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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  09:22:54  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
And I can get another corn snake

Now, I have a definitely female snow, and would like a male (NOT for breeding I hasten to add).

They won't be housed together, but I have been reading on the forum about gentleman snakes getting err, randy, when they get older.

I have got Cathy in an 18" Monkfield viv, and she is loving it in there, so my question is, even though she is only a CB12, how far apart should the other viv be.

When Cathy needs her 'big girl' house, my husband is going to build it for her (he has researched as to what woods are suitable for her etc) and he said as he was building one, he might as well build two with space in the middle for all the bits and bobs that go with snake husbandry, but that will be a question for another year.

In fairness, would it be more prudent of me to get another female snake? I wouldn't want to cause either of them distress in years to come. To be honest, I just wanted a male so Cathy could have a Heathcliff to go with her! If that is going to cause distress, I have no wish to do that in the least.

HALP please

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)

herriotfan
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
5853 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  09:39:48  Show Profile  Click to see herriotfan's MSN Messenger address  Reply with Quote
I keep males and females.
To be honest it doesn't make much difference to their 'flirty' behaviour.
The females are as bad as the males....nudge, nudge, wink, wink!!


Husband....Very Understanding!!! (Phil)
Son & Daughter (Kevin & Carol)
Granddaughter (Eva)
3.4.0 Cornsnakes Amel (Sidney) Caramel Stripe (Sultan) Amber (Cleo) Carolina (Phoebe) Anery Motley Stripe (Penny) Snow (Lily) Caramel (Holmes)
1.2.0 Royal Pythons(Peeps, Pandora & Pepsi)
1.0.0 Hognose (Hudson)
2.1.0 Dogs (Dillon, Alfie, Ellie)
0.1.0 Senegal Parrot (Peanut)
1.1.0 Bearded Dragons (Bonnie & Clyde)
1.0.0 Crested Geckos (Echo)
0.2.1 Hermanns Tortoises (Ebbie, Rosie & Twiglet)
0.1.0 Guinea Pig (Dolly-Pipsqueak)
0.1.9 Tarantulas (Poppy, Gypsy, Bumble, Insey Winsey, Sonic, Cookie, Raven, Fudge, Titch & Sox)
??? Foster animals
Location: Near Saffron Walden, Essex
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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  09:47:38  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Thank you herriotfan, I was just a little concerned if there was an actual distance I should keep them apart - I am not going to be putting the Barry White on and mood lighting in years to come!

Cathy is settling in fantastically well, she has equated my hand going in to change her water with "PLAYTIME" and seems to love interior design, she is still moving her viv around to her liking! Thank goodness she can't move her Herp Haven - best buy I made for setting up her new home. I couldn't have bought a more nosey girl.

Really appreciate you getting back to me so soon, as a newbie I really do appreciate your help

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)
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Georgina
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2382 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  10:07:04  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
After a 1-3 month quarentine in another room. The distance between them will make no difference they can both get their jiggle on :)

1.0 western hognose (hero)
1.0 phantom reverse pin dal brindle crested gecko (goyle)
0.2 red dal red harly (sprite) 99% full pin Harley crested gecko (TuLong)
0.0.3 miomantis paykullii
0.0.3 Bombina orientalis (oriental fire bellied toad)
0.3 fancy mice (snap, crackle and pop)
1.0 yorkshire terrier (jasper)
2.1 cats (echo, shadow and pokey)
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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  10:15:22  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Oh, thank you for that Georgina - hadn't even thought of another room. That will make one of my children very happy . The fight will be as to which one.

It will have to be a bedroom as the cat "owns" the living room, and the kitchen has too much traffic in it to calm a skittish hatchling.

Really appreciate your help, thank you

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)
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Hissyfit
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2214 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  12:32:50  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Well done getting your Husband to cave in so quickly I wouldn't rush to get a new hatchling though, breeding season is just around the corner and there will be so many favourite morphs you won't want to choose just one


Edited by - Hissyfit on 14/03/2013 13:35:43
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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  12:57:42  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
No, the husband has requested one thing - I have to prove to him for 6 months that I can look after Cathy properly (I am in a wheelchair and have epilepsy) and as for pretty morphs - not likely as I live in the Isle of Man and choice is "limited" to say the least.

I am just going to start buying the bits and bobs that I need in advance, and thanks to Georgina, set up in one of the kids bedrooms.

I would really love a lavender or a phantom, but would be happy with a just a healthy snake to be honest. I would have to go to the UK to get the snake of my dreams, so there is someone over here who does import, so it might well be worth asking her to get one for me.

I really don't want to breed, but would just love 2 of them - they are so addictive!

