Hi all, Tiegans babies are 3 weeks today and are doing fab, we have one huge boy but the rest are only have 50g or so between them, Im really pleased with that as we had a very small boy and girl when born.
Anyway, at 14 days old they would cry for ages after Tiegan had fed and got out of the box and then would eventually settle down to sleep after 10 mins or so until the next time she got in. I had a feeling that she didn't have that much milk for them so gave them a couple of days to see if it improved. It didnt, so I took to giving them a little of raw steak mince that had been frozen, they almost took my fingers off and needed no encouragement at all. I actually didnt think theyd eat this early so this was just a tester really. Next day I started on the mushed up RC starter. They scoffed the whole lot. So far they have been getting 2 meals per day, one around 7am and the other around 6pm. Is this OK?
Would it be OK to put it up to 3 today or shall I leave it another few days? They eat every single bit I give them and then feed from mum straight after. All of the other feeds she gives them during the day they never seem to get enough to settle them. She only really goes in to feed them now, she will feed them and then lay with them for 5 mins or so then get out and lie in the opening of the box but outside of it. She will then get in to check on them occaisionally and feed them while she is in there if they wake up.

Their poos are perfect and they were wormed with panacur 10% at 2 weeks over the 3 days.

Amy

I too started weaning early at 12days because the pups weren't settled and gradually Mum stopped feeding by 4 weeks and pups were on 6 meals per day going down to 4 meals by 8 weeks and 3 meals at 12 weeks till 6 months and 2 meals for life after that.

I was told that eyes opening prematurely is also a sign they are not getting enough food but not sure if this is true or not.

Great thanks. Well I swear if I didnt know for a fact they were born on the 2nd I would have thought they were around 4.5 weeks old. They're actually running across the box, not just wobbling, full blown running. They've even started to jump on the side of the box to look out when I come into the room or when Tiegan jumps out lol. They all walk across the box off the vetbed to wee and poo on the paper in the box, are full blown play fighting, not just the odd paw or grab, properly fighting lol. Im gonna have trouble over the next 5 weeks lol.
They are very advanced for their age, not sure if this is linked??
Maybe thats why Tiegan isn't quite as bothered about being with them all the time this time around??
So it would be OK to inroduce a 3rd meal at lunch time now then?

Amy