How to intro three moms and their babies?

[Godmother]

I have no worries about tossing all the babies in together, but I'm not sure how to handle the mamas. They are sisters, but I had them only four days before they started giving birth. Two of them are a little skittish around people, and poor little Wellie (mom of two) is still very scared of people. All the moms seem a little nervous when I pick up the babies, although none have nipped me.

Any advice on how to intro them all? Should the moms still be offered separate nest boxes for their litters? When is it safe to put up hammocks? The little ones are now 3 1/2 weeks old, growing fast and moving like greased lightning. They are eating on their own, but still nursing.

 

[SQ]

It sounds like you are asking about three separate things
1. when and how to do intros
2. when and how they can all live together
3. when it is safe to add hammocks

I assume you would put them together several times before having them all living together
(mamas around unfamiliar babies and the reaction of mamas when other adults are around their babies ..... )
- with you supervising for hours to ensure everything is ok.....

I wonder if it would be a good idea to put all the babies together and try to make them smell alike
before adding mamas and babies together the first time .... then again, since the babies are still very young,
maybe mamas will be feeling very maternal toward all babies they encounter and there will not be any problem.
I assume you would do this in a neutral area, or a cleaned cage?
I have never done this so I'm just guessing.

I believe that you wait until 6 weeks or so longer before adding anything up high like hammocks ...
I remember someone who had a 4 or 5 week old baby popcorn out of a hammock and die

 

[jorats]

Have the moms been seeing each other during baby breaks? If so, how did that go?
If the sisters are ok together, I don't think I would be too worried for the babies. I believe my mom put them all together once the babies were 3 weeks old. My mom also was saddled with 2 secretly pregnant girls many years ago.

 

[Joanne]

If the mommas have been together for out time, I would probably just try them all in the playpen and see how things go. Mark the babies first! LOL

 

[SQ]

Hope you are able to put the moms together daily
as that sounds like the first step in this process