Babies at 4 weeks and one day-mom has not even tried to ween them.

[Kida_and_Genkai]

My babies are over 4 weeks old and the mom has not yet tried to ween them. She's got ten babies. Are they just overpowering her or is she not trying to ween? Could my babies possibly live away from their mom now? If not, how long before they should be back in the cage with mom?

[lilspaz68]

Have you given the babies lots of baby-friendly food to try/eat?  Baby cereal is always good, baby food...small cereals...they will nibble on lab blocks soon if not yet.  Peas and corn should be a favourite by now...hahaha.

They can live away from Mom now but if they don't have to its better that they stay with her, and the boys have to be separated from the girls before 5 weeks old, so pretty soon they will be living away from her anyways.

Your momma will be feeding them less by now but you can help her by giving her lots of out time away from the babies.  My momma has a ladder/bridge that I have attached between shelves and she lies on it and sleeps 'cuz the babies can't nurse from her there.   

[Kida_and_Genkai]

Thanks! I've been giving the babies normal oats that you'd use to make oatmeal, that's fine for them, right? They do seem to enjoy it a lot. Mom enjoys it too.

[DolciLady]

They should start off with liquids and semi-liquids.  I'm wondering if the oats aren't too tough for them to eat very well?   Soy milk or very thin baby cereal would work well.

[lilspaz68]

I would make them oatmeal or even just buy baby cereal and make it soupy at first.  Try them with thawed frozen peas and/or corn...those always go over really well.  Start liquidy and they will work their way to the solids in the food bowl that mom eats.  Their jaw muscles have to strengthen before they can tackle the hard stuff.
Give them your unsugary cereals...like the ones in Suebee's mix.

[Kida_and_Genkai]

My babies are already eating the rat food that I have in for the mama. They seem to be okay with this food and are eating it a lot. The oats are soft;not the crunchy ones right from the plant.

[OldsGal]

My bubs will be 4 weeks on Tuesday and I am going through the same thing.  Momma has really not tried much to ween them.  She even has a spot to get a way from them and doesn't even try.  I am sure though that when she is ready she will start pushing them away.  They eat a lot of solid food too including baby cereal and Suebees mix.

[flyingduster]

the bubs will keep drinking off mum, and she'll keep letting them for quite some time if left! The boys *must* be seperated by 5 weeks though, even though they will still be stealing feeds off mum at tha age!

[scout]

As long as you separate the boys by 5 weeks, and as long as the mother is in good health, it's fine to let her wean them on her own. It's good that they're eating her food now. You just want to make sure there is plenty of food for them. Babies eat a surprising amount of food!