worry about them "bothering" each other...in other words is it okay for now to leave the boys in with the girls until 5 weeks of age?


~~Jo~~

[Shelby]

I'd separate the sexes asap. They can breed extremely young..