Lots of litters planned - Page 3

**pophammy** · 08-25-2007, 02:00 PM

Yes, we didn't take any pics until the babies were wandering out the nest and Mum was distracted with food. Our first pics are of the babies at 11 days. I am sure your baby pics will be utterly gorgeous!!!

**Spuds Mum** · 08-26-2007, 01:19 PM

Well, though I love them dearly I can't say that any pink shrimps would win any beautiful baby competitions Pophammy! Much more fun when they are out and about, furry and cuddly. I guess I have been lucky in one way as we used bin cages for breeding and Arti, my partner has a really good camera so we could get some early photos without worrying the Mummies at all. The reason we used bin cages was because we had rotastak at the time and didn't think it was suitable to raise a litter at all! My brood have since been moved out into a variety of different cage set ups.
After listening to Souffles and Pophammy's advice we bought a couple of Gabber Rexes this weekend and am very impressed (at least I think they are Gabber Rexes, though they say Montagna on the front - but the set up is just the same. Thanks for the hint (wish I had it earlier - would have saved me a fortune!)

Holly · 08-26-2007, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spud's Mum

After listening to Souffles and Pophammy's advice we bought a couple of Gabber Rexes this weekend and am very impressed (at least I think they are Gabber Rexes, though they say Montagna on the front - but the set up is just the same. Thanks for the hint (wish I had it earlier - would have saved me a fortune!)

Yes they are Gabber Rexes - we noticed a while ago that one of our local petshops and an ebay seller had their Gabbers all labelled as "Montagnas"...no idea why, the other petshop I go to still has them as Gabbers!

Oh goody, another Gabber Rex convert - we've got Mocha and caramel in them and a spare for the babies plus a couple of Luxes that now house our separated winter whites (and a spare) and I shall get another Rex in time for the when the babies come. I think they are perfect for households with more than one hammy as, despite their large size, they are easy to keep on shelving units - as well as being a fab home for the hammy inside - and good for babies as well

Souffle and Pophammy should get comission....

**Spuds Mum** · 08-26-2007, 02:26 PM

As you said Holly, we have shelving units that we keep our guys on and the best thing about the Gabber Rexes is that they fit perfectly. Our Butterbean (LH cream) has now been placed in one as we have separated her from her litter (they are 4 weeks now) and she has really made herself at home. When the time comes to breed her again (after we get our LH cream satin and let him grow a little) we will certainly be happy to keep her in this.
The other one we bought is currently sitting empty

but will soon be filled up when we get our new little man at the Rotherham show

(that is unless I decide to put one of our other girls in it first and buy another!!)

Holly · 09-02-2007, 02:14 AM

I've started setting up our hamster room now

...I've got one lot of shelving up ....would anyone be interested in pics when it's done (as I'm interested in seeing pics of anyone else's!)?

Basia · 09-02-2007, 02:45 AM

I've got a shelving uinit set up in our little bedroom with 4 of the 5 hamster on it. I could put all 5 but Fuzzy is just such a hussy and she would have to be next to Chunky and I don't think it would be fair on them.
Basil and Sid have always been next to each other so they are fine.
Berry is on the bottom and as you say the Gabber Rex is great because it fits in the shelf with no adaptions. If they were all in Gabbers I wouldn't have to have any sharing a shelf.
Now we are back from holiday I plan to mate Berry soon. It would be fun to have a diary thread for the upcoming matings and hopefully the babies we get. So far since I came home Berry is very pleased to see me but we've had no tail uppies! I fear for Chunky though because she is getting very big now, although he is no lightweight she would flatten him if she decides he is not for her!
Fuzzy 'sings' to the boys too. She is desparate to be mated, she can eat her way out of an excercise ball in a few minutes now to try and get at the boys. I am thinking of bringing her downstairs away from them because I won't let her have babies, I don't know anything about her background and she is on the nervous side which may be because she came from a hamster mill but I want my babies to be as quiet as Berry and Chunky. Sorry for the long post!!
ps Holly I would love to see photos of your shelves. I have one of mine somewhere.....

souffle · 09-02-2007, 03:41 AM

Yes we would like to see them to as we are thinking of moving our guys out of the spare bedroom and convert waht used to be the playroom into a hamster playroom

Holly · 09-02-2007, 04:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basia

Now we are back from holiday I plan to mate Berry soon. It would be fun to have a diary thread for the upcoming matings and hopefully the babies we get.

I love this idea! As a first time breeder I think it would be wonderful to know others are experiencing the same thing and it would be brilliantly supportive (although I'm getting lots of guidance from Pophammy and Souffle anyway

)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basia

ps Holly I would love to see photos of your shelves. I have one of mine somewhere.....

Right, once I get it up to scratch (hopefully this coming week), I'll post some pictures. I'm planning on having two shelf units, a little bookcase for all my hammy books, storage bins for the Aubiose and the food/bedding/treats etc, a noticeboard for show schedules/certificates and rosettes (Will's job) and a table with a good light source so I can get the hammies out easily if I need to look at them. It's a small room with a blind in the window. If I ever get around to cosmetics I'd like to frame pictures of each of the hamsters and put them up.

Quote:

Originally Posted by souffle

Yes we would like to see them to as we are thinking of moving our guys out of the spare bedroom and convert waht used to be the playroom into a hamster playroom

That's what we've done - Will has given up his playroom in exchange for a Doctor Who theme bedroom with cabin bed!

Holly · 09-03-2007, 02:21 PM

Managed quite a bit on the hammy room today - and I must say it's kind of nice to have all the equipment to hand and everything together.

Just one thing - Caramel is on heat tonight and she's been going nuts squeaking in the cage and calling to Mocha - who is, as I type, swinging from his roof bars

Is this ok for them? Will it be too upsetting and frustrating for them both? What do other people with male and female hammies do?

**Spuds Mum** · 09-03-2007, 02:29 PM

So Mocha is Tarzan to Caramels Jane? We have this but as we keep the males and females apart on our shelves we don#t have such macho displays as Mocha is giving. Our males usually get bored after a while apart from answering the calls every so often. I'd be interested to hear what more experienced breeders/keepers say though!