Page:The Golden Hamster Manual.djvu/54

 6 days later, leaving 2 males and 7 females to wean; litter wt. of 11 oz. at 21 days; one underweight was removed; 8 young breeding stock selection quality weaned at 25 days. Female was weighed 5 days later, 4½ oz. adult wt. at 3 months, 22 days. Rebred to same male, she weaned another heavier litter of choice breeding selection quality. Showing size after her 3rd breeding, she was shipped to the science department of a state college to fill a special order for late prenatal studies specimen. It pays to weigh litters at 21 days. That is the only dependable way of grading production weight and of knowing whether a female is capable of delivering profitable weight in numbers to be weaned.

After 5 or 6 litters, the female’s best production is over and another younger female replaces her to continue that pen’s production, which in a year of continuous production may run from 40 to 70 or more weaned young of standard weight, depending upon quality of breeding stock, care, and purpose for which young are raised. Replacement females should be saved from the production of mothers who give birth to greatest numbers and also best nurse culled litters to weaning.

After each litter is weaned the pen should be thoroughly cleaned, whether the same female may be returned to it or a new female may be selected to replace her. The mother hamster should be given about 4 to 6 days rest after weaning her kittens before she is remated. For extra quality breeding stock and exhibition stock, 8 to 10 days rest is advised. Under inadequate rest, runts may become numerous in her succeeding litters. During rest period, the Forcing Feed Mixture and plenty of green foods will prepare her for mating itself as well as help restore her weight to normal. Her normal adult weight is arrived at by weighing her about 6 to 8 days after weaning a litter after she is 16 weeks of age, regardless of the age at which she had her first litter. Females showing adult under weight at this age should be replaced and disposed of or dropped back to sub-standard classification. Otherwise the standard of production may deteriorate.

Weaned young are transferred to a clean pen and given normal feeding. If more rapid growth is desired, feed Forcing Feed Mixture, greens, etc., same diet as resting production line females. Young should be se separated by fifth week of age, males in one pen and females in another. For accurate records, each pen should have a card or tag showing its litter symbol or number so that mating selections may be taken from either pen and pedigree completed if desired. Young remain In such pens until sold or placed in local production. Exception: Exhibition stock is placed in individual pens by 7th week to avoid scars or torn ears in early fighting. Never buy a so-called show or exifibition animal with a slit or torn ear or any other scar.

Laboratory stock is frequently shipped upon weaning. If not, weaned young are sex separated and housed in large pens for stock of approximately the same age. Pens about 2by 3 feet, and 10 to 15 inches high, comfortably house 10 to 15 adults. If over 4 weeks when shipped, animals are sexed into male group and female group compartments in shipping trays or containers.