Why do I wait until 8 weeks or older to adopt out my babies?
Not all breeders will. Some will, some will home them younger.
Here is why I prefer to wait:
Baby rats typically begin to wean around three weeks old, when their eyes and ears open up, and they discover food and the world around them. As they begin to eat more solid food, they nurse from their mother less, however they're not typically fully weaned until about four to five weeks old.
It is important to their emotional and physical development to allow them to nurse until weaning takes place. This allows them to develop a stronger immune system, contributing to their overall health and well-being. Being with their mother longer also helps them develop crucial social skills and behaviours that they will need to effectively become part of their future mischief and get along with other rats. Early separation from their mother and litter mates can cause stress and even health issues, and should, in my opinion, be avoided. Rats should be encouraged to thrive, not just exist, and allowing them to wean properly contributes to this.
Early separation can lead to shyness or even aggression, as it limits their ability to learn social skills at a crucial time in their development. They need this time to learn to interact with other rats and know their place in the social hierarchy that all rat mischiefs employ. Allowing them to stay with their litter mates until 8 weeks also tends to reduce stress when rehoming, therefore it is of utmost importance when adopting young rats that they be homed in pairs or trios, as they MUST have same-aged company for their emotional well-being and social and behavioural development.
I believe it is of great importance to give young rats the best start in life that I can.
Therefore, I do not rehome any rats prior to 8 weeks of age, and sometimes older.
