Pudge Is A Mom

Gabrielle reports,

"Just writing to report the arrival of our newest litter: Pudge and Toby are parents to 7 live babies; 6 have pinkish bodies, and 1 has a gray body.

Elsa is VERY excited. She has been counting down the days, and even last night asked me if Pudge could have her babies in the morning. "Yes, she could." Elsa asked me last night to not check on Pudge in the morning, because she wanted to be the first to check. In my last thoughts before I went to sleep, I debated whether I should sneak out there before Elsa woke up just to make sure that none were born on the wire or to make sure that there were no half-eaten bunny bits scattered around the cage. I ultimately decided that I would not try to hide the unpleasant side of nature, if it was the case.


At 6:45 am I was wakened by the sound of Elsa trying to wake up Dominique to check on the rabbits. I hollered for to leave Dominique alone and let her sleep. Elsa then came to my room and asked if she could check on Pudge. "Sure, go ahead," I told her. "I want you to come with me." "Okay." We went to check and there was nothing but more fur in the nest box. "Nope, not yet, " I told Elsa. "I want to stay with her." "Fine." I was too tired to argue, and just wanted to go back to sleep. "Well, I want to have some cereal first." "Good idea," I said groggily. I got her a bowl of cereal and headed back to bed. Elsa kept checking her throughout the morning, despite my pleadings to "just leave her alone." At 9:30, Elsa reported that Pudge was in her nest box. "That's nice, honey." At 10:00, she came rushing in: "She has babies!! I saw one moving!!" We all went out to see.

Elsa got Pudge three baby carrots and fed her those while I started cleaning out the nest box. The girls each got to hold a kit while I continued counting pudgy little bodies, and clipped the long wool into shorter snippets. I've still got the nest box in the cage with Pudge. I'll take it out this evening and bring it into the house. I'm just so thrilled for Elsa!!Here's hoping that, well, she'll share with me, and that Sissy also has a safe and uneventful birth experience too. Yippie!!"