Changing rat bedding

[mathal]

Hi all,

I have started breeding rats, and they have all given birth a few days ago and I was wondering about changing the bedding. Some sites say not to change it while the pups are still young, some say it's ok to change it...

What do people here do? Is it ok to remove the mother, gently pick up the pups, change the bedding, replace the pups and mother??

Thanks in advance.

 

[JS974]

I change mine all the time and never have an issue, I try not to change the bedding on the day they've had the pups themselves when they are first time mums.

 

[Jay84]

I have never had any issues with cleaning my rats out after they have given birth.

I have even taken the mother and babies out of the big group tub and placed them in a smaller tub and i've not lost any.

 

[mathal]

Thanks all!! I'll give it a go.

 

[Jay84]

Rats are usually very good mothers.

 

[-Katana-]

I'd just be careful about putting your hand in a tub with a rat mother with pups.

Some are very protective and some will bite and trust me it hurts 100 times worse than a python bite.

 

[JAS101]

I'd just be careful about putting your hand in a tub with a rat mother with pups.

Some are very protective and some will bite and trust me it hurts 100 times worse than a python bite.

sure duz , that why i now wear a thick welders glove [ same type as i use for the lace monitor] . as i have had a rat bite through a leather riggers glove .

 

[phantomreptiles]

I have only ever had one female bite, she was culled......

 

[bowdnboy]

There pretty resilient little suckers..lol

my kidds are always taking pinkies out and nursing them (no matter how many times Ive told them not too), and the mothers take them straight back when put back in.

if youve got only 1 or 2 mums to be in a tub, (depending on the size of course), they should only need to be cleaned once a week anyway. U should be able to time it so that you have fresh bedding in their when she has them, allowing at least a few days after birth before the next clean.
Ive found that over time and breeding out the biters, now mine rarely bite. Although my 8 yr old recently showed me on her finger that there is always an exception to the rule lol.

 

[kr0nick]

I change my bedding either 1-2 days and I have changed the bedding on the days the pups were born. The only thing is watch that no pups are still attached to the after birth

 

[JAS101]

I have only ever had one female bite, she was culled......

yeah this one rat was dispatched of straight after it happend and her babys were put into the other tubs with mothers with no issues.

 

[solar 17]

Well l have a slightly different take, over the years l have found those "over protective" mothers to be great mums, l just give them a bit more repect and work with and around them...
....solar 17 (baden) :shock:

 

[-Katana-]

Well l have a slightly different take, over the years l have found those "over protective" mothers to be great mums, l just give them a bit more repect and work with and around them...
....solar 17 (baden) :shock:

I'm the same, Baden.
Some of my best producers are the biters. So long as she keeps producing and brings good sized litters to weaning then I'll keep her alive.

Production outweighs temperament issues any day.

 

[goyathlay2]

I change our bedding quite regularly and i have had no problems they are pretty hardy and very good mums

 

[Rattler]

Is it ok to remove the mother, gently pick up the pups, change the bedding, replace the pups and mother??

Sure it is. They just re-nest soon enough and i am sure they enjoy the clean conditions.

 

[kr0nick]

Sure it is. They just re-nest soon enough and i am sure they enjoy the clean conditions.

Lol definate mate when ever I clean mine and refeed after work they are always happier by nightfall, I took my mother rats babies away 2 weeks after their eyes opened to see if they were weened and she was in the worst sooking mood I have seen lol and as soon as I put her babies back with her she was fine.
Sorry for the hijack does anyone know when rats can be weaned from their mother.

 

[Aussie-Pride]

Lol definate mate when ever I clean mine and refeed after work they are always happier by nightfall, I took my mother rats babies away 2 weeks after their eyes opened to see if they were weened and she was in the worst sooking mood I have seen lol and as soon as I put her babies back with her she was fine.
Sorry for the hijack does anyone know when rats can be weaned from their mother.

If you mean taken from the mother once there weaned it's around 4 weeks.

 

[kr0nick]

Hey thanks aussie just what I was after
But they can all drink freely and eat by themselves so I thought A few weeks should be alright :S

 

[Aussie-Pride]

Hey thanks aussie just what I was after
But they can all drink freely and eat by themselves so I thought A few weeks should be alright :S

No worries, if there eating and drinking they should be fine.

 

[wokka]

If you mean taken from the mother once there weaned it's around 4 weeks.

It is closer to 3 weeks as if the male is left with the mother she will get pregnant straight away and give birth in 22 day, so the first litter have to be independant so as not to take food from the new second letter.