Babies Kept At Temperature ?? - YorkieTalk.com Forums

chipperdancing · 10-29-2005, 10:11 AM

Question by Question ... wish I could ask them all at once!

Today they are 3 days old. Up to now I have had them covered with a towel in their box, they lie on a wash cloth covering a kitty litter filled quart baggy (to evenly spread warmth) of a heating pad (on Low). Mama Mini hid under the dresser and ignored them.

Mini is now going into the box to nurse! So I took their covering washcloth off, since she now steps into their box on her own ... but only to nurse ... and she's out of there quickly, no cleaning, nothing.

I had hubby put up a aluminum tented heat bulb ... I'm afraid they'll get cold without mama or covering washcloth ... but with washcloth, I'm afraid mama might lie on them! Pig rails are on.

Question: What temperature should the babies be kept at??? Esoecially with no mama, and no cover ... just heating pad on low and heat lamp ... I don't want them too hot ... or too cold.

Sorry, so many questions!

txshopper73 · 10-29-2005, 04:14 PM

Your babies are beautiful. Mine are kept in a play pen. Under the bottom cardboard, I put a heating pad that way they don't get too hot and "cook". I only do this when mom isn't in there.

whispersmom2 · 10-29-2005, 04:34 PM

I use a whelping box in an elevated crate with a grill type floor. I use a heating pad on med or low but only under half of the box. Moms can get too warm and want to be out. The heating pad is wrapped in water proof material and placed UNDER the whelping container so babes cannot possibly get to it..
I do NOT allow my moms to stay out of the crate or whelping box when the babies are very young. I have had first time moms who wanted to do that for the first day or two, but I am as insistant they stay in as they are to get out. They soon get the idea these are their babies and can become very possessive. Babies need the bonding, cuddling and licking from their moms; they can develop failure to thrive or failing puppy syndrome just as neglected human babies can..
Mom's usual body temp is 101 + - so the babies need the temp to be at least that warm. I have tried on occasion to use a light but I just do not like the harshness to the environment that a bulb causes.
Your babies are nice looking and that speaks well for their care..

yorkiemom1970 · 10-29-2005, 04:43 PM

hi!
just a little overview of what i do:
i keep them on a heat pad with the dial between low/med for the first 2 weeks. in the summer with the a/c going i keep it on med. in the winter, i tend to keep my house warmer cause my hubby is a big baby and says his toes freeze, so we keep the heat pad on low. i do not use heat lamps anymore. i have one. i used it once. my mommy would not get in the whelp box due to the heat coming down on her is what i think. i could never rest assured that i didnt have the temp too hot with the heat light. so i stuck it in storage. i put the heat pad on 1/2 of the whelp box so they can get cooled off if it is too hot for them. for the most part my babies always stayed on the heated part until 2 weeks. my vet said that they cannot regulate their own body temp until 3 wks of age, so at 3 wks with them getting a little more active and crawling around i make a point to turn the pad down to the lowest setting. by 3 1/2 weeks i dont keep the heat pad under their box anymore. up until 3 wks of age, i have somtimes turned it off during the day if mom is in with them and back on at night when our house temp drops.

whispersmom2 · 10-29-2005, 05:01 PM

Sounds like we must have had some of the same experiences..Pat (Primyork) taught me a lot about the care and up-keep of new babies..

yorkiemom1970 · 10-29-2005, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whispersmom2

Sounds like we must have had some of the same experiences..Pat (Primyork) taught me a lot about the care and up-keep of new babies..

yes...

pat is a wonderful lady. i have asked her questions in the past and she has answered me with great info. (in the open and through pm's) i do not know her personally, but i have loved reading her posts and i'm glued to any info she posts.

you may have read i am thinking of getting a biewer baby. i have thought of this long and hard. i have ALWAYS been drawn to their colors and just the sheer beauty they have. i hope to find a baby to start my program that is from a loving, experienced breeder. i am not comfortable with shipping from over seas again as i did that with one of my yorkies from brazil and due to reasons i have (pm me if you want to know the details) i've just decided that my baby would have to come from a caring breeder better known to me.

CC's · 10-29-2005, 06:03 PM

I use the same type set up as suggested here. Heating pad under 1/2 the bed.

I don't think I would use pad and lamp. If the pups move apart from each other or you see them with their mouths open breathing, they are to hot.

10-29-2005, 04:14 PM	#2
txshopper73 Donating YT 14K Club Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 14,226 Blog Entries: 1	Your babies are beautiful. Mine are kept in a play pen. Under the bottom cardboard, I put a heating pad that way they don't get too hot and "cook". I only do this when mom isn't in there. __________________ As always...JMO (Just My Opinion) Kimberley

10-29-2005, 04:34 PM	#3
whispersmom2 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MD Posts: 2,985	I use a whelping box in an elevated crate with a grill type floor. I use a heating pad on med or low but only under half of the box. Moms can get too warm and want to be out. The heating pad is wrapped in water proof material and placed UNDER the whelping container so babes cannot possibly get to it.. I do NOT allow my moms to stay out of the crate or whelping box when the babies are very young. I have had first time moms who wanted to do that for the first day or two, but I am as insistant they stay in as they are to get out. They soon get the idea these are their babies and can become very possessive. Babies need the bonding, cuddling and licking from their moms; they can develop failure to thrive or failing puppy syndrome just as neglected human babies can.. Mom's usual body temp is 101 + - so the babies need the temp to be at least that warm. I have tried on occasion to use a light but I just do not like the harshness to the environment that a bulb causes. Your babies are nice looking and that speaks well for their care..

10-29-2005, 04:43 PM	#4
yorkiemom1970 No Longer a Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: North Carolina Posts: 1,947	hi! just a little overview of what i do: i keep them on a heat pad with the dial between low/med for the first 2 weeks. in the summer with the a/c going i keep it on med. in the winter, i tend to keep my house warmer cause my hubby is a big baby and says his toes freeze, so we keep the heat pad on low. i do not use heat lamps anymore. i have one. i used it once. my mommy would not get in the whelp box due to the heat coming down on her is what i think. i could never rest assured that i didnt have the temp too hot with the heat light. so i stuck it in storage. i put the heat pad on 1/2 of the whelp box so they can get cooled off if it is too hot for them. for the most part my babies always stayed on the heated part until 2 weeks. my vet said that they cannot regulate their own body temp until 3 wks of age, so at 3 wks with them getting a little more active and crawling around i make a point to turn the pad down to the lowest setting. by 3 1/2 weeks i dont keep the heat pad under their box anymore. up until 3 wks of age, i have somtimes turned it off during the day if mom is in with them and back on at night when our house temp drops.

10-29-2005, 05:01 PM	#5
whispersmom2 Inactive Account Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: MD Posts: 2,985	Sounds like we must have had some of the same experiences..Pat (Primyork) taught me a lot about the care and up-keep of new babies..

10-29-2005, 06:03 PM	#7
CC's YT Addict Join Date: Aug 2004 Posts: 402	I use the same type set up as suggested here. Heating pad under 1/2 the bed. I don't think I would use pad and lamp. If the pups move apart from each other or you see them with their mouths open breathing, they are to hot.