Lots of litters planned

[Basia]

Souffle, did you have any problems with the babies getting caught in the shelf? Berry needs to be mated when we come back off holiday and she loves her shelf I was intending to take it out but I don't think she would like it. (I've got everything crossed for a LH sable roan like Chunky's brother).

[souffle]

The babies never had any problems at all. They soon learnt to climb the ladders and were always up there. We did consider the possability of feet falling through but as no one ever seemed to have any problems we put the shelf in. The only problem is you cant see the babies till they come out though you can sure hear them but maybe that is a good thing for the mums!! We do remove the wheel though as they all try and get on together and we dont want anyone getting stuck or tumbled over. They get a wheel when they are in individual cages or you can put one in with two babies sharing we find. Looking forward to Berry's babies Basia.

[Basia]

Thanks Souffle, it has been worrying me a bit. I thought it would be a nice big cover for her to hide her babies in but was a bit worried about the gaps. I don't mind waiting to see the babies. I am really hoping everything goes well, will be posting updates.

[Pouchy]

The Criceto Mix is available here on Ebay UK:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/GRANITE-CRICETO-D ... dZViewItem

[Basia]

I've seen that (or something very similar) for sale but it looked limited for where you could put toys because the ramp is sort of 'everywhere'.

[Holly]

Originally Posted by souffle

Mmmm not sure I like that one as it looks like it has golf tees on the ramp!!!! No-one in our 6 gabbers has ever chewed at the slots or caught a paw? What about yours Holly

I thought the same about the "golf tees"...but I do like the look of that cage for dwarf hams - I think ours would enjoy the ramp like that.

None of ours have ever had a problem with the slots - no injuries at all (so far, touch wood).

I've been worried about our babies with the shelf as well, Basia - however it worked for bailey and her litter and Caramel is very fond of her under-shelf bed (she makes very elaborate nests under it) so I think we'll leave it in.

When are you mating Berry, Basia? Caramel will hopefully be having her litter (Paws is to be daddy!) towards the end of September.

They should all be BEC - some SH, some LH, hopefully some satin .............. and, if we're really lucky, LH satin

[Basia]

Originally Posted by Holly

I've been worried about our babies with the shelf as well, Basia - however it worked for bailey and her litter and Caramel is very fond of her under-shelf bed (she makes very elaborate nests under it) so I think we'll leave it in.

When are you mating Berry, Basia? Caramel will hopefully be having her litter (Paws is to be daddy!) towards the end of September.

They should all be BEC - some SH, some LH, hopefully some satin .............. and, if we're really lucky, LH satin

I am going to mate her at the beginning of September. She will be 5 months old then and she is plenty big enough! I am very excited about it now it is getting close. Chunky's mother was a SH sable roan, his father LH BEC. Berry's mother was SH cream roan and her father was LH cream satin so their breeder said I could get a nice assortment of babies. I would really like a sable roan but will be happy with a live litter and hopefully one I may be able to take to a show.

[Holly]

Originally Posted by Basia

I am going to mate her at the beginning of September. She will be 5 months old then and she is plenty big enough! I am very excited about it now it is getting close. Chunky's mother was a SH sable roan, his father LH BEC. Berry's mother was SH cream roan and her father was LH cream satin so their breeder said I could get a nice assortment of babies. I would really like a sable roan but will be happy with a live litter and hopefully one I may be able to take to a show.

It is pretty exciting, isn't it. We may be having our litters very close to one another - Paws is coming to stay with us on 9th September (Rotherham show day) and we'd like to mate them as soon as he's settled in (so we can get him back home ASAP). It is fortunately extremely easy to spot when Caramel is in season so we'll go ahead as soon as we can.

I think we are about ready. We have 3 spare Gabber cages plus a wire cage, I have spoken to our vet and have all emergency contact numbers needed - and we have definite homes for three of the babies already (we'll keep one, souffle/pophammy will have one and an experienced hamster owner I work with whose hammy died recently is also having one)...plus another two possibles (a friend of ours and a friend of souffle's). We may keep two, though I'm very aware that we already have six hamsters and I don't want to have too many to give them all lots of individual attention - we'll see how it goes.

Apologies Pouchy for taking over your thread (perhaps this would be better split).

[Basia]

Yes - sorry Pouchy

It will be fun having babies at pretty much the same time, if all goes well. We can compare notes.
I have a couple of rody's and wire cages put by. If I have to I will keep all my babies but like you, I already have 5 and I like to give them a lot of attention.
I was lucky with the rabbits as a lot of my 'extras' went to other breeders in the fancy. I also used to advertise them locally and vet people who came to look at them and would always take them back at any time if their owners didn't want them any more. Think this is what I will try with the hamsters.

[Spuds Mum]

Sorry Pouchy too, but you have me all excited Holly and Basia. The Rotherham show is where i am collecting my new LH Satin Cream and the plan is to mate him to my LH sable roan - so with all your talk of roan babies it got me thinking about mine. I have some adorable mink SH at the moment, and I guess they will keep me going until the next litter :P :P