# Playing with babies



## crystal3769 (Jan 30, 2015)

So my accidental litter is two weeks old now, and I want to start playing with them more. I know they still can't fully provide their own heat yet, and was wondering how long I can have them out for without them getting too cold. Any Advice? Thank you.


----------



## kksrats (Jul 25, 2014)

I usually handle pups that young for about 15 minutes at a time several times a day; you can do longer if they're crawling on you, just don't leave them unattended on a cold floor or anything. You can increase this time when they really start moving around and exploring their cage. Once they're mobile, you can set up a small area that you can sit in and play with them that way they get used to interacting in a somewhat larger area. At 4 weeks, they're usually ready for full free range in a small, well rat-proofed room (I use my bathroom). By this time mom will likely not be stressed about you handling pups, so she can join the free range too which will make the pups more comfortable in larger environments. If mom gets antsy and starts trying to move pups, wait until she has moved away from them and then put her back into her cage to avoid any unnecessary injuries.


----------



## crystal3769 (Jan 30, 2015)

Thanks so much!


----------

