>> |
Voleta
I would also suggest a bigger cage (well, you'll need two, if you intend to keep all of them). You're really lucky that she had a small litter! If she had had 12 babies, and they were evenly split among the sexes, you would need, at a minimum, four cages of the aproximate size as the one in the picture, and that would still be cramped. I'd suggest going to a pet store and getting a wire-sided cage with solid bottom platforms. Be careful that the bars aren't too wide, if you can stick your thumb in there, its too big.
As for cleaning the cage, it must reaaally reek, so do it asap. Get a nice cardboard box, drop some bedding in it, then put her inside (I'd suggest wearing a thick glove, if she REALLY fights, wait awhile and try again later). Use that time to try and determine the gender of the babies, check for birth defects, and take pictures (If you want to give them away, pictures when they're cute and tiny are the way to get people interested, everyone loves babies). Then put them in the box. Clean cage, and try to re-make a nest using similar materials. Put some of the old nest material back in that spot. It doesnt have to be perfect, she may not even use it, but you'll have tried. Then put the babies in the nest you made, then let her back into the cage =)
|