I know I have not posted any updates in a while, and I apologize for
that. Val and her litter are all doing well - they have just been
keeping me busy.
I have managed to get another video edited and online - of the babies
eating mush for the first time. I also have some new pictures up. To
see the video and pictures, visit:
http://danee.myphotoalbum.com/view_album.php?set_albumName=album43
Each album covers a different week in the babies' lives.
They have gotten quite big. They are now 4 1/2 weeks old, and their
eyes are starting to open. Boy #1 has both his eyes wide open, and
girl #5 has one eye wide open. The rest just have their eyes starting
to open - it is like they are squinting. The 2 boys now weigh over 300
grams, and the girls all weigh around 250 grams. It looks like they
will all be either sable or sable points.
This is both a fun and a frustrating time for me. The babies are now
eating on their own, although they still nurse a lot. They are also
starting to play. They do not play as much with each other yet, but if
I pick one up, they immediately want to wrestle with my fingers. That
is the fun part.
The frustrating part is the mess they create. Momma Val is no longer
cleaning up after them (changing their diapers), and only a few of them
are finding the litter box with any regularity. And so, bedding often
has to be completely changed twice a day. Plus, they are growing fast
and eating a lot. What goes in must eventually come out, and so litter
pans are generally changed twice a day as well.
And, babies have this thing - they always want to get as far into the
corner or against the wall as possible. So, they will back up when they
go to poop, and keep backing up until they are practically doing a
headstand. It is funny to watch, but the result - when they are not in
a litter pan, is poop on the cage bars. Plus, there is poop on the cage
floor from the ones who do not get into the pan. Baby poop is like
cement - it dries, and then practically has to be sand blasted off.
So, once a day I am completely dismantling the cage, and trying to
clean the baby poop off. Just 1 litter of 6 keeps me pretty busy. I am
not sure how larger scale breeder manage with multiple litters at once.
Val would very much like to move her babies into larger quarters now,
and she constantly lets me know this. I have explained that before they
can move to a playpen, they need to get better at using the litter
box. But, very likely within the next week they will be moved into a
playpen. They are getting better at using the pan, and it is getting
cramped for space in the birthing cage.
They are a fairly quiet litter, which is good, because they can now
squeal quite loudly when they want to. Even though they are in a
different part of the house, they sometimes wake me up at night when
they get rowdy.
They are also starting to show personalities. Little girl #2 (she has
remained the smallest of the group) is a fusser. Every little thing
gets her squealing. Maybe this is to compensate for her smaller size.
Boy #1 is very laid back. Boy #3 is slightly smaller then his brother,
and he is a scraper. Girl #5 is a cuddler.
Each baby still gets weighed daily, and now that they are showing an
interest in playing, I also spend time with each one individually
playing. From day 1 I have handled them all daily, and they are all
used to being held and cuddled. It is interesting, when I first pick
one up, it will squeal. But, if I hold it next to my upper chest and
pet it, it will immediately settle down and cuddle in to me.
I do have some additional footage of the babies that I need to edit and
get online. I also have still more pictures to add, so check back from
time to time. I will try to get all this done, and be more timely with
the updates on the litter, as I know many of you have asked for them.
Danee DeVore
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For more information visit:
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[Posted in FML 6299]
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