# Skunk pregnancy?



## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

Hi everyone!
Right where to start? My little lady is possible pregnant and this will be the first time any of my skunks have been pregnant, so my question is - is there any clear signs to show she pregnant? (she's got 2 to 3 weeks to go) she is constantly itching on her tummy area (rather amusing to be honest lol), more playful at night times, and very loving in the day  She's normally quiet and a little playful in the day and very very sleepy at night :gasp: Could a change in her behaviour be showing she's pregnant or because its that time of the year :whistling2: She also seems to have a little more shape to her stomach as the weeks have passed but really don't want to jinx fate!! lol.
Any stories etc would be great :2thumb:
By the way, I'm pretty clued on when the babies get here its just i'd like to know any clear-ish indicators to showing she's pregnant, i would take her for a ultra sound but I feel its to much of a risk, last thing I want is for her to loose those cuties <3


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## mrcriss (Nov 2, 2010)

I don't have any skunks (yet:flrt but I imagine it's pretty much like a lot of other mammals in that you can wait to feel the babies move.


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

I have found with my lot that its not always obvious they are preggars but do tend to notice a change in behaviour & shape.

The body becomes more rounded & I did notice the back appears more arched at the bum end lol. Sometimes they also look like they have swallowed a melon :whistling2:

Their lady bits kinda look swollen before kits arrive, nipples might swell & start producing milk (if squeezed gently) a few days before giving birth........its the giving birth that triggers the full milk production. 

I had 4 kits born Thursday night around 9pm & mum was yet again producing no milk (had to hand rear 5 babies last year, only 3 survived though)........so this time I was prepared for it happening again & it was a trip to the vet for an injection ASAP - at the moment it looks like it might have worked (watching them all on nest box camera :2thumb, but collecting 2 more injections today to be on safe side. If they don't work fully its back to hand rearing & sleepless nights!!

Behaviour wise I find my girls go looking for nest sites & seem restless & more huffy, usually chasing the male away but still sharing the bed with the other females. Last year however, they still let the male in with them.....but this year I have an extra female so think its upset that balance. They also go from not eating that much during breeding time to eating everything in site lol. This year I have also noticed the mum of the current babies was much more protective than last year & I even got bitten last night while changing the food bowls over :lol2: This all kicked in after the hormone injection.......:whistling2:

Don't forget they are also capable of delaying & reabsorbing the kits so although you can work out the earliest date for them giving birth, it can go on for ever - last year mine mated in March & one gave birth in September !!!

Hope that all helps a little?


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

mrcriss said:


> I don't have any skunks (yet:flrt but I imagine it's pretty much like a lot of other mammals in that you can wait to feel the babies move.


 
I have never yet been able to feel the movement of babies with my skunks :blush: obviously not got the knack yet :lol2:


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

carlycharlie said:


> I have found with my lot that its not always obvious they are preggars but do tend to notice a change in behaviour & shape.
> 
> The body becomes more rounded & I did notice the back appears more arched at the bum end lol. Sometimes they also look like they have swallowed a melon :whistling2:
> 
> ...


She does look like she has swallowed a small melon (kinda):lol2: Her nipple do seem a little more ummm erect :lol2:
Like I said i'm nearly full prepared for when the kits get here and if a situation like yours was to occur we have a vet ready, feeding bottles and will be getting the formula soon :2thumb: Now you mention it she does seem a little more huffy than usual - if she's having a bad day she just tend to stomp when i walk past.
Wow september :O, i've known them to wait until they feel the time is right but not for that long lol, also about the reabsorbing, this is why we haven't took her for an ultra sound. We've estimated in for in around 2/3 but you never seem to know with skunks.

P.s at the minute she does live alone in a 6ft wire cage (plenty of nesting spots, hidey holes and toys to play with :lol2:.
CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR SKUNKIE KITS, i bet your doing a brill job. :no1:


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

mrcriss said:


> I don't have any skunks (yet:flrt but I imagine it's pretty much like a lot of other mammals in that you can wait to feel the babies move.


Unfortunately I can't sit there forever and wait for them to kick (wouldn't sure she'd let me either) :lol2::flrt:.Skunks are wonderful animals don't know where i'd be without mine :flrt:


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Sounds like all the sings are there for your girlie :2thumb:

As for formula - this time round I am trying a different method & making my own mix as recommended by the vet to avoid cows milk (lactose) and too much sucrose (used in many milk formulas).

Its half a pint of full fat pasturised goats milk with 1 raw egg yolk & a tablespoon of glucose powder. I am also adding in 1 drop of liquid multivits and did think of adding a teaspoon of vitaskunk but it dont mix well & the lumps get stuck in the feeding implements (bottles/syringes)

So far I have not had to feed the kits today as it seems like mum is now producing a little milk & babies dont appear dehydrated or listless........keeping my fingers crossed this continues & I dont have to feed them by hand. Mum is loving the rearing formula I have made & laps it up with great gusto :lol2:. Am off to the vets shortly to collect another 2 hormone injections for her to see if they boost the milk flow a little more. At least this way they are getting that all important colostrum & first milk from mum :2thumb:

Am watching them on camera as I type & all babies appear to be lying in a suckling position - only wished I had a better quality cam that can zoom in on them :whistling2:

As a side note, the powder formula I found to work best last time was Royal Canin Babycat, but Esbilac would probably be as good. I tried Whelpi but they were not keen to drink it & swapped to the Babycat which then then lapped up. Sadly though these are all cows milk based......there are others u can get for rearing sheep etc that are goats milk & sheep milk based.