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
5091 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  14:15:29  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Ha ha, that took no time at ALL!! As above, quarantining is very important - I always quarantine in a different room for 3 months. When we got Prism she had mites, so she was in a totally separate part of the house entirely lol! I wouldn't rush too much either - being on the Isle of Man wouldn't necessarily prevent you from getting one from courier from one of the reputable supplies such as Multicorn or Procorns would it? May be worth asking them - better to decide which morph you would REALLY like then try to find one rather than get a 'substitute' which you then regret.

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Hissyfit
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2214 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  15:21:25  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by smart bunny

I wouldn't rush too much either - being on the Isle of Man wouldn't necessarily prevent you from getting one from courier from one of the reputable supplies such as Multicorn or Procorns would it? May be worth asking them - better to decide which morph you would REALLY like then try to find one rather than get a 'substitute' which you then regret.



You won't necessarily 'regret' a substitute, but may have to squeeze in another snake that you really must have at some point

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mrsbunt
Hatchling

United Kingdom
280 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  15:38:02  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
congrats on persuading hubby to let you get another snake, mine won't budge at all!!! he's not so keen on pets with scales, although it was him who bought me Sheldon as a Christmas present. I would love another but just happy to watch my wee Sheldon growing

hubby bunt (Graeme),3 daughters Amy, Lisa and Erin.
1 amel corn Sheldon and 1 normal corn Toby Larone.
1 staffy cross Kaiser
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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  16:16:31  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
You guys said it would happen and lo and behold.....

I know Procorns don't ship to the Isle of Man (have already asked there) so have just fired an email off to Multicorns to see if they will, as they ship to the EU.

I have no problem in waiting for the right snake in fairness, if Multicorns do, as I prefer the anerythristic corn snakes (the others are beautiful too, just personal preference).

If they don't, I am sure I will find a little corn to love over here, I don't want to breed as I have said, I just want my Cathy to have her Heathcliff

Thank you for all the advice everyone on quarantining a newcomer, I genuinely thought it was just 'away' from the viv, not in a different. SO glad I found that one out before I jumped in.

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)
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Razee
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
2525 Posts

Posted - 14/03/2013 :  19:32:51  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Congrats on convincing your hubby ( I still haven't managed it, after 2 years :-( ) And good luck with finding your new hatchie, I'm sure something will turn up.

0.1.0 late CB10 Carolina corn snake - Bazilishka
1.0.0 CB11 Abbots Okeetee- Little Twiddler
1.0.0 CB11 Hypo corn- Sebastianek
1.0.0. CB14 Butter Motley - Squidwood
0.0.2 CB18 normal/ Okeetee yearlings Bunny and Lalalishka
0.0.1 hognose
0.1.0 stable cat
0.1.0 house cat
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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 15/03/2013 :  07:18:06  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
On behalf of my husband, he wants me to say "Thank you" to all of you for your advice. THIS forum is what swayed it for getting me Cathy in the first place, and the continued support and advice is giving him the confidence that I will always have someone who I can turn to for help or advice.

I made a friend very early on last week who I contact via email over silly little things, and he has been fantastic too.

My husband had the notion that snake keepers were all men with suffering wives - he has has to rearrange that thought quite quickly with this thread!

He has his tropical fish which although beautiful, I find boring, I mean, you can't get them out to play or anything.

I am going to make a confession and please don't go mad at me - Cathy broke the 7 day rule. It wasn't me, honestly. Every time I put my hand in to change her water and ruffle her substrate as Kellog has suggested in her fab "Handling Tips" thread, Cathy seemed to go into Wiliam Wallace mode and jump on my hand and I swear if she could, she would have yelled "PLAYTIME". At first I though it was because her viv was the wrong temp (my hand are quite cold as a rule) so I double and treble checked and no, they were right so I let her explore my hands over the viv.

Every time I go into her viv I make sure my hands are scrupulously clean (I used to be a nurse so did the full up to the elbow wash each time)

So, for now, when my hand goes in with fresh water, we have playtime. Which got the kids interested as she doesn't taste the air for me anymore, so when they were with me WOAH - new smells! Her little pink tongue was flickering away like mad so fortunately I keep a little bottle of the antibac quick dry right next to her viv in case I needed to go in quickly for anything (not sure quite what, but it is there anyway) and the kids quickly put a little on and that was it - she didn't know which one to settle on!

So many new things to do. The 2 youngest put their hands close to mine so she could smell them and she was off, quite at her own pace to go and meet them. We all made a very firm "hand chain" so that she could get back to her viv when she was ready, lo and behold, she did.

I am going to get her a new Herp Haven to go into the warm side of her viv today as she loves it, and I only got a half coconut shell for the warm side which does not please her in the slightest.

The husband doesn't mind as I have promised him he can get something for the fish tank at the same time!

