# URGENT: rats fighting over babies



## Darges (Feb 25, 2012)

Hi, one of my rats gave birth two days ago, she is doing a fantastic job with them however within the last two hours, one of the other rats keeps essentially stealing the babies from the main nest and putting them in another part of the cage, the mother then takes them back however i just witnessed a baby literally killed by them pulling on it  Is this normal? Is it safe to say i should keep the rat out of the cage completely and if so how long?

Thanks


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## cagedbirdsinging (May 28, 2012)

Separate them immediately! Ideally, the mother is separated from all other rats before giving birth for this exact reason.

I wouldn't do introductions until the babies are ready to be separated at 5 weeks.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

THIS is the reason we don't suggest communal rearing. Tug of war with babies can happen, as you have found  The other thing that can happen, is the mom is a less dominant rat and the more dominant rat will take the babies out of some misguided maternal instinct and the babies will slowly starve


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