Hi, All, I have 2 litters this Spring, both born May 4th. Genetically, they are similar crosses, sharing so many ancestors that I'll have to treat them as siblings next breeding season, but w/ all these shared grandparents and g'grandparents, it is amazing how different they are in development and behavior. Litter #1- Two babies born to Dusty and Peanut. Dusty is a Silver Panda (DEW, now) and this is her 4th litter. Peanut is a Cinnamon/Champaign who just turned a year old. The babies appear to be a Cinnamon boy and a Blaze girl. Litter #2- Ten babies born to Nosey and Bigfoot. Nosey is a 2 yr old Sable, and Bigfoot a Cinnamon Blaze yearling. Most of the babies are male- 2 sables, 6 blazes, and either 4 cinnamons or 2 cinn and 2 chocolates (that may sound like 12 kits, but 2 of the light colored ones are also blazes). Each father is son to the opposite mother, and the mothers share a grandmother. It isn't much in-breeding at this generation (about 1/16 consanguinity), but I'll need out-crosses next time around. So, why are the kits so different? Litter #1 hasn't opened their eyes, and never leave the box. Litter #2 has about 1/2 their eyes open, and were crawling thru the 1" holes in the cage over a week ago. The 2 babies in litter #1 are significantly larger than those in #2, and aren't interested in supplemental milk. Litter #2 sprints for the cage door when I bring milk, and gnaw at their mother's dry food. OK! The cause is obvious- aboundant food for #1, scarce food for #2. Both litters are very (knockonwood) healthy. Since it has always been an option to move a few from mother #2 to #1 I've keep a close eye on their development, and started providing extra food as soon as they would take it from a saucer. Dusty had a litter of 4 last year that out grew all the other kits, so I expected large babies in litter #1. But, I expected them to walk and open their eyes about the same time as #2. Anyone had a similar situation? I'm starting to think of #1 as pampered and naive, as well as sedentary. And #2 as aggressive, street-wise and potential gang wannabies. Can anyone recomment a good daycare? 8^) Paul [Posted in FML issue 1950]