# Age to separate babies?



## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

I've read 4-5 weeks is best. Does anyone have a specific personal opinion? Do you think 5 weeks is risky? 4 weeks and 3 days? 4 weeks is too soon?
Any opinion would be appreciated, just for my own curiosity.


----------



## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

I think five weeks are what most go by and what most animal babies are able to eat food and drink and not need moms milk.


Sent from Petguide.com Free App


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

I am planning on 4 weeks, 4 days for my litter. I've read they can become sexually mature at 5 weeks. Even though my litter is behind the growth charts, I'd rather be safe than sorry. I thought about up until the fifth week supplementing treats with a bit of puppy's milk given their size (and my concern of MC)


----------



## Finnebon (Jul 15, 2013)

I think 5 weeks will be the absolute latest, but I plan on exactly what Nanashi is doing at 4 and a half weeks, just to be safe. Especially since they are all HW.

I don't know if you have access to a babiesRus near you, but I found a 4 pack of cans of premade soy infant formula for much much cheaper than buying a pack of powdered formula. The baby formula is supposed to be similar to rat's milk, but I'm sure puppy is still fine. I'm doing a similar thing you are as well and I'm mixing the formula in with baby rice cereal (super cheap, at any grocery store) and with their teklad blocks. I'll just have to keep watching to see what babies are still drinking from mom or not by 4 weeks. As of today they're a little over 3 weeks old and still screaming and crying during feeding time lol so I'm pretty sure they will still be drinking for a while if they're still this excited about it.


----------



## nanashi7 (Jun 5, 2013)

My babies hardly nibble hard food and they'll be 3 weeks monday ._. They still drain poor mama dry. I honestly think mama rat will be done nursing them before they are done nursing lol.


----------



## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

5 weeks and not a day past, in my opinion!


----------



## rattie-love-247 (Jul 9, 2013)

i do sibling seperations at the same time i seperate from mom which is at 4 - 4 1/2 weeks.


----------

