# How early is too early?



## mymouseketeers (Dec 16, 2015)

On march the 31st I placed two does in with my buck. Who had previously only ever been with one doe at a time. After five days they hadn't settled down and I chose to remove both the girls and try again individually in a few weeks if neither had taken. Initially neither doe looked pregnant then on April the 13th one of the does came waddling out, steady weight gain ( I will find the charts later ). This was her second pregnancy and so far she was following the same pattern as the first one. She had a litter of 13 first time around.

She was huge yesterday and had all the marks of being only a few days off labour. Then tonight she is out eating and drinking looking noticeably thinner. That gives her from 2pm-6pm to have given birth. Only 16 days after I originally placed her in with the buck. So assuming she took within the first 24 hours. She was only pregnant for 15/16 days.

I was able to see through the glass into the nesting box and sure enough, a huddle of pinkies under the nanny. Couldn't see well enough to tell if they had milk bands or size of litter.

My question is, will they be developed enough at only 15 days? She gave birth during the day, under room lights. Could stress trigger early labour? I can't think of anything out of the ordinary that would stress her.


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## Laigaie (Mar 7, 2011)

That is really fast turn-around! I've not had a litter born that early and survive, but if you saw pinkies, that suggests she didn't destroy a pile of stillborn pups. If you feel comfortable taking photos, I'd be interested to see how developed they are!


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## mymouseketeers (Dec 16, 2015)

They would have been 34 hours old give or take when I took this last night. I had to lighten the photo up significantly. Not keen on disturbing them too much, the doe is fine and eagerly playing with who ever opens up the tank door. But the nanny has always proven a bit over protective of them ( she wasn't supposed to be in with her this time -_- )



I think there might be closer to nine or ten of them. They were not as small or as underdeveloped as I was fearing.

They would be almost two days old in a few hours. They look nice and active, their growth seems to be normal when compared to her last large litter. Milk bands are visible.


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## Lilly (Nov 21, 2015)

Could she have possibly had access to a male a few days earlier? Even if it was only for a minute or two that could be why


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## mymouseketeers (Dec 16, 2015)

I was thinking that. No way she could have had access to my buck previously. She lives in a reptile tank with five other doe's. The potential for one of them to be a buck in disguise is one I have been toying with. But I can't see how that is possible. The only candidate would be DD the doe I retained from her previous litter. She is 3 months old and has lived with them since birth.

Even if DD is a buck what are the chances that only one pregnancy has happened in three months ( with four potential does ) at the exact same time I send her to an actual buck? ....  Lol I know I know. Anything is possible. I have checked DD time and time again over the last 24 hours. I had separated her briefly a month back because everyone I spoke to and showed her including myself continued to be on the fence with her gender. I will try again to get photo's.


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## PPVallhunds (Jul 26, 2010)

I'd say it's more likley one of your does is a buck as those pinkies look like normal full term ones, I'd expect them to be smaller and more see threw. 
According to this link at 15/16 days the ear flap won't be covering the opening all the way and the veins will be visible (they have a photo of what a 17 day embryo should look like along with a scanner of a 14 day one to compair) 
https://embryology.med.unsw.edu.au/embr ... 28E16.0.29


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