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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Nov 23, 2008 1:39:38 GMT -5
I know we should feed a variety of ages of prey to our ferrets, and as I am starting to breed rats and mice (or waiting...!), I am wondering how long I will need to keep the babies until they are considered adults.
Obviously there will be a size and nutritional difference between a 6 month old rat and a 2 year old rat.
How young is the soonest that mice and rats are considered "adults"?
Thanks guys!
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Post by Forum Administrator on Nov 23, 2008 1:48:26 GMT -5
I'll go by what is listed on the Rodentpro.com website. Here is the ages for the following "types" of mice according to Rodentpro: Extra small pinkies: 1 day of age. Having not formed their coat yet they are "pink" in color at this age. Small pinkies: 1 to 2 days of age. Having not formed their coat yet they are "pink" in color at this age. Large pinkies: 3 to 4 days of age. Having not formed their coat yet they are "pink" in color at this age. Peach fuzzies: 5 to 9 days of age. Just the right size when a pinky is too small and a fuzzy is too large. Has just started forming a coat of fur similar to that of the fuzz on a "peach". Fuzzies: 10 to 13 days of age. Has formed a full coat of fur. Eyes are not open yet. Hoppers: 14 to 18 days of age. Eyes are fully open. Starting to eat and drink on their own but too early to wean. Beginning to "hopp" around the cage like jumping beans at this age. Weanlings: 21 to 25 days of age. These mice are eating and drinking on their own. They have reached the stage when it is time to be "weaned" from their mother. Large Adults: 30 to 40 days of age. These mice have reached sexual maturity. Extra Large Adults: 5 to 6 months of age. These are retired breeder mice. These mice are almost twice the size of a young adult mouse. Perfect in every way but have reached the end of their peak producing ability. **Taken from: www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp?prod=3&label=frozen_miceYou can find the ages for rats listed on this link: www.rodentpro.com/catalog.asp?prod=2&label=frozen_rats
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Nov 23, 2008 2:35:44 GMT -5
Thanks Giuli. Rodent Pro says a small adult can be less than four weeks old! That seems crazy to me. By eight weeks old, a rat is considered a LARGE rat. I remember my pet rats growing MUCH larger after two months of age. But that must be why their rat sizes go to XXXL! Thanks!
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Post by fuzzymom on Dec 1, 2008 10:01:11 GMT -5
For some odd reason Rodent Pro and the reptile store up the street sell young feeders as adults. This is what I go by in mice.
Pinkies :
< 1 week old. No fur
Fuzzies: 1.5-2 weeks old. Getting fur, eyes open at 2 weeks.
Hoppers:
3 weeks old. Fully furred.
Weans:
3.5-4 weeks old. Eating solid food. Around 11-13g.
Small Adult:
6 weeks old. About 16-19g.
Medium Adult:
9-10 weeks old. About 20-25g.
Large Adult:
12+ weeks old. About 26+ g.
In my breeding colony, mice are considered breeding size adults when they reach 12 weeks old and 26g. They are not considered adults until 6 weeks of age.
For rats....
Pinky:
<1 week old. No fur.
Fuzzy:
1.5-2 weeks old. Fur developing, eyes open at 2-2.5 weeks.
Wean:
3.5-4 weeks old. Fully furred, eating solid foods. About 50-60g.
Small Adult:
6-12 weeks old. 90+g
Medium Adult:
13-15 weeks old.
Large Adult:
16+ weeks. <-- This is the breeding size of adult rats. I do not consider a rat a full adult until they reach 16 weeks old. Also, they must be at least 250g for as a breeding minimum.
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Post by animalsgetrevenge on Dec 1, 2008 11:30:52 GMT -5
Thanks for the information Fuzzymom!
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