# Needing some help with the 21 babies



## ASkelton (Jun 6, 2011)

So Lil Miss has been doing a great job with all 21 pups (her 11 and Chewie's 10). Most of them are very active and have their eyes open. They are 2 weeks old as of yesterday. When will they be ready for solids? I've been giving Lil Miss turkey meat and I saw some of the babies either licking or eating some.

Also, there are some babies that are very small and don't have their eyes open. Is there anything I can do for them? I think they haven't been getting enough nutrition because the bigger ones are always nursing on her.

Thanks  I will get pics later


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Cycle the pups. The bigger pups should be removed so the smaller pups can nurse (they are getting shoved away from the nipples with so many of them). Once the eyes open they will start licking and nibbling mom's food, start with soft veggies like frozen thawed peas, corn, carrots, leaf lettuces are good (not iceberg for rats), baby cereal, Ensure, baby foods, etc.


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## ASkelton (Jun 6, 2011)

Ok, I can cycle them when I'm home (I work full time). So today I will start cycling. They enjoyed the turkey, but I will start giving them other foods as well.

Also, what can I use for water? just a small bowl?

Thanks


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

ASkelton said:


> Ok, I can cycle them when I'm home (I work full time). So today I will start cycling. They enjoyed the turkey, but I will start giving them other foods as well.
> 
> Also, what can I use for water? just a small bowl?
> 
> Thanks


I would use a water bottle if you can? I use a 8 oz bottle for mom, and a small hamster one for the babies to learn on.


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## ASkelton (Jun 6, 2011)

I wish I could, but I have no way of hanging it to where they can use it :/


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## sorraia (Nov 10, 2007)

You don't want to use a water bowl. It will get too dirty too quickly, and is a potential drowning hazard for small babies.


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## Kiko (Sep 18, 2009)

For tanks Petsmart sells a small 4 oz bottle by the brand Oasis that hangs over the side.

Also at any petco and mot other stores you can buy very cheap a bottle guard that the bottles rests in and hangs over the side of the tank.

That is if you are using a tank.


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## ASkelton (Jun 6, 2011)

I'm not using a tank, I'm using a rubbermaid tub I have a hanging water bottle in there now for the momma but the babies are too small to reach it...


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## Terpsichore (May 28, 2011)

My girl is a water bottle chewer. She would climb up them and chew them where the plastic is thinnest. So when she got pregnant, I found a glass bottle for the nursery cage. It was huge. I think it was for rabbits but it was the only one I could find. I had the opposite problem, as it touched the bottom of the cage when I used the holder it came with. So I made a new one out of kitchen string. The kind you use to tuss poultry. I put the string around the base and then up both sides, then I wrapped it around several times near the top. I tied it off and then created a handle to bridge the sides and hang it from with a s shaped hook .

It sounds like a plastic box. So if it is a soft plastic, you can just drill holes in it and mount the bottle from there. Just make sure to give the box a rinse to get rid of any plastic dust. If it is a brittle plastic, you can use a soldering iron, if you have access to one, to burn holes in it. Again, important to wash the box after.

I hope my description of the string holder made sense. Good luck keeping up with all the little ones.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

If you need to mount a bottle to a tub, you can cut or drill a hole in the side for the spout, then drill holes for wire. The nozzle goes in through the hole, and wire can be fitted through so that it holds the bottle to the side.


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## ASkelton (Jun 6, 2011)

I got the water bottle to where all can reach it


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