# Age to put babies in a multilevel cage



## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

Momma has been in a smaller cage with her babies for a while and I'd like to put her back in the larger multilevel cage. Can her babies and her go back in before they're weaned? Basically just what age it would be safe. At the moment they're 10 days old.

Thanks!


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

As soon as their eyes have all opened I'd put them in. However, they shouldn't be put back in a multilevel with any other rat than momma!
You are getting your male neutered right? I eventually put my neutered male, momma and babies together so that's a bit different than just putting them in the cage.


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

The male rat has already been neutered,


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

If he is sterile (if it's been 8 days), begin free ranging mom with him a bit. The babies shouldn't be left alone for more than ten minutes so just try a couple times to day to see how they act together. When the rats' eyes have opened, allow them to have the cage to themselves with momma. Once they are exploring well, you can bar-to-bar his cage to their cage and then intro one baby to him, then a baby and mom, then everyone.

I will say a few things: first, people really recommended I not put dad with babies. I decided to because I knew my male's personality and trusted him completely. Second, my male FEARED the babies when he first met them. Now he is the treat-dispenser, passing his treats to them; he cuddles them, grooms them, plays with them. It also helped because when we had to gender segregate the boyos had a role model they could still interact with.


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## cookiebear<3 (Aug 2, 2013)

Thank you, the bars in the multilevel cage are small, but it's pretty tall. Is there anything I could do to make it a bit safer?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Do you use fleece, or bedding?


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## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

Thought I would add pics of dad with babies:
http://i.imgur.com/yQFe6jEh.jpg
[URL]http://imgur.com/cExcM7r [/URL](sleep time, he loves cuddling them  )


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