So, thank you one and all, one (fingers crossed) anery CB13 later on this year, and will be quarantined in my daughter's room (quieter than my XBox mad son's) for 3 months. No point in harming them for the sake of waiting at all. And all it cost me was the Twilight Saga on DVD for her (which I already had on order and it came yesterday too!)

Edited for appalling grammar!

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)

Edited by - Foxtrotsierra on 15/03/2013 07:40:12
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mrsbunt
Hatchling

United Kingdom
280 Posts

Posted - 15/03/2013 :  10:42:38  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
it sounds like cathy is loving her new forever home, so glad she has settled in quickly for you

hubby bunt (Graeme),3 daughters Amy, Lisa and Erin.
1 amel corn Sheldon and 1 normal corn Toby Larone.
1 staffy cross Kaiser
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
5091 Posts

Posted - 15/03/2013 :  10:56:27  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I wouldn't worry at all about breaking the 7 day rule - it was clearly Cathy that instigated it so she is obviously settled enough! Glad you finally had the chance to get her out for a play, I know how much you have been dying to :D

Good luck with Multicorn, hope they will deliver to you :) Failing that you'll have to plan a trip over here for one of the reptile shows lol!

There is of course a problem with renting you daughter's room out for the cost of the Twilight Saga... you do realise you probably won't be allowed to remove the snake once the 3 months is up as she'll be too attached to him by then don't you? :P

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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 15/03/2013 :  16:30:29  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Well, one spoiled, happy Cathy I appear to have. My husband got his fish stuff today, and Cathy now has 3 hides. There is a reason for this - she was fed off her coconut hide at the breeders and I want her to still have some feeling of her old home, even though she has adapted to her new one amazingly well. May I present, Wuthering Heights, as pimped out my me:-



(the stone is a fake one, purely for when she likes to go on an interior design rampage round)

Her viv is cool to warm, left to right and as she made a beeline for the Herp Haven when I got her home, it seemed only reasonable to get the same for the other end of her viv. She used to scuttle up to the warm end to thermoregulate, but seemed to want to get back to the big hide at the cool end asap as she seemingly much preferred that one.

When I popped her back in, I put her in the middle, expecting her to go to her coconut shell as she was fed last Tuesday (I weighed her when I got her home, and the breeder had her on a maintenance plan of 1 pinkie a week, which is not acceptable, so I fed her successfully on Tuesday and she has been up the warm end digesting in her coconut hide but lo and behold, guess where she went - the new Herp Haven up the warm end (I warmed it up in warm water, dried it off and disinfected it).



So, any ideas? If I have done something wrong, PLEASE let me know as I would like to sort it asap, though Cathy seems quite content at the moment, you all know that I am slightly neurotic as to her welfare. I am pretty sure I never worried about my children this much

I do intend to take the coco hide out when she is more confident eating, the tongs in the RUB didn't go to plan, so I just left a pinkie on the top of her coco hide as the breeder had done, and it was gone. I am going to stop doing this hopefully as soon as I can but I think getting her weight up is more important than where she is eating at the moment.

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)
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mrsbunt
Hatchling

United Kingdom
280 Posts

Posted - 15/03/2013 :  23:00:48  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
it's looking fab, that's the same terrainium I have for Sheldon. cathy is one lucky little lady

hubby bunt (Graeme),3 daughters Amy, Lisa and Erin.
1 amel corn Sheldon and 1 normal corn Toby Larone.
1 staffy cross Kaiser
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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 16/03/2013 :  08:59:39  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by smart bunny

I wouldn't worry at all about breaking the 7 day rule - it was clearly Cathy that instigated it so she is obviously settled enough! Glad you finally had the chance to get her out for a play, I know how much you have been dying to :D

Good luck with Multicorn, hope they will deliver to you :) Failing that you'll have to plan a trip over here for one of the reptile shows lol!

There is of course a problem with renting you daughter's room out for the cost of the Twilight Saga... you do realise you probably won't be allowed to remove the snake once the 3 months is up as she'll be too attached to him by then don't you? :P



Tell me about it! She has already started thinking about where he can go "temporarily"!

Haven't heard back from Multicorn yet, but it is the weekend - will call them in the week.

Have had some fantastic advice as per her feeding from a forum member on here and a herp vet on the Isle of Man. She is underweight. Very underweight. The breeder I got her from told me that PAH was the only place to get food from but a chance remark in a specialist tropical fish shop yesterday has changed that - they have minimal herp stock, and don't sell live, but DO raise their own mice for food - I was allowed out back to see the mice etc, and I am more than happy with how they, err, get them to food point for reptiles.

The first 2 pinkies I opened from the first place I bought Cathy's food from really took me aback. One was twice the size of the other. The place I am getting her food from now guarantees the individual weights, and they come in see through plastic bags so I could see what I was buying for her. It really did look so much better, and consistent size wise. They even offer the service of "in between" sizes for picky eaters too. Am over the moon.

