Newborn Care

[guidofatherof5]

Thought it might be a good idea to start a thread focusing in on newborn care. This can be the care for just born or a few weeks to a few months old. Feel free to add your ideas to the mix. Photos would be great. Let's try to keep the threat clear of non-subject chatter, please.

Newborn scrubs on the Ranch are put in a tub of shallow(.5 inch/1.27cm) warm water. I have 4 reasons for this: raise body temps, stimulate activity and removal of their first shed. It also gives you a look at the newborns to see if you have any cause for concern with any of them. After 30 minutes in the tub most of these questions have been answered. Then it's off to a tub with damp paper towel. This is to ensure all sheds are removed along with any remaining umbilical cords. This tub has an under tank heater, hide and low water dish. Over the course of the next week they will get 3-4 more warm water soaks. I start offering food 24-36 hours after birth and every day after that. Most of the time I'll get a few takers on the first day and a steady increase of eaters as time goes by. Once they are established they get food everyday to every other day for the first 6 months.

[EasternGirl]

I pretty much followed everything Steve said above when my babies were born...since he advised me on how to care for them :) The only difference for me was that after the tub with the wet paper towels...I moved mine into a regular tank with a locking lid...and used a low wattage heat lamp on one side, and I switched to a night bulb at night so that they had heat 24 hours a day for the first few months. I used a small amount of soft paper-based substrate...just enough to cover the bottom of the tank...and made a big pile of moist moss on one side so that the babies could go in that. I had small plants....no hanging ones...that I misted several times a day. I also had a large shallow water dish in the tank. The feeding schedule was the same as what Steve suggested. Also, I tried not to handle the babies more than necessary, as those squiggly little buggers can jump right out of your hands easily!