# when should I seperate?



## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

My 7 ratties are 4 weeks old today, I have started weening, but am wondering when they need to be seperated. Ive read 5 weeks, but ive also seen 4 weeks. They are smaller than usual because mom was sick after birth, so they seem to be a little stunted. So I just wanted to know when they would be ready to go to their homes.

Also the runt is as small as they were at about 2 weeks. She eats and gets around but is 1/3 the size of the siblings. Should she stay with mom longer? I am not sure if she will make it because we have lost 7 already, but we haven't lost one in 2 weeks, and she seems to be holding on.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

you can leave them together until 5 weeks but you should really remove those boys that week & before they get larger just to be on the safe side.


the girls can stay with mom for life if you want... you don't have to remove the girls from Mom-- no chance of pregnancy there & since they are a bit small this could be a good thing... give them an extra week before going to a new home.

It sounds as though there are some bad genetics going on so you may not be out of the woods with them yet. Just take the best care you can for them & ensure they are as happy & well cared for as they can be even if it is a short life.

Good luck!


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## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

Thank you, the runt died this morning. I am keeping my fingers crossed the rest will be okay. The momma was a pet stare rat, and she followed the trend of being pregnant already.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

I don't want to come across as all doom & gloom but things don't sound good with this litter.

I can only assume that everything that could go wrong did go wrong & that is why so many babies have passed & are still passing.

Mom was most likely far too young to be bred & she may have been undernourished as well. Many pet stores just toss in a cheap seed mix & nothing else. It is very likely that she was alos impregnated by a sibling. Probably a bunch that were born to together & just left together until they were bought or died. This may have been going on for a generation or more. If this is even remotely close to what was going on then the bloodlines are far too closely related & if there are issues with their genetic make-up then it is intensified every time they reproduce. Because of this there may be developmental issues going on inside & you may lose the entire litter. This may seem a bit gloomy but it may be better off to lose them all than ever have any chance of them reproducing yet again & even worse things turning up. PLEASE, if any of these babies do reach maturity PLEASE PLEASE never let them be bred or even be in a situation where an oops could happen. 

I wish you the best of luck with them & applaud you for doing what you can to see after there comfort.


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## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

thanks, I never plan on breeding don't worry. I knew that we were in for it when we realized she was pregnant after we bought her. I am doing aaa that I can and have been to the vet twice already, but in the end I know its nature and that I cant change.


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## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

thanks, I never plan on breeding don't worry. I knew that we were in for it when we realized she was pregnant after we bought her. I am doing aaa that I can and have been to the vet twice already, but in the end I know its nature and that I cant change.


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## k_petersen5 (Jan 26, 2008)

thanks, I never plan on breeding don't worry. I knew that we were in for it when we realized she was pregnant after we bought her. I am doing aaa that I can and have been to the vet twice already, but in the end I know its nature and that I cant change.


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

many people never plan to but when both genders are kept in the same home accidents often happen... even with the most experienced handlers

just keep that in mind when it comes to the day when you decide who becomes a permanent resident


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## the-puh (May 4, 2008)

My rat had babyes 3 weeks ago and i'm thinking of seperaiting them from the mother and by boys and girls a couple days befor 5 weeks ,becouse the mother bites.I tried to socialiside her but i coudnen't. And she bites very hard and i don't wont to be biten agen vhen i will take the babyes out. It is hard to seperate them and mother alredi now to play with the babyes. I got her pregnent from a pet store.


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## kristie0593 (Apr 19, 2008)

the-puh...the same thing happened to me...I got my Minnie from a pet store some Thursday and she had babies that Sunday...she also bites like yours and i understand it is difficult to get the babies in and out of the cage...so i advise you to give her a treat for her and take the babies out that way...that's what i always do.


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## VioletRooster (Apr 11, 2008)

A1APassion said:


> many people never plan to but when both genders are kept in the same home accidents often happen... even with the most experienced handlers


Ditto that! The litter I have right now - the female snuck through the wires of the cage and into the males cage and spent the night! Big time OOPS!

Now I'm nervous as all get out, I hear all they need is like 2 seconds to get pregnant??? I had my big boy Queequag roaming around two nights ago, then one of my kids grabbed one of the other females and was just holding her and she jumped down (KIDS! - this kid was sitting on the other side of the free range area but the female just jumped perfectly right over the barrier), and off the two of them went... they ran behind a piece of cardboard, I heard commotion and can you imagine the cat chase I put on?!?! Queequag is usually so easy to catch but I guess that changes when he has a girl in his sights!!! It only took me about a minute to catch him but I literally pulled him off of her (trying not to SCREAM!) so here's to hoping NOTHING happened!!!

I almost think all the care lists should say that male and female rats should just NEVER be housed in the same house together!!! Or at least in totally seperate rooms with padlocks, bolts, steel doors and an armed gaurd between them!


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