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Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! #18836
03/19/04 11:40 PM
03/19/04 11:40 PM

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Does anyone know how to help a mother glider stop producing milk? Her baby boys went off to a great new home on Tuesday and I hear they are doing fine and eating like pigs. However, the babies must have still been nursing because Momma won't stop producing milk. I noticed Wednesday night that she looked a little chubby and opened her pouch to see that she had some milk. Last night I checked again and she was just huge!!! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/worried2.gif" alt="" /> That's got to hurt... So I tried to find some info and all I could find was something about cats, but it said to hold off all food and water for 24 hours and her body should re-absorb the milk. Well, she had eaten a little food and nectar before I took out the rest of her food and water, but I don't think its working! She still looks gigantic. Does anybody have any suggestions, I'm worried she might get an infection.

Thanks
Momma <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/littleglider.gif" alt="" />

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18837
03/19/04 11:42 PM
03/19/04 11:42 PM

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I'd say take her to a vet. I'm not sure though...so hopefully, someone else more helpful will come by...

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18838
03/19/04 11:54 PM
03/19/04 11:54 PM

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I wouldn't remove her food and water. I haven't heard of this problem from pregnant gliders before, usually because the joeys have finished nursing and are eating solid foods before they go to their new homes. How old were the joeys when you removed them from her?

She might be pregnant again. Is she with a mate?

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18839
03/19/04 11:59 PM
03/19/04 11:59 PM

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Honey's teats were really engorged right before her second set of joeys went IP... You could actually see little lumps where they were. It didn't seem to bother her any though.

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18840
03/20/04 12:34 AM
03/20/04 12:34 AM

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I've given her water and am going to feed her a little food tonight. It recommended pulling food and water because the body won't re-absorb the milk unless it needs food and water. Mia's babies were about 9 weeks OOP when they went to their new home. They were getting very big and I don't think I separated them from their mother too soon. However, she has had two other liters before, and for both of those liters the babies lived with the parents until they were six months old or so. This is the first time I've seen anything like this <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" />, in the past my other females have never had any trouble when the babies were weaned at 2 months OOP. I think I'll call her vet tomorrow morning and she what she says. Oh, and by the way, SweetPea, the Daddy is in another cage so he's getting plenty to eat.
Thanks for the suggestions, any others would be appriciated as well...

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18841
03/20/04 12:40 AM
03/20/04 12:40 AM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 9,173
Edwardsville, Kansas 66113
Judie Offline
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Judie  Offline
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Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 9,173
Edwardsville, Kansas 66113
The swelling should go down in a two to three days. How old were the joeys when you pulled them? If the swelling is still apparent by Monday...she should be vet checked for a problem. Do not hold food and water from a glider. This would create more problems for her.

Babies should be allowed to stay with the parents till they are 8 weeks or so out of pouch. Babies usually start the weaning process between five and six weeks oop. However during that time...they are still nursing off of mom. By seven to eight weeks...babies should be weaned totally from the mother.

Occassionaly babies who are pulled to soon and sold...are not fully weaned. One then runs the risk that a baby going to a new home...if not completly weaned may refuse to eat anything due to stress. You might want to consider contacting the new owners to be sure the little ones are not having any problems with their new diet as it sounds like they were not completly weaned and still somewhat dependant on their mother. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumb.gif" alt="" />

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18842
03/20/04 12:41 AM
03/20/04 12:41 AM

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Oh, and I would say that each of two teats contain an amount of milk about the size of two marbles. I've opened her pouch so that they both stuck out and I really can't believe how big they are... That's got to be so uncomfortable. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif" alt="" />

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18843
03/20/04 01:51 AM
03/20/04 01:51 AM

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I saw the babies' human parents earlier today and they said the boys are doing great and eating a lot, mealworms and everything. They were 9 weeks OOP, really big babies for their age. I'm sure the babies were plenty old enough to go, but that's not the problem.

I think it's just that the mother was used to having her past joeies around for months and months and so was not in a hurry to wean them. She really is full of milk, it's not just that her teats are swollen, they are full and leaking milk.

I'm very familiar with babies and weaning but have never seen this before. Although now I am slowly ceasing to breed my gliders, I have been keeping gliders for four and half years now, and have owned/bred about 40 with a dozen liters from five different mothers.

All I wanted to know is if anyone had seen this before and had advice, not to be scolded for pulling babies too young or with-holding food overnight. My gliders are my children and I would never do anything I thought might harm them. If you saw how much milk she has, you would think that would be enough energy to get her through the night. But, since her body is not re-absorbing it, she'll get her food and water tonight and I'll call her vet tomorrow.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/littleglider.gif" alt="" />Goodnight..

