new babies :)

[Phawn]

This is an interesting and long story so bear with me guys.
I dont know if anyone remembers but about 6 months ago my female "Lucy" had a planned litter of 2 one male one female. We kept the male and adopted out the female with another little female we had rescued. Well the people that i adopted out to turned out to be not as responsible as we had first thought. They gave the girls to a friend without informing me, and i had stressed that if they ever didnt want them to bring them back to me. I told them that i'd even pay to get them back, which is pretty good considering they got the girls and all of their toys for free. I just didnt want them to go to a home that i hadnt approved. So anyways they gave the girls to a freind and didnt give her a cage with them . Well one day this girl comes into the pet shop i work at with my two precious girls in a tiny hamster cage and asked if i could take them back. I asked her if this was their permanent or travel cage and she said permanent, i was horrified, it was so dirty you couldnt even see the wood shavings, they had no wheel (i doubt one would have fit) and the water dish (not bottle) was empty as well as the food dish . I was livid and she knew it, she told me that she had put them in with her freinds degu for a while, (thinking i would be happy, because apparently this freinds degus cage was bigger) but then she told me that the roommates were males. Thats when i took my attention off of his beastly woman and looked at my girls, peach was huge.
So long story short peach had babies today, 7 of them, yet as much as i love babies i cant help but worry. Ive seen too many degus in the shelter lately and much too many people ask me to take theirs in as they dont want them anymore. I cant keep all of these degus. But thats something to think of later, right now im just glad that peach and her babies made it through the delivery alright. One thing i would like to ask is how do i get peach to care for her babies. I have never had a problem with any of my girls ignoring their litter but peach wants nothing to do with them, im thinking it has something to do with the fact that she is very young. Right now her mother Lucy (who is also pregnant and expecting any day ) is taking care of the young, sitting in the nest box while her daughter runs on the wheel and acts like a carefree teenager. Will Lucy be able to feed them if Peach wont? Lucy seems to be having a small litter as usual but i dont know if she can feed 7 babies plus her own 2 or 3. How can i get peach to take care of them?
Thanks to anyone who managed to read this novel, i guess you can tell that im at the end of my rope with irresponsible people. I bred Lucy because i wanted a few more girls and also because i have a home lined up for 2 males, but i wouldnt have bred her if i knew peach was going to come back pregnant.
Thanks in advance guys,

[Sammy H]

Poor little girls! At least they are okay after the whole experience i guess.

I wish i could help you with these problems (i have boys) but i'm sure one of the others who have bred will be able to advise!

Hugs to ALL the degus!!

xx

[Amethystbelle]

I don't think there is anything you can really do to make her interested in them if she isn't already, as she obviously hasn't got any interest in them (i.e motherly instincts) which could be because she is young and also as Lucy is taking care of them hence shifting responsibility to another. My worry is if the mother is ignoring the pups then they aren't getting fed and not getting the essential vitamins they can only get from mothers milk. It might be a case of you having to hand rear them if Peaches won't feed them as although Lucy will feed them once her pups are born its when they will be born and how long these pups are going without food that worries me. Lucy would cope fine with the extra degu's as research has shown baby degu's thrive in communal conditions but its how long before she gives birth and these pups can feed that is worrying. Hand rearing degus is hard and only something that should be done if there is no other choice. I wish you every luck and please keep us informed on how they are all doing

[Purplebunny]

Sad story I wish I could help as I am looking for another female or 2.. Kirsty had given some good advice... Keep us informed!

[Phawn]

I witnessed peach nursing her kits twice today. So i am hoping that everything will work out fine. Lucy is still sitting on them and "babysitting" alot but i think for the most part peach knows what she has to do.
Thanks for the advice, its really appreciated guys

[kandy]

I'm glad the babies are doing good now!!
And im glad you got you girls back before something bad happened!! My degu Squirt just had 5 babies and I'm so worried about adopting the babies out
Good luck with the babies and Peach. And I hope everything goes well with Lucy and her lil ones .

[Hanlou]

Hi. Just wanted to add my sympathies really..... What awful people!! You must've been so upset to see your babies treated like that.

Hope your 'lil 'uns continue to do ok and best wishes xx