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- May 17, 2017
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I have 2 females. One gave birth 3 weeks 2 days ago. She was with her mother for 2 months before we got her.
The second gave birth early this morning. She was 3 or 4 weeks when we got her about a month later (begining if October) and was virtually raised by the first. It was fun watching her teach hunting lessons.
Now my problem. Mother 2 won't lay long for her 5 newborns to eat. She will lick them, they have eaten from her, all 5 seem very active (even more so then the first litter). Mother 1 is being a terrific mother to her litter and seems to want to help care for the new ones as well. I have seen her lick litter 2 and seen Mother 2 lick and allow litter 1 to nurse. I believe Mother 1 has let litter 2 nurse but I haven't seen that.
I didn't realize Mother 2 was to full term or I would have separated them before labor. I have now put Mother 2 in a large dog crate with a small litter box, food, water and a warming pad to lay on with the babies.
I hadn't seen signs of stress or anxiety from either mother before locking her up but even though I showed Mother 1 that all her litter was still with her and picked litter 2 up as a group with the cloth they had been on all day both mother's are now showing signs of anxiety.
Mother 2 was kept away from first group for 1 week after delivery but has been free to spend time with them since.
How should I proceed? I have reminders in my calendar to fix them but first I have to help these new babies survive.
As a side note what should I offer to litter 1 as solids and when? Today mamas got wet food, scrambled eggs with canned fish (people food prepared just for them no salt or pepper) and they have free access to dry food and water.
The second gave birth early this morning. She was 3 or 4 weeks when we got her about a month later (begining if October) and was virtually raised by the first. It was fun watching her teach hunting lessons.
Now my problem. Mother 2 won't lay long for her 5 newborns to eat. She will lick them, they have eaten from her, all 5 seem very active (even more so then the first litter). Mother 1 is being a terrific mother to her litter and seems to want to help care for the new ones as well. I have seen her lick litter 2 and seen Mother 2 lick and allow litter 1 to nurse. I believe Mother 1 has let litter 2 nurse but I haven't seen that.
I didn't realize Mother 2 was to full term or I would have separated them before labor. I have now put Mother 2 in a large dog crate with a small litter box, food, water and a warming pad to lay on with the babies.
I hadn't seen signs of stress or anxiety from either mother before locking her up but even though I showed Mother 1 that all her litter was still with her and picked litter 2 up as a group with the cloth they had been on all day both mother's are now showing signs of anxiety.
Mother 2 was kept away from first group for 1 week after delivery but has been free to spend time with them since.
How should I proceed? I have reminders in my calendar to fix them but first I have to help these new babies survive.
As a side note what should I offer to litter 1 as solids and when? Today mamas got wet food, scrambled eggs with canned fish (people food prepared just for them no salt or pepper) and they have free access to dry food and water.