When I went out to feed this morning, I noticed some matted white fur in Julie and Hamletta's cage. Not thinking it was anything to major, I started to feed. Came back to Julie's cage to feed, and noticed a big white fur ball in the corner, and then saw Julie pulling fur out of Hammies back. Poor little thing is nearly bald on her back! :shock:
Hopefully you recall, Julie is my little problem breeder, and her only surviving kit is Hamletta. This is her 3rd attempt at a litter, first she missed, 2nd only produced 1 surviving kit out of 4 born, and this is her 3rd breeding.
Thing is, her day 28 is not for 8 more days, and I wasn't going to pull Hammy until tomorrow. Normally she's a grain hog, and eats it all right away when I feed. She ate a couple pellets, and left them. I gave her the normal large handful of hay, and rather than eat it, she's got a hay mustache. So I filled a nestbox with shavings and hay, and put it in her cage. She's in and out, and carrying her hay.
Is this normal behavior? What is this? False pregnancy? Aborting early? Nothing has changed for her feed wise, and she doesn't look that big, though I'm not expecting a large litter from her. It's been much cooler since last weeks heat, still warm, but not like what we had last week, so I don't think heat is stressing her.
My vet is coming tomorrow, if nothing has happened, I'll have her palpated. Oh, and I did pull little Hamletta. Poor little thing.
Hopefully you recall, Julie is my little problem breeder, and her only surviving kit is Hamletta. This is her 3rd attempt at a litter, first she missed, 2nd only produced 1 surviving kit out of 4 born, and this is her 3rd breeding.
Thing is, her day 28 is not for 8 more days, and I wasn't going to pull Hammy until tomorrow. Normally she's a grain hog, and eats it all right away when I feed. She ate a couple pellets, and left them. I gave her the normal large handful of hay, and rather than eat it, she's got a hay mustache. So I filled a nestbox with shavings and hay, and put it in her cage. She's in and out, and carrying her hay.
Is this normal behavior? What is this? False pregnancy? Aborting early? Nothing has changed for her feed wise, and she doesn't look that big, though I'm not expecting a large litter from her. It's been much cooler since last weeks heat, still warm, but not like what we had last week, so I don't think heat is stressing her.
My vet is coming tomorrow, if nothing has happened, I'll have her palpated. Oh, and I did pull little Hamletta. Poor little thing.
