New Mating Diary!

[Holly]

Well hopefully anyway!

I know I love reading about other people's litters and I plan to do a diary on my website about my forthcoming (hopefully!) litter - I thought I'd post it here as well if no one objects - Gill and Teresa do you fancy doing the same for yours? We won't be able to post early pics here (forum rules) but we can discuss progress and post pictures later on. We can also ask questions of the more experienced breeders!

Tonight's the night for Smartie and Toblerone (I hope). Smartie has consistently stood every fourth night for the past 12 nights so I'm hopeful.

Smartie is a LH Satin BEC bred by Chocolate Hams (me and Will!). Her parents are our Caramel (Tristar) and Paws (Custard Hamstery). As Smartie has Cinnamon/REC on both sides of her ancestry I'm hoping she carries REC!

Smartie is a bit mischevious at times (bar chewing etc!) but she has a lovely temperament and, though she's still very young for a show Cream, she's won two 3rds in LH Satin out of her first three shows (and come well up the table in the one she wasn't placed in) which is wonderful! She's a good size (180g at five months) and should get bigger during and after her pregnancy!

Smartie:




(These are both when she was young - will edit with new pics tonight).

<Edit> Here's Smarts as she is now - infortunately I put too much olive oil on her wheel spindle yesterday so she's got a greasy mohican ):





Toby (Toblerone) is a LH Mink who comes from Bourne Valley, his parents were a REC LH and a Sable-Roan LH. He is one of the most laid back hamsters I've ever met (though he's recently discovered slightly obsessive wheel running ). Toby is also still pretty young and he's a good weight for a male (184g at nearly five months - though he was up to 190g before he discoverd the wheel). As he's a Mink he is shown in Non-Standard and he's been placed in all 3 of his shows so far - a 2nd, 3rd and 4th! We have high hopes for Tobes when he's a bit older!

Toby:





(Again these are baby pics really - will edit later)

<Edit: Updated with pics of the grown up Toby:








I'll update tonight if I think The Smarterones have been conceieved! As with all litters I can't be sure what colours we'll get - definitely BEC's and Sables, hopefully REC's and Minks, some Satin and all LH!

I hope everyone thinks this is a good idea and that Gill and Teresa will join in - hope I haven't chanced fate posting this

[Bunsey]

i think it's a great idea!! i'll post one when i've got a girlfriend for oscar and she's old enough etc.
we are going with a LH BEC. we've decided to have an all LH litter, rather than a SH carrying LH... mainly because mum wants all LH "cuddly teddies" as she calls them We would also consider a satin ourselves.

[Spuds Mum]

You can definitely count me in Julie - I will do a proper post of introducing Bronte & Grey-ham later this evening!

OOOO so excited to have another diary I loved the last one so so much!

[Holly]

Brilliant!

I'm so nervous about tonight - I don't know why, last time I had a male who wasn't even mine to keep safe, the lovely Paws! Smartie's been up since 3 pm going nuts on her wheel and trying to monkey bar the log bridges - I'm sure tonight is her night!!!!!!!!!!!

[Basia]

Me too
I plan to mate my home-bred, Hedgehog lines, (apparently satin) LH sable, Truffle with Balou, LH Cream from Tristar.
When and if she 'stands'

[Matty Day]

you can count me in to although i might be tempted to start a new one considering it will be the forums first Chinese mating diary

[Mollz]

Ohh yay - can't wait to hear how everything goes and hopefully hear about a baby that will hopefully be mine. Let's hope you end up with enough little boys!
You can guarantee that I will be glued to this thread and of course the other breeding diaries.
Good luck with the mating and let us know how it goes. I hope they get along and Tobes is ok (I'm sure everything will be fine ).

[Bunsey]

good luck with the mating! i can't wait to hear how it went! i'd be worried if i had a female that didn't stand, like Hannah doesn't. she stinks 3 nights out of 4, so maybe the night she deosn't stink she's in heat! I hope the girl i want to mate stands easily for me!

[souffle]

Dear Smartie,
This is all getting to much for you poor old dad. I am too young to be a grandad to 40 babies. Luckily you have your mother close at hand to advise. Yet again your husband to be has not asked for your fair paw in marriage. These modern hamsters have no respect. Still at least you told me Smartie unlike that hussy of a sister of yours Brontosarous. Enjoy yourself but don't forget your father warned you.
Your loving father
Paws

[Spuds Mum]

Message from a repentant Bronte to Paws

Aww Daaad! don't blame me, blame Mum for making us all independent modern girls! Anyway, I have sent you a photo of us at the altar - we got married at the Church of the Modern Day Gabber, and look how serious we were when we took our vows!



Hope you can see what a nice boy he is, and love you loads!
Always your girl,
Bronte xx

Message to Smartie from Bronte



Hey sis! I hear you are going to tie the knot tonight, so just wishing you well! Getting married is fantastic and me and my man had a fantastic night! some of the photos I can't show you, but here is me with my new man, look how he is whispering sweet nothings in my ear! I feel a bit different now, and think I may be expecting, how exciting if we had our families at the same time! And I hear Poly has decided to settle down too, and is looking for the right woman - aren't we all 'growed up'!



Hope your night goes as well as mine did on Friday! I'm sure it will, I hear your new man Toby is a bit of a babe!
cogratulations and Luv ya!
Bronte x x