Raising Rats Timeline

Below you'll find our girls and our boys. Ranging in age from 2 months of age to 2 years old, this mischief lives in lavish Midwest Double Critter Nation cages with all the goodies a rat could ask for. (Girls and Boys have a separate cage)

With plenty of space to play, hide and raise babies, the female colony helps each other take care of babies and teach them everything there is to know about living in a colony. 

Here's what we do to make it as easy as possible on mom and babies!

• 4 days before due date, mom is moved to a nursery cage where she'll prepare her nest and deliver her babies.

• After the babies are born, I will check on them and make sure everyone is counted and checked on. First time moms can get a little crazy with the cleaning of newborns and can unintentionally injure them.

• At 1 week old, babies are weighted, examined, sexed and noted in our records for the moms.

• At 2 week old, babies and mamas are moved from nursery cages into the main colony cage on the top level. This level has been separated from the bottom and allows moms to raise babies with little to no interference of the other females in the colony.

• At 3 weeks old, the ramp between levels is opened and the other girls are allowed to interact with moms and babies. From this point until they are 5 weeks old, the rat pups learn all about living in a colony. The aunties teach them manners, what the hierarchy means, when play time has gotten to rough and much more.

• At 4 weeks old, individual photos are taken and posted on our available rats page and we begin taking payments for babies..

• At 5 weeks old, male rat pups are now moved to the big boys cage. Here the older males will teach the little ones all about what it's like living in an all male colony. Uncles will show them the rules, discipline them when needed and teach them to use the litter box (this makes cleaning the boys cage so much easier)

• At 6 weeks old, Those that have been sold are placed in a separate area and labeled with the buyers information.

• At 7 weeks old, personalities begin to show more and you quickly learn who will be the trouble makers of the group

• At 8 weeks old, babies are now ready to go to their new homes. Any buyer that has completed our purchase timeline (full payment, signed agreement and appointment for pick up) will now be able to come at their scheduled pick up time and get their new babies.

• By the time the rat pups are 8 weeks old and ready to go to their new homes, they are well socialized, curious, loving, litter box trained and, like most animals, food driven. Snack time is their favorite time!