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The female is active right up to the moment of birth although handling should be kept to a minimum when she is heavily pregnant. Before giving birth to each baby she tightens her abdominal muscles two or three times then sits up and crouches over as she gives birth to a single baby within a couple of minutes. Babies are born at intervals and the mother may be active between each birth. Therefore babies may be born around the cage but the mother will collect them all up and place them in the nest once birthing is complete.
The babies are born naked and blind and the skin will start to pigment at around 4-6 days and then hair will start to grow. The female will normally allow the male to return to the nest a few days after the birth and he will help to rear the babies, bringing food to the female and keeping the babies warm when she is away from the nest.
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