Rosegold threw her litter! She and Royal were both curled up all snug in the nest with them. I lured them out with a treat so I could count the tiny darlings there are eight very nicely developed wigglers with good skin color (not too red- a sign of prematurity) with full milk bellies. I didn't look too extensively, first time moms can be unpredictable, so I don't know about eh eye colors yet. I'm pretty sure Rosegold doesn't carry red eyes, but I will be thrilled if a couple of them are red-eyed.
I also took note of Diamond Stud, a PEW caracul satin buck, has done his work, and April, his standard chinchilla tri mate, is showing. Diamond is over two years old, and is a direct descendant of Pudge, the satin buck I got out of a feeder bin that was the founder of my current satin lines. He wasn't much to look at, but he had all the qualities I want in a stud: good health, sweet disposition, decent size, clean ears and nice eyes. Also, as far as his disposition goes, he never fought with his boys, and I was able to put him back in the tank with his boys after he was bred, on two or three occassions.
I know some of you may not believe that males can be kept together in the same tank, but I have worked very hard to only breed bucks that lack that sort of aggression. Some of it probably just conditioning, i.e.the boys are housed with their father and learn to live without fighting and grow up to be like their dad, behaviorally at least. Pudge's male offspring are also very good fathers and mates in that they do not rough up the doe and try to mount when she's not ready, and they assist in caring for the babies. Part of my fascination with meeces is this kind of behavior, and I love to see mousie families getting along like Royal and Rosegold are with their babies. Rosegold may have a second litter in three weeks, but I've noted that my satin does often don't get pregnant until weeks after their first litter is born. My breeding does get extra dietary support, and two litters back to back is the limit. the buck is removed when she begins to show for the second batch.
I would caution folks to be careful trying to do as I have done; it takes years and a lot of extra attention to be able to affect these behaviors in the way I have done with my satins.