Oh & bottle feeding is a nightmare !! but thats another story lol


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

carlycharlie said:


> Sounds like all the sings are there for your girlie :2thumb:
> 
> As for formula - this time round I am trying a different method & making my own mix as recommended by the vet to avoid cows milk (lactose) and too much sucrose (used in many milk formulas).
> 
> ...


Ow bless them! thank you very much for the advice as I've been told by many people whelpi is the best but at least i've got some other options now (god forbid this to happen)
Well I have heard some horror stories about hand rearing, but fingers crossed we will be ready :lol2:


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

carlycharlie said:


> *Sounds like all the sings are there for your girlie :2thumb:*
> 
> As for formula - this time round I am trying a different method & making my own mix as recommended by the vet to avoid cows milk (lactose) and too much sucrose (used in many milk formulas).
> 
> ...


Hehe so excited now! (I know you can't say 100% but from your experience it looks promising) :2thumb::2thumb::2thumb::flrt::flrt:


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

I'm at the same "wondering" stage with Lavender. I think she is pregnant, but will never be sure until I feel them moving. I place my hand under her belly every night when she eats her dinner. Last year she gave birth a week afetr I was able to feel movement. Lavender was also doing a lot of lying out on her belly near the end and she looked very funny when laid on her back - melon with legs!

Hey Carlycharlie! Congrats on the birth! Can't believe you might be hand rearing again! Maybe spaying mum might be a good idea if she's not cut out to rear - just wondering if it might be a problem she could pass on to her daughters? Jealous that you have a camera - I really wanted to set one up for this year, but severe financial issues put a stop on that 

Good luck with the injections and good luck to all expecting skunk owners!!!


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

Loderuna said:


> I'm at the same "wondering" stage with Lavender. I think she is pregnant, but will never be sure until I feel them moving. I place my hand under her belly every night when she eats her dinner. Last year she gave birth a week afetr I was able to feel movement. Lavender was also doing a lot of lying out on her belly near the end and she looked very funny when laid on her back - melon with legs!
> 
> Hey Carlycharlie! Congrats on the birth! Can't believe you might be hand rearing again! Maybe spaying mum might be a good idea if she's not cut out to rear - just wondering if it might be a problem she could pass on to her daughters? Jealous that you have a camera - I really wanted to set one up for this year, but severe financial issues put a stop on that
> 
> Good luck with the injections and good luck to all expecting skunk owners!!!



I've been told to use a stethoscope on her and can hear what I think is moving but i'm unsure 
Every evening see comes out to get a drink and sits there itching her belly :lol2: Then she stares at me for looking at her (think she feels a little silly lmao!)


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

She's just come out of her den to get a drink and have a scratch and of course give her mummy a few lickies :flrt:
She wouldn't hang around long enough for me to get a good feel of her tummy - she just wanted to get back in bed lol.


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## ditta (Sep 18, 2006)

babydice is acting rather strangley atm, for the last 3 nights she has abandoned her bed and taken to getting in with me which is quite normal, but as soon as she is in she gets out, then scratches to get back in, then gets out, she also willnot go back to her own bed but gets in with chester but screams at him at the same time, then wanders round for 5 mins then gets in with me, then gets out and the night continues with me worried without sleep, chester on pins cos she screaming at him and her just randomly wandering........she has mated with chester but i cannot really she has a melon tummy, she has been eating anything and everything over the last few weeks, she has been weighed regulaly and her weight is up and down not by much but she hasnt put loads on which i suspect would happen if she tubbed, she is strating to really worry me now, not health wise but behaviour wise.......any suggestions welcome


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

ditta said:


> babydice is acting rather strangley atm, for the last 3 nights she has abandoned her bed and taken to getting in with me which is quite normal, but as soon as she is in she gets out, then scratches to get back in, then gets out, she also willnot go back to her own bed but gets in with chester but screams at him at the same time, then wanders round for 5 mins then gets in with me, then gets out and the night continues with me worried without sleep, chester on pins cos she screaming at him and her just randomly wandering........she has mated with chester but i cannot really she has a melon tummy, she has been eating anything and everything over the last few weeks, she has been weighed regulaly and her weight is up and down not by much but she hasnt put loads on which i suspect would happen if she tubbed, she is strating to really worry me now, not health wise but behaviour wise.......any suggestions welcome


Sounds like Dice is getting restless, so might be a sign of pregnancy.

As for the weight, I had been weighing my lot & only noticed a slight increase in weight which of course matched the fact they were eating more........and then Goli the mum with the kits actualy dropped weight by about 100g just before giving birth.


