# When can mom move back home?



## Sowa (Jan 24, 2015)

So my litter is 2 weeks old. I've been putting the mom back with her buds everyday for a short period of time so they don't forget her or so she's not lonely. I also take her out on my shoulder for a bit. She seems happy to get out lol. 

I'm curious when she can move back in with the others? I was thinking of keeping her separated until I need to split the boys and girl around 5 weeks. I was hoping I could then just move mom and girl (10 boys 1 girl) into the cage with the other girls at that point or would the young girl be too small? I will be keeping her. I also read it's a good idea to keep them until they are 6 weeks but if they are away from mom at that point are they safe to go home at 5 weeks?


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## moonkissed (Dec 26, 2011)

it depends purely on your other girls and mom. Not all rats are the same.

if they have ever had any issues with aggression or being rough I would wait until the babies are atleast 6 weeks old but 8-12 is better.
if not you can test it out by letting the girls all meet the babies and see how they act.

I usually let my litters go in with the other adults at around 3 weeks old. My litters just turned 3 weeks old yesterday and today and they got to go live with their grandmother and aunties as well as their moms. I like them being with other adult rats at that age because it gives them more adults to teach them social behaviors and they get to be mroe well rounded rats because of it IMO. It also takes some pressure off the moms. But my rats are used to babies and are all great with them. I know from experience that I can trust them. It was super cute this morning when I checked on them and so many of the babies were sleeping on and under their aunt lol 

But for the safety of the babies it is always wise to be cautious. You know your rats best. But between 3-5 weeks is all fine IMO.

I always feel it is better to keep babies as long as possible, because they are still just babies at 5 weeks old. Some people may think a week is not much time but they grow so much from one week to the next it is a huge deal for babies. They are just not fully emotionally ready to go to a brand new home. They still have you, their siblings and their normal surroundings. There has even been some discussion among breeders that keeping them for longer can make them healthier because as we all know stress in rats is tied quite often to health and wellness. Being so young and making such a huge change could be quite stressful and lower their immune system. Ideally I do strongly feel for the best interest of the babies they should never leave before 6-12 weeks old. The older the better. But 5 weeks would be the earliest that is ok. 

I will say I separate my babies at 5 weeks and I have had boys that young absolutely lost sitting outside their moms cage upset. And this was with weeks and weeks of pratice leading up to this, with lots of time away from mom and time spent with the other males. We have to remember they are still itty bitty babies.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

Moonkissed, can't rats start mating at 5 weeks in some cases? I thought 5 week separation was to ensure nobody bred.


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## Gribouilli (Dec 25, 2015)

Yes rats can breed at 5 weeks. Moonkissed was talking about the baby girls staying with her mom and the boys staying with dad or other males or simply together if there is no other adults of the same sex.


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## Grotesque (Mar 19, 2014)

Gribouilli said:


> Yes rats can breed at 5 weeks. Moonkissed was talking about the baby girls staying with her mom and the boys staying with dad or other males or simply together if there is no other adults of the same sex.


Oh okay! Thanks for clarifying that.


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