How old are my new hairless rats? Help me estimate their age!

Hi there, Those babies are very cute. In the future, I would recommend breeding your female rats at 4-5 months of age when they are a bit older and have matured more to better carry the pregnancy. Good planning can also prevent accidental incestuous breeding. Rodents are prolific breeders and everyone makes mistakes. I wouldn't feel too badly, just learn from it and move forward. Here is a link for more information on rodent breeding: https://www.petcoach.co/article/rat-reproduction-mating-gestation-birthing-and-growth/#:~:text=The%20Rat%20Mating%20Process,the%20female%20is%20in%20heat. I hope this is helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach. Have a good afternoon.

I am not able to tell from the picture how old your puppy is. The best way to get an accurate age estimate is to have a veterinarian evaluate the puppy. If the puppy’s teeth have erupted then he is at least 6 weeks old. It would also be helpful to know his breed, how much he weighs now, and how big the parents were. I hope this helps. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Best of luck.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Your new pets are so precious! Female rats do tend to be a little smaller than males, but I agree that your girls are a little bit thin. I’m not sure how old they are, as juveniles can be a little smaller. I recommend making sure they have plenty of pelleted food formulated for rats and plenty of water. There are many supplements available in pet stores for rats and mice, some of which can be added to the water or food as well as separate gel type diets. In my experience, rats tend to love Cheerios as treats. You should also keep an eye on their stool to make sure it is consistently formed. I hope this helps!

I would evaluate her teeth to determine if she is older than 6 months, at this point they should have all of their adult teeth in. Your veterinarian should be able to estimate her age for you. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Not easy at all! Please post some pictures of him and we will try to figure it out. Generally speaking general size and weight, teeth development, and coat can give you some ideas of the age. Please do not hesitate to contact us again on the forum or by requesting a consultation if you have any more questions or to discuss it any further.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Young rats tend to be very playful and active, so they may be more wriggly while being picked up. I recommend moving slowly while trying to socialize your rats - first letting them get used to your hand being in the cage, then giving them treats, and then trying to pick them up for short periods of time. If you believe that your rats do not want to be picked up because they are painful, I recommend having them seen by a vet. I hope this helps and that all is well!

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! This may be a benign or malignant growth. This could even be an infection. This cannot be completely assessed just by looking at pictures and usually requires sampling such as fine needle aspiration to determine its origin. Sometimes a biopsy is needed for a definitive diagnosis. I recommend that you have her evaluated by your veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. I am really hoping for something benign. Good luck and have a good day!