**NOTICE:
Do NOT attempt to do any of the following until you are absolutely CERTAIN the Mother will not take the Pups back (If she is alive that is) and after you have tried to find a surrogate Mother!**
When you are faced with a surprise litter of pups sometimes it is best to take matters into your own hands to ensure the safety and health of the litter in question.
In order to completely care for newborn pups that cannot be taken cared of by Mom due to sudden death or abandonment you will need the following:
For Living:
- 20 Gallon Long Aquarium
- Small ceramic bowl
- Heating Pad
- Recyclable bedding
- A roll of Toilet paper
- General Food Dish
- General hanging Water bottle
- Den/House
- Two large wheels
- Tubes
- Toys
Instructions for use:
The first thing you must do is set up the Nursery Tank for the Pups.
- Place the heating pad under the tank directly underneath the den or house and set it to "low".
- Put the recycleble bedding in the cage.
- Make a "nest" out of the bedding and toilet tissue paper (Or use mom's nest if it is available) and place it into the ceramic bowl.
- Place the ceramic bowl in the den or house. (This will be a baby proof nest that they can not escape from - that way they are together and warm at all times.)
- Place the wheels, food dish, water bottle, tubing and any toys you may have for them in the tank
For Feeding:
- Blender
- 1 Eye Dropper or small Syringe
- Thin tubing meant for syringe feeding
- Bene-Bac Powder
- KMR Powder
- Oxbow Critical Care powder
- Yogurt/Apple Sauce/Beach Nut Milk
- Water
Instructions for use:
How to make BHF (Baby Hamster Formula)
- Fill any container with desired amount of Mazuri or Oxbow.
- Pour water into said container until the Lab Blocks are immersed in it (With water only reaching the very tip tops of the Lab Blocks)
- Wait 20 minutes for the Lab Blocks to soak and become "mushy" before using it to make weaning formula.
- When in this state, you can refrigerate it for 3 days in a sealed container. Everytime you want to use it, make sure to generously mix it before use.
How to make KMR (KMR Milk Replacer Powder)
Days 1-10:
- 1 Cup KMR
- 2 Cup Water
Days 10-20:
- 2 Cup KMR
- 3 Cup Water
One misconception about feeding newborn Hamsters is that you can simply offer them KMR alone and that it is completely sufficient when in reality there is so much more they should be offered in order to be completely healthy and balanced.
There are necissary "friendly" bacterias that must be added along with nutrional additives that help make the transition easier to formula rather then what is expected - Mother's milk. The two items you should be adding are Bene-Bac and Oxbow's Critical care Powder for Canines, Felines, Exotic Animals and Wildlife.
These "friendly" bacteria prepare the Immune System and the Digestive Tract (and much more)! Usually Mother's "friendly" bacteria are given to the Pups through her Milk but in these situations most litters do not get the chance to receive any.
Recipe for newborn Pups aging from day 1 - 10 (About one sitting's worth)
- 1/4 TBS KMR
- 1/4 TS Bene-Bac
- 1/4 TS Critical Care
- Blend
Instructions on use:
- Fill the syringe to desired amount
- Hold Pup firmly but gently with your fingers so that two fingers are on either side of the mouth
- Gently hold the head in such a way that allows you to keep the mouth open with the fingers on either side of the mouth
- Place Syringe in mouth so that the tip is directly facing down into the inner part of the mouth
- Dispense about 0.2-0.5 ML of formula into the mouth
- If using an eye dropper, dispense 3-4 drops into the mouth
- Do this once every hour until they open their eyes
- After they have opened their eyes, do this every 2-3 hours until weaned
Recipe for weaning Pups aging from day 10-20 (About 4 day's worth)
- 1 1/3 Cup BHF
- 1/3 Cup Water
- 1/4 TBS Yogurt/Apple Sauce/Beach Nut Milk
- 1/4 TBS KMR
- 1/4 TS Bene-Bac
- 1/4 TS Critical Care
- Blend
Instructions on use:
- Begin introducing the weaning formula in a food dish along with fruits and vegetables and some soaked mazuri/oxbow
- As they age introduce solid foods like seed mixes into the bowl and less weaning formula
- By day 18 you should stop feeding them through the syringe or eye dropper all together
- By day 21 there should be no weaning formula in the bowl - just Seed Mix and Mazuri or Oxbow
Artificial formula tastes nothing like Mother's milk and some Pups can prove to be quite picky or difficult to feed in these extremely fragile stages of life. Because of this some Pups will even have to be tube fed during the first few days of their lives.
It is actually best for Pups to be tube fed if they are 1-4 days old or until they become comfortable with the syringe or eye dropper to keep them from gagging, choking or drowning. However, if you have never tube fed an animal before (Most people have never done this anyway) then it is best to try to feed them with the syringe or eye dropper as best you can - as tubing them incorrectly is extremely easy to do which can cause immediate death.
If they choke or breathe in the formula (which can happen due to drinking too fast or too much) milk will drip from the nose and they will cough or sneeze. The best way to alleviate this is by gently and firmly holding them and waving their bodies up and down so that gravity and pressure will force the milk out of their nose. Once they are done coughing or sneezing and are breathing normally, you can continue feeding them again.
After you have finished feeding them, you must get a lightly dampened piece of tissue and gently stimulate their urethra until they have completely emptied their bladders and bowels. (It is best to do this over a trash can.) Once you can tell they are able to do this on their own or whenever their eyes have opened, you no longer need to do this.
Formula must be made every sitting and Weaning Formula should be made in bulk to last a couple of days and be kept sealed in the refrigerator. Make sure to warm both before feeding for about 8-10 seconds in the microwave. Always check to see how warm it is, and if it is to hot for you to keep your finger in for more then 60 seconds then it is too hot to feed with.
Always mix the Formula and Weaning Formula until you feel it is evenly mixed and always change the Weaning Formula every day.
As they begin to open their eyes, they start to experiment on solid foods, however they still need Mother's milk as well! This is why you also supply a "Weaning Formula" in their general food dish a long with a normal and balanced Hamster Diet.
As they age, use your judgement to cut down the weaning formula and make up for it in solid foods like fruits and vegetables and other natural/organic treats. (Yogurt, Apple Sauce, boiled Chicken and Rice and various Organic Baby Foods.)
http://www.cedarrun.org/
http://lacrimahamstery.blog.com/
http://www.hamsterific.com/orphans.cfm
http://www.jefferspet.com/bene-bac-for-pets/p/4157/
http://www.drugs.com/vet/zoologic-bene-bac-powder.html
http://www.oxbowanimalhealth.com/vets/products/critical_care
Edited by lacrima, 21 July 2015 - 01:18 AM.
