[daisy]

i have 3 litters together, its the most mummies i've had in together so theres a huge mass of babies, they were all due about the same time, black tan x black tan born 15.11.08 then himi x chin the next day then silver tan satin x chin popped a little later on the 19th,

the big fat mummies ignored all their extra protein treats and ate all but 3 of the new black tan babies which is dissapointing but it means i dont have to take the other litters down so much as they are all sharing milk duty.

does anyone think my newest litter may suffer in a group as they are the youngest? it looks like i have some chin babies and they are MASSIVE FAT CHUNKS!! oh and the feet on the black tans are looking promising, but size, not so much

 

[Cait]

They should be ok as long as you don't leave too many babies for the does to cope with. If it were me I'd take it down to about 10 babies between them, absolute maximum of 12 but preferably less. Up to you of course!

 

[ian]

I have a group of three does all nursing together. I reduced the litter down to 15, which I thought was quite low as each had about 10 babies. However they aren't my biggest babies so I wish I had reduced down further earlier on.

I always worry that later litters wont cope with the competition from older babies (but if the litters are reduced appropriately) I haven't noticed any problems in the nest and it seems to have had no effect on adult sizes.

 

[daisy]

thanks guys, well my sister was over last night so went home with some snake snacks, i think mums will cope better now and also reduces bucks down, unfortunately it looks like all 3 of the black tans were bucks so have kept in the biggest 2 as the feet look good.

i also have 2 other litters on the go at the moment so a really full house! an agouti carrying broken from sarah (dawson) has had only 3 pups but im happy as 2 are marked lovely, but of course the 2 marked are bucks and the one self/tan is a doe! why!!! :lol:

daisy x

 

[daisy]

in fact i might pop a few of the 3 litters litter over to the aguoti broken as she only has 3, that could work out nicely

 

[dangermouse]

congrats

 

[Ruthy]

Lovely Babies!