I have to admit, I was slightly grossed out seeing Cathy digest her first meal at home, and it travel down as it should, but I spoke with a herp vet yesterday, and he actually said with an under weight snake, it is actually much easier with a snow. If she is clear - food time!

As she was on a 7 day plan, and I dropped it to 6 even before I should have been in there, I am going for 5 as advised by the vet on Sunday (which technically, according to her feeding charts should have been her first meal with me).

So, not too much playtime until I get her weight up, and when she is on double pinkies, all the playtime she wants.

I will fight my daughter for The Twilight Saga if it comes to it!

And mrsbunt - we have great taste in vivs

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)
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lupi lou
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
3670 Posts

Posted - 16/03/2013 :  14:34:56  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Sounds like your doing every thing right and that cathy is going to be a very spoilt girl! :-)


1.0.1 Corns
0.1.0 Dog: springer
1.0.0 Horse
0.4.0 Gerbils
2.2.0 Leopard gecko
0.2.0 Cave gecko
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Foxtrotsierra
Hatchling

United Kingdom
485 Posts

Posted - 16/03/2013 :  16:32:40  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
quote:
Originally posted by lupi lou

Sounds like your doing every thing right and that cathy is going to be a very spoilt girl! :-)



Thank you lupi lou - I really am trying my best with her. She only weighs 9g, so when we (that is the herp vet and I) get her to take her next meal (due tomorrow evening) and if she keeps it down, he wants me to get her to feed twice a week to get her up to 15g with the new food I have got her.

He has given me some excellent advice as to how to get her to feed (as I mentioned, the RUB and tongs wasn't happening), so he wants me to raise the temperature in her hide by 1 degree centigrade (which I have done), then put a normal lamp with a dimmer switch on next to her viv (which we had one of already), and in the hour before I am going to feed her, just dim it every 15 minutes, then pop her pinkie in on her coco hide with a piece of kitchen paper underneath, and put a towel over the top of the viv. She is a shy eater which really surprised me as she is so outgoing in all other aspects. If she hasn't taken the pinkie overnight, leave it a night and try again. Fingers crossed that she will, as she ate 6 days after I had her home as I was so upset at her weight, I just wanted to get some nutrition into her. Don't get me wrong, she is a lovely and lively girl, but needs some proper food and to get her weight up as she is 16 weeks old now.

Once that has been done, she can have all the playtime she wants, and then pop it back to every 5 days. He said it might take a couple of months to get her weight up to the 15g mark but not to worry too much as he is pleased that she will be getting all the nutrition she needs from the new source I have found for her food. I asked how they killed the mice and was actually shown. They are very slowly fed carbon dioxide so it doesn't induce panic, as apparently that produces too much adrenaline in their systems and can make the food smell unappealing to the snakes, and as well, I don't want the mice to suffer as I chose a snake as a pet.

Well, Wuthering Heights MK2 seems to be going down very well with Cathy, she loves the plants I have put in and is having a lot of fun curling round them - not too much fun as I need her to keep those calories in!

I am just so genuinely grateful to everyone who has given me help and advice so far. I got her off a registered breeder, and am absolutely appalled to be honest. One very steep learning curve, but I am not going to let her down.

0.1.0 Snow - Cathy (digesting, waiting for her photo op)
0.1.0 Carolina - Delilah
0.1.0 King Charles Cavalier - Emily
0.1.0 St Bernard - Pooch
0.1.0 Manx Cat - Maggie
0.0.1 HUGE tropical fish tank + residents
1.0.0 Husband (thinks I am insane)
3.2.0 Children (think I am cool!)
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smart bunny
Fully Grown Corn

United Kingdom
5091 Posts

Posted - 16/03/2013 :  16:59:30  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Fi, I am a little confused - why are you stressing about her feeding? She fed the only time you tried didn't she? It is perfectly normal for some corns to drop feed (ie the item has to be left in their faun overnight for them to eat 'in secret'). It is perfectly OK to feed her as you have done (I know you put it on top of the hide to keep it away from the substrate) for the first few feeds, then try to get her used to the idea of a rub feed if that is what you want to do later. (some people quite happily feed in their vivs, and you'll probably find it is Cathy who makes the decision in the end not you ;) ) 9g really is not that bad a weight - a bit small I agree, but not desparately underweight by any means.

In fact it is totally normal for a lot of snakes to refuse the first few feeds in their new homes completely, so it sounds like she is ahead of the pack already.

Please try to stop worrying so much about her weight. It will increase very gradually to start with whilst she is on pinks every 5 days. When she eventually moves up to fuzzies you will be amazed at the growth spurt she will suddenly have!


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