Hello! I recently had a litter of rats (unplanned! I adopted a rat from a friend who got her from a local pet the day before and the rat was pregnant!). I am very attached to them all as they were handraised by yours truly. But, I know that as a struggling college student, I cannot afford to keep very many of the offspring. I am weaning the babies now and they are doing really well. There is one particular baby (out of the 15!) that I am very attached to and I was wondering if I could, after complete weaning and the mom has ceased lactating, house them together. Does anyone have experience with this kind of a situation? Thanks!
2007-06-14 11:16:03 · 9 answers · asked by PetRescuer 3 in Pets ➔ Rodents
BTW, yes, I know they can commit incest! =P The boys and girls are separated. I am sorry, I should have clarified that I meant to keep one of the girls. I just want to know if the mom will accept the baby girl in her home and not fight.
2007-06-14 11:45:29 · update #1
she'll accept her better than she would a strange female and you don't have to worry about quarentine because she's been in your house and you know that she isn't carrying anything into your rats environment. e-mail me and let me know where you are located. if you are close enough i'd love to adopt a couple if you would be willing to let me.
2007-06-14 11:58:22 · answer #1 · answered by MommyCaleb 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Social growth of baby rats:
Baby rats start to nibble on mom's food as soon as their eyes are open at 2 weeks old.
They continue to nurse on mom even though they are also eating solid food right up to 3 to 4 weeks old as mom is starting to wean them. This is when some people *think* this is the time to give away the babies. Not true.
The best scenerio for baby rats would be to stay with their mom for up to 5 weeks so they can learn rat social behavior from their siblings and their mom. If allowed to stay with mom, I've seen some baby girls wean themselves at around 5 to 6 weeks old, if mom has not already done this.
Then, when the sexes are separated, they go in with other adults of their same sex to continue their social learning.
I had one little boy who insisted on pushing or pulling his siblings off the second level shelf of their cage. Very rude behavior in a ratty society. When the boys were put in with an adult male, Pepato tried the same stunt only once on the big boy......and he never did that again.
All of my baby girls have lived with their mothers and other female cage-mates for their entire lives without problems. I separate the boys from the girls, and mom of course, at 5.5 weeks of age. The boys go into a cage either with their father, if all of the father's cagemates accept them, or a cage of younger boys that accept them.
All rats that are born in my home, or come into my home, have my home, for a forever home.
I just had a litter born yesterday, June 13, and with some sadness I will do this separation procedure one more time.
http://spazrats.tripod.com/mischief.html
Get in touch with me again for tips on finding good pet homes for your babies.
spazrats
"my life has gone to the rats"
2007-06-14 14:26:54 · answer #2 · answered by spazrats 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. Because (if the rat is male) will commit incest and get his momma pregnant. This what rats and mice are they reproduce like crazy!!! Twelve out of the 15 rats will ah.....do something to each other and times that will equal 144 rats!! and you might get an over stuff dorm room so I suggest to give away all the rats!!
2007-06-14 11:30:35 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Keeping one of the babies with Mom is a SUPERB idea. Rats are highly social and NEED other rats around -- so in fact, you SHOULD keep one of the female babies. It's wonderful that you've bonded with one of them -- Mom and Daughter will be very happy together and you will get TWICE the love!
2007-06-14 12:06:50 · answer #4 · answered by luvrats 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Split the babies up from 6wks!!!! They can have babies of their own @ this age!!!! Make sure males r separate from f.males. n yes u shudnt have a prob keeping a baby rat with the mother as long as its a f.male or u'll have more babies!!!
2007-06-14 11:34:33 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
ha thats what happen to me my rat had 16 babies and there well thev grown up to big rats iv kept one and also as soon as they get born you can pick them up when there eyes open there so cute
thats all i can help you with sorry if it didnt help you
2007-06-14 11:24:17 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
mice are very smart when it comes to mother and looking after pups, when you got babies all you have got to do is separate the mum from they other mouse (u don't have to but Its better if u do) then provide extra food and veg, so you really don't have to do much don't separate the pups from its mum, when the mum doesent want them to feed of milk anymore,
2016-04-01 08:02:57 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes they can be kept together assuming the baby is not male. he could get his momma pregnant when he is old enough,
2007-06-14 11:20:00 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes you can as long as they are the same gender.
2007-06-14 17:49:29 · answer #9 · answered by ratta_toulli 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