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Old 09-11-2005, 05:23 PM   #1
gill
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Default how do we do "The big separation"

I need to begin to separate our Syrian babies. What is the empty tumbler test? Will Mum be upset? So many questions!

They are 21 days old. They appear to be changing colour too. Is that usual?

They were grey, but seem to be getting more brown.
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Old 09-12-2005, 04:25 AM   #2
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Hi Gill so many questions

Their colours will continue to develop for many weeks to come so don't worry about that - it is fun to see how small patches of white for example seem to grow and spread and creamy areas turn ginger and copper for example...

The empty tumbler test really isnt necessary with Syrians, this is more for sexing Roborovski dwarf hamsters. You can happily pick up Syrian babies and see what sex they are. As it is the first time you have done this see if you can hold two up at once or get someone to help you. Hold both up and look at their genitalia side by side. All those that look the same put together in another cage. You should hopefully end up with two groups...

Okay so you end up with three, some are undecided, that is fine at 21 days old.

Of the two groups that look the same can you now focus on the spacings of the holes and see those where there is a small gap between the anus and front bump pee hole Those are your boys. Put the undecided ones in with the boys for now. As girls mature at 4 weeks and boys at 5 you still have plenty time to seperate them out. Now everyday you should be playing with these newly weaned babies, twice if you can manage it. Recheck the genitalia every day and eventually by day 28 you should have only 2 definite groups left hopefully.

Are you removing the babies all at once or leaving one group with mum. Either one complete sex group or the stragglers?

There is no right or wrong decision. You need to do what you feel is best for the babies. If you think some will benfit from some more time with mum, leave them in till they are 28 days old and then move them out to the split sex groups. Don't worry they wont fight even though they have been apart for a few days (well not too much) you will start to see lot of wrestling going on amongst the pups.

Mum will be happy if you remove them all at once don't worry about that, but she will also cope with them in with her for few more days (up to 28 safely).
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Old 09-17-2005, 12:52 AM   #3
gill
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Well. I tried to separate them and then panicked and decided I had got them all wrong, and put them back! Dismal failure! It seemed so sad when they all look so happy curled up together! Also, some of them are still suckling even though it is now day 27 .



However. Today is the day. I guess I can't mess about any more, or I am in danger of some more of the little beauties, and as gorgeous as they are, I don't think I want a colony.

Can any of them be put in a cage alone yet? I have some homes, and new hamster foster parents waiting. When can they go to their new owners?
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Old 09-17-2005, 01:44 AM   #4
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Hi gill don't panic if you arent sure on one put it in with the males that way you only end up with one pregnant one instead of every female. Once mine are seperated into same sex groups I resex them once a day to be sure.

Syrians I myself tend to keep till about 6-8 weeks then they get rehomed.
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Old 09-17-2005, 06:56 AM   #5
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Thanks for the support. All three cages now ready and waiting. Here goes!!
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Old 09-17-2005, 12:26 PM   #6
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Oh Gill good luck. They may look like they are suckling but it is purely for comfort, they can get all the nutrients they need from solid food and fresh vegetables now. Sex them, re-sex them, and then re-sex them some more - all that handling will have the added avdantage of being good for them - helps them get used to human touch. You want to keep them for at least a week now to make sure they are all eating and drinking happily, before letting them go to thier new forver homes. Try to handle them all at least once per day until then.
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Old 09-17-2005, 03:11 PM   #7
gill
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Thankyou. All your advice has been a terrific help.

JOB DONE!

I now have 7 boys and 3 girls. I will keep an eye on them and check and re-check throughout the week. Two of them have owners waiting for them but I have suggested they let me have their cages, and keep them here until I am sure they are doing well.



The pet shop have been in touch a couple of times to offer the loan of cages if necessary, so I will make the most of them over the next week or so, untill they embark on their new lives. I am going to miss them when they go. This has been a fascinating experience. I would love to post pictures but my computer skills are limited
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Old 09-17-2005, 06:43 PM   #8
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Great stuff gill glad you managed to do it. Have fun playing with them all over the coming days/weeks. Give it at least a week until you let them go on to their new forever homes.

If you want to post pictures you need to have them on the internet - many free hosting sites exist - I use Photobucket. It is quite quick and easy thankfully. Once your pictures are uploaded, there is a button that says, 'generate html and img codes'. If you push that, you get three boxes under your photos, url/tag/img. Select the writing in the IMG box, making sure you go all the way across, when all is highlighted, right click the mouse button and scroll to copy. Come back to Hamster Central and press CTRL V in a new reply, change the IMG on both ends of the link to img (lower case). And voila! Hope this helps
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