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18844
03/20/04 01:57 AM
03/20/04 01:57 AM

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Dianna,
I'm sorry you felt scolded, or judged, it certainly wasn't anyone's intention to come across that way. Usually we have people that don't have the experience that you do, and unless we know otherwise, we have to assume that it's someone with NO experience. Everyone here puts the glider first and quite passionatly, I will admit. But, I'd rather have that, than a membership and mods that didn't care.
Please let us know how your little mommy is doing!
Chey <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18845
03/20/04 12:04 PM
03/20/04 12:04 PM
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 9,910
Phoenix, AZ
KattyM Offline
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Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 9,910
Phoenix, AZ
Interesting situation. I'm certainly not in the category of "experienced" on this board, having only have one wee joey, and now two neutered boys (I just took Tomoki in yesterday).

I'm sorry you felt scolded, too. I didn't get the sense anyone was scolding you, but, as Chey said, just expressing concern (especially for newbies like me). One thing I noticed is that the time stamps are very close in some of the posts. So, there sometimes appears to be a criss-crossing of information, or as though someone is even ignoring what was posted, when in fact, they're probably sitting there composing a thoughtful response at the same time as someone else, and they submit it just minutes later. That's probably what happened with what seemed to be the same questions being asked that were just answered. Taken in that context, it's just the standard fact-finding questions coming out in an attempt to give the best possible tailored answer. ...Just an observation. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


Forever owned in my heart by my :grey: "Eight is Enough" colony:

:rbridge:
• 2002: Keiko (F) + 2003: Hiroshi (M) = 2004: joey Tomoki (M)
• 2009: Sammy (F), Charlie (F), Murray (M), Herbie (M)
• 2010: BJ (M)
Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18847
03/20/04 12:14 PM
03/20/04 12:14 PM

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You're right, 9 weeks OOP is old enough to be weaned, but perhaps she wasn't ready. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/nixweiss.gif" alt="" /> I'm glad you're taking her in to see the vet. Let us know what the vet says... as I mentioned earlier, I don't recall this problem on the board before and it'd be nice to know what to do in case it comes along again.

Maybe you'd be surpised, the board has a lot of members that are just learning about gliders. It's hard to know who you're talking to, so sometimes you need a thick skin when it comes to reading and posting. No offense meant. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18848
03/20/04 01:07 PM
03/20/04 01:07 PM

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Ok, an update: I just called Mia's vet to see what she thought of all this, and she said not to worry. Her body will re-absorb the milk eventually, it just might take a little more time than usual. She said to check her teats daily to make sure they still look healthy and that the milk is drying up. She even said it's okay to squeeze them a little to help relieve the pressure, but not enough to make her body think she needs to produce more milk.

This morning I checked on Mia and it looks like she's getting smaller so hopefully it'll all be gone in a day or two. BUT, I also noticed her belly looks quite chubby behind all the milk, so my latest thought is that she's probably pregnant again and due soon. The vet said that would be a good explanation as to why her body hasn't stopped producing milk. Either way, I should expect new babies or the milk to dry up within a few days. I'll let you all know what turns out.

By the way, I'm sure I was over-reacting when I thought I was being scolded. I just felt like no one believed me when I said that the babies were fine and old enough to be weaned. I think it was also the timing, everyone was writing responses at once.
Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions, I can understand the concern, we all <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/heartpump.gif" alt="" /> our <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/littleglider.gif" alt="" />s and want to make sure everyone is healthy.
<img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wave.gif" alt="" />

Re: Help! Momma won't stop producing milk! [Re: ] #18849
03/20/04 04:52 PM
03/20/04 04:52 PM
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 9,173
Edwardsville, Kansas 66113
Judie Offline
Serious Glideritis
Judie  Offline
Serious Glideritis

Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 9,173
Edwardsville, Kansas 66113
Once in a while...there will be a rare mother who can and will prolong the weaning process to nine to 10 weeks oop.

With a mother like this one....from my experience as a breeder for many years.....to avoid this type of situation happening again...simply seperate out the babies at eight weeks oop. Then return the babies to the mother three times for two days just long enough to give her releif in a brief amount of time. On the third and fourth day only return the little ones for 2 times and long enough to suckle out some milk. Fifth and sixth day...only one time to nurse each day for a short period. By the seventh day no feeding. This process should help to gradually decrease the flow of milk so when babies are no longer nursing.....the mother will dry up more easily. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />


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