[janjiie]

I have a two week old litter who have just opened their eyes. they are not yet eating solids mum still feeding them.

THe nanny doe who has been with mumma all the time just had four very small babies. I have checked and they do seem to have milk in their tummies but she doesnt seem to pay much attention to them and still looks out for the older ones.

Yesterday I found one of the newbies out on its own very cold. It has survived but as I say she seems to be still focussed on the others.

I did try putting her in a box on her own but she seemed to get distressed and was stamping her feet. It also seems that the bigger babies help to keep the little ones warm when the mums are absent.

Should I leave them together? or will nature take over and the big ones get all the goodies to the detriment of the newbies?

don't know what to do!!

 

[Erica08]

Are there any of them that you are ready to cull in either litter? I think you may have to leave them all together and just hope for the best otherwise separating the moms may be to stressful.

 

[janjiie]

the new ones are a bit little for me to sex just yet. the older seven are all girls as I weeded them early so don't really have any others to cull just yet.

maybe they'll sort themselves out - suppose they would in the wild!!!

 

[moustress]

The doe with the older litter will probably allow the others to feed. I'd just leave things as they are; eityher that or you could remove the doe who birthed the younger pinkies if you think she might be liable to separate the bhabies from the other nest as you found with the one before.

 

[janjiie]

I tried a different plan and moved the older babies and their mother into a different box. It's a FOP with clear sides and small enough to fit inside the original house.

I did it just before bed last night and they seem to be quite settled by this morning. The older babies were feeding fine in a newly created nest and the new mum was sitting on hers and feeding them in their spacious old nest!

Hopefully because they can see hear and smell each other it's maybe not as distressing. At least they are all getting fed now!!

Once they are older no doubt they will all bunk together - unless there's any boys in the new lot!

Thanks for all the help you guys!

Jan

 

[janjiie]

HI folks - pics of these very tiny babies now one week old and doing fine - what a clever mummy!

and they are sooo well behaved sat still for me to take piccies!! (2 boys 2 girls)

 

[Toast]

They're adorable. Absolute cuties!

 

[moustress]

Ooh, itsybitsycutsie....*ahem* yes, very nice indeed, very nice indeed.