A14-16

[RDZCRanch]

Well, a couple days ago on the 22nd, I had another litter born! This time, the litter was from Ophelia(**** beige) and she was bred to Etcetera. This is Ophelia's first litter and since she is an absolute doll, I was really worried. While she was pregnant, she kept walking up to my hand and resting her belly on my hand. When she's not pregnant, she usually walks up to my hand and holds it while I give her belly rubs and she was just absolutely miserable being pregnant. I did a new thing this year and paired up "virgin" mothers so they could help raise each other's kits. Ophelia is in with Toffee Nut who had A8 on the 19th and he has been nursing on both of them which made Ophelia's milk come in earlier. Thank goodness it did!

A14-Emilia beige female
A15-Celia beige female
A16-ibid beige male

ibid is a tiny little thing. He weighed in at 31g when I found him and just terrifies me with how small he feels and looks. Thankfully, he is now at 33g and will hopefully continue gaining! Anytime I go in there, each mom has two babies nursing and all the babies have fat little tummies! Keeping my fingers crossed that A16 continues thriving!

 

[RDZCRanch]

A17 and A18 were just born to Clotho(violet) and Wilcox(white violet). Two violet males...we're having a tough time with this birth will update soon.

 

[lauralynne]

Congrats! Hope the violets are ok!

 

[VolunteerChin22]

What's the update on the violets?? Congrats on everyone else!!

 

[Ash]

Good luck with Ibid and the violets, Tab.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Well...when I was typing earlier it was a little hectic. I went to check on all the pregnant females to make sure no one was having babies and I saw Clotho have a very large contraction. I immediately pulled her male out of the cage because I recognized the signs that she was having a difficult labor. After a couple minutes, I saw something sticking out and reached over to feel...two back feet and a tail. A17 just felt completely lifeless and dead as I helped her get him out. I pulled him out of the cage to dry him and he twitched, so I rubbed and stimulated him until he squeaked. His back feet were horribly bruised, there was a large open wound on the inside of his leg from mom tugging on him and bruises all over his belly. He started gasping and showing signs of shock. I fixed his wounds to the best of my ability and that seemed to lessen his pain enough that he didn't go into shock. I put him back and mom promptly bit off the tip of his tail and began biting at his umbilical cord remnants and his stomach very hard. I took him away again and watched her start contractions again.

I felt her stomach and sure enough, there was another baby inside. At this point, A17 was getting cold and I had grabbed my chinchilla heating pad and stuck it under the front of the cage. I put A17 back in the front of the cage where he could stay warm. Mom had contractions and thankfully, A18 was not breech and came out very swiftly. Unfortunately, both babies were not done cooking...mom littered about a week early. A18 had a lot of fluid in his lungs and after a couple baby swings he sounded better. I put them back with mom and both were so weak they could barely drag themselves under her for warmth. I tried hand feeding both to give them a small boost of energy, but neither would even attempt to swallow and for fear of aspirating them, I stopped. About two hours later...A17 passed away. A18 has gained some balance, but is still reluctant to open his eyes and his squeaks are fading. I don't think he'll make it through the night, but I've been attempting hand feeding with him again and again. He takes about a drop or two each time then screams and struggles to get away. I absolutely hate this side of breeding as these violet boys are out of my best violet female and I was very excited for them. The only thing keeping me from breaking down right now is concentrating on A18 and seeing ibid (A16) doing so well despite being three grams smaller than A18.

 

[annm13339]

aww im so sorry I hope the last one pulls through for you. from hearing that I dont think i ever want to breed. I havent read or heard anything on breeding until now but i think ill stick to my little guy. I hope everything turns out ok for all the little ones!

 

[muzzyj]

Oh I'm so sorry Tab. A18 is in my prayers, as are the rest of your new babies. I really hope he pulls through for you.

 

[CJR]

That's a shame about A17, Tab... Both of those boys are beautiful. I hope A18 survives, if only for your sake.

I'm constantly amazed at how stunning your kits always seem to be.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

Poor little guys! Crossing fingers and paws!

 

[RDZCRanch]

A18 passed away this morning.

 

[muzzyj]

I'm so sorry to hear that

 

[lauralynne]

I'm very sorry to hear that.

 

[mishellyshel]

awww........that really stinks. so sorry. i hope mom is doing okay.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Clotho kept crying for the babies and trying to dig her way out of the cage to find them. I put her mate back in with her and he's been grooming her and calming her down. No more crying for now.

I'm not sure what to think about A16. I'm not sure that he will make it either now. He was gaining for the first couple days and now he's stopped at 33g and is not gaining anymore. He's holding steady, but for such a small guy I'd really like to see him gaining. He won't take supplement either but he is at least attempting to nurse at times.

 

[Ash]

Tab I'm sorry to hear about the boys I hope Clotho gets over this OK and that A16 starts gaining for you...

 

[Snickers]

Congrats on your new additions. I am also sorry for your loss. I hope A-16 makes it through. Keep us updated.

 

[6Dusters]

I'm very sorry for your loss Tabitha. Such beautiful little angels. ( sighs ) Sending love to little Ibid.

 

[RDZCRanch]

Some good news! A16 is gaining again, he is now up to 35g and being more persistent with finding mom's nipples and not letting his sisters push him off. There's no fighting between the kits, but the girls were definitely pushing him off the mothers' nipples. He hasn't figured out yet that there are two moms for him to nurse on, but the girls have that down so he's able to latch onto Ophelia without Emilia or Celia pushing him off now, because one or the other will be on Toffee with A8.