New arrivals in the degu cage Saturday morning

The last(3rd)degu we got in October had a fat tummy when we got her so I thought there was a slight possiblity that she might be pregnant when she just kept getting larger and larger. However the person who gave her to us made no mention of her having ever been with a male at any time. Saturday morning she gave birth to 7 healthy hearty babies. According to all I had read any handling or much exercise will cause a mother degu to abort very easily. It didn't seem to bother Rachel at all. I handled her, carefully of course, at least once a day, had her in the exercise ball, etc. clear up to delivery. I guess it is a good thing we didn't know she was pregnant or she would not be so gentle or so accustomed to my scent which has allowed me to already handle the babies. The babies are totally developed minatures of their mother and already crawling around the cage. They should be with her for about 6 weeks I think.