In recent years, germ-free rats and mice have received extensive attention and application in the field of biomedical research, particularly in gut microbiota studies. The demand for germ-free rodents has been increasing, requiring many research institutions to establish quality germ-free animal populations. The process of breeding first-generation germ-free animals involves highly specialized and technically challenging work, such as using artificial rearing techniques to feed rodent pups. This review article provides an overview of key aspects of artificial rearing techniques, including nursing method, preparation of artificial milk, and sterilization method. It retrospectively summarizes the key technical points and, based on this foundation, offers prospects for further applications of artificial rearing techniques.