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

and off we go again..........

Sadly one of the kits died (one of the boys) last night & the other 3 were very dehydrated, so I pulled them this morning & have spent the day giving subcutaneous fluid injections every hour & attempting to feed them every 2 hrs............looks like mums milk has dried up. Lets hope they actually got some colostrum & it has set up their immune system this time.

Sleepless nights here I come :gasp:

I am hoping one of the other females pops soon & I am able to foster these 3 to them :2thumb:

This is something we all need to be prepared for when breeding animals......


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## samhaines (Oct 12, 2008)

cant u use a cheap pregancey test :O i know zoos use them.. would be a good way of finding out

good luck ken.. im ready for if rosie cant look after her kits. but keeping my fingers crossed


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

carlycharlie said:


> and off we go again..........
> 
> Sadly one of the kits died (one of the boys) last night & the other 3 were very dehydrated, so I pulled them this morning & have spent the day giving subcutaneous fluid injections every hour & attempting to feed them every 2 hrs............looks like mums milk has dried up. Lets hope they actually got some colostrum & it has set up their immune system this time.
> 
> ...


Sorry to hear this! Good luck with the hand-rearing and let's hope you can get them fostered. They must ahve got something off mum to have got this far, so hopefully they will have some immunity to get them through.


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Loderuna said:


> Sorry to hear this! Good luck with the hand-rearing and let's hope you can get them fostered. They must ahve got something off mum to have got this far, so hopefully they will have some immunity to get them through.


 
I certainly hope so :2thumb:

All 3 still with us & starting to get the hang of bottle feeding now :whistling2:
Also pooping & peeing when I toilet them so hopefully the dehydration is now under control : victory:


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## Loderuna (Mar 9, 2010)

Sounds good - but then, they are in the hands of an expert!! :no1:


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

Loderuna said:


> Sounds good - but then, they are in the hands of an expert!! :no1:


 
I would certainly not call myself an expert but I sure am getting plenty of experience at this :lol2::lol2:

Funny how we can forget things so easily though - it was last September when I last had to hand rear the other kits & OMG trying to get back into a routine was not as easy as I expected :blush:.........but I am glad to say its slowly coming back to me :whistling2:


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

carlycharlie said:


> and off we go again..........
> 
> Sadly one of the kits died (one of the boys) last night & the other 3 were very dehydrated, so I pulled them this morning & have spent the day giving subcutaneous fluid injections every hour & attempting to feed them every 2 hrs............looks like mums milk has dried up. Lets hope they actually got some colostrum & it has set up their immune system this time.
> 
> ...


Ow my god! i'm so sorry to hear this! Its going to be heart breaking if you bond with them then have to let them go when its time  I know you'll be a great foster dad if the other mum doesn't drop in time or if she doesn't accept them. I'm so sorry about your loss  xx


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

samhaines said:


> cant u use a cheap pregancey test :O i know zoos use them.. would be a good way of finding out
> 
> good luck ken.. im ready for if rosie cant look after her kits. but keeping my fingers crossed


Thats a great idea just not sure if I can get her to pee on demand :lol2::hmm:


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## ditta (Sep 18, 2006)

well babydice isnt with child:gasp: sh4e had an ultra sound scan today and no kits........full check over and no signs of any health problems......so im suspecting hormonal so she has a course of broad spectrum anti biotics and is going on evening primrose oil for a little while:flrt:


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

ditta said:


> well babydice isnt with child:gasp: sh4e had an ultra sound scan today and no kits........full check over and no signs of any health problems......so im suspecting hormonal so she has a course of broad spectrum anti biotics and is going on evening primrose oil for a little while:flrt:


 
aww shame.........but thats exactly what Nizhii did in her first season.

If they found nothing wrong healthwise, why did they give antiB's? Just as a precaution?


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## ditta (Sep 18, 2006)

carlycharlie said:


> aww shame.........but thats exactly what Nizhii did in her first season.
> 
> If they found nothing wrong healthwise, why did they give antiB's? Just as a precaution?


 yes ken she has a few scrapes from trying to get under the dreser and a few scabs from chester, o he said just in case they upsetting her she can have a course of biotics,


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

ditta said:


> yes ken she has a few scrapes from trying to get under the dreser and a few scabs from chester, o he said just in case they upsetting her she can have a course of biotics,


 
yeah this skunk mating lark can be a grusome thing at times with the amount of biting, fighting & scratching going on.


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

carlycharlie said:


> yeah this skunk mating lark can be a grusome thing at times with the amount of biting, fighting & scratching going on.


Tell me about it :lol2: Although mine are good, or so i'm told hehe <3


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## carlycharlie (Jan 16, 2008)

One of my girls was half bald last year after their amorous encounters........she looked like she had alopecia :gasp: but grew looking lovely :2thumb:


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## snowdrop (Feb 5, 2011)

carlycharlie said:


> One of my girls was half bald last year after their amorous encounters........she looked like she had alopecia :gasp: but grew looking lovely :2thumb:


My lady has two bold patches on her at the minute. Looks lovely, really does. :whistling2:


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