Ready to divide the babies but mom hasnt stopped nursing? HELP

[sugarfoxx]

Well tomorrow when my rat expert friend comes over to help me identify the male and female rats ( I think I guess right but MUST BE SURE I AM CORRECT!) I am going to put the boys in their brand new cage. They will be 5 weeks Tuesday so its time. Thing is.......momma rat hasnt stopped nursing.  I figure she might nurse till they are a little older and as long as they are there with her shie will continue? Not sure about this since it is my first litter and a surprise litter at that! Anyhow........is it OK that  they are still nursing? They are all eating and drinking water on their own and have been since they were younger than weeks .
I am so worried and hope this is the right thing to do........please advise  ASAP
Thanks!

~Sandy

[nick_wilson123]

Someone correct me if im wrong but the babies should have stopped nursing a while ago at least mine did.

[sugarfoxx]

Thats what I thought too!

My friend told me that those little fuzzlets will nurse as long as momma lets them.  She also said I can take her out for a few days for her milk to dry up and the babie have no choice but to stop nursing.  I know there is nothing i can do to stop i t........thats up to Oreo to stop.......or is it?

I notice she nurses them early morning at night and during the day.......I dont know what to ii

[Marybelle]

Some kittens will nurse as long as mom lets them.  And some moms will let their kittens nurse longer.  You definitely want to seperate them out, or you'll be looking at more unplanned babies.  

[DebW]

Take the boys out.  They'll be just fine and Mom will probably be relieved.  Leave the girls with the mom so it's not such a shock to Mom's system to lose them all at once.

At 5 weeks, the boys could decide to start a family of their own if not moved.

[LittlePixie]

You'll be right, take them out.

My fuzzlets were all still nursing at 4 and a 1/2 weeks when I separated them from their mother. They all managed.

[sugarfoxx]

The boys are moving out today

I feel soooooooooo guilty but I dont want more babies ESPECIALLY a rattie sooooo young OR poor Oreo that just had a litter. That would be AWFUL!

Like I said I rescued them not knowing they were pregnant and told if they were the store would take all the babies back from me. Oh thats so nice of them!  
Yeah uh huh.........for FEEDERS!  NO THANKS!

I also had a teacher from my sons 7th grade science class contact me about the rats. I told her she had to take two of the same sex.
First she said NO......she wanted to breed and thought that would make an interesting PROJECT!  WHAAAT?  Contrubuting to an already overpopulated rat society? Just to NOT KNOW what to do with the babies?
She said that some of the kids said they would be allowed to have a baby once they grew up.  NO THANKS.
No to me that is NOT giving them a happy home.
she said OK how about if she takes two of the same sex and at the end of the school year if the kids arent allowed to keep them I take them back.

NO WAY LADY!  If thats the case I will keep them ALL!

So.......I am trying to be a responsible rat owner by finding good homes for them all.  Like I said.......someone from Carolina rat rescue is going to take as many of them as I want her to take. I am probably keeping 8 total out of two litters that total 22.......four of Oreos- two boys and two girls and four of Charlottes- 2 boys and 2 girls. I have one big 4 story cage ready for the boys and ordered another one for the girls that should be here soon. Till that time once I find out how many boys and girls I have total.....I will put them in a 30 gal tank and keep the girls in the nursery cage which is ok as long as they are babies but could only house about 4 adult rats comfortably.

I know one thing......if I change my mind I can for sure keep all 22 babies and have room for them.....I just need to make sure I can give them all the same amount of love that I have always given to the other rats...namely my males since I had 8 males to start with (till I lost my Furman and Patterson)

I need to stay out of pet stores. I cannot save the world and knowing there are rats there in a feeder tank KILLS MY HEART!

[zenith931]

I commend you on finding quality homes for them, I think that's really great of you.  And the rat rescue you're getting them from is just as great.  

You're a good rat mommy.    

And yes, stay away from the rat tanks when you go into a pet store.  I usually take a glance at them, but I have good self-restraint usually.  Stay away -- far away!

 

[PrairieFire]

Temp's kids are 4 weeks yesterday and I separated them today... reasons being I am moving next weekend when they would be 5 weeks and in the commotion I dont want to not have time to make sure the separation is going ok... that as well as the fact that they have been eating the solid food and drinking from the sippers for a week or more now... I took Temp out during the day for a few days and put her back with them at night... but she just doesnt seem interested in nursing anymore so she is back with her sisters in the Big Girls cage ;p

Good luck with it all... as long as they are eating on their own, go for it. Just keep an eye out for em.

[sugarfoxx]

Well......its done.........we divided the boys and girls up today (Oreos litter) there were 5 girls and 3 boys. Two girls are hooded (black hooded) and the rest are dark brown(or black) with  white bellies and white gloves and socks. They are soooooooo  cute and this is going to be hard to give them up.
The boys were obvious to identify.......well.......fairly obvious anyhow.....
Charlottes litter is next to identify but they are only 2.5 weeks old so we have a little bit of time.

Lots to do when your a mom to 22 beebies.....

[copperfieldmemory]

my girls nursed until they were 12 weeks not on purpose though i didnt know till i cought them one day then i seperated them for 2 weeks and they stopped

[PA_Ratopia]

i know in horses if allowed to, babies will 'comfort nurse' on momma past their weaning date. they may eat solid food and drink, but its a comfort behavior, like kids sucking their thumbs! prehaps you've seen baby ratties do this??? (Mine did!)