The gestation period lasts from 5972 days, with an average of 6368 days, Newborn pups are well-developed with hair, teeth, claws and partial eyesight;they are immediately mobile, and begin eating solid food immediately, though they continue to suckle. Litters yield 16 pups, with an average of three; the largest recorded litter size is 17. In smaller litters, difficulties may occur during labour due to over-sized pups. Large litters result in higher incidences of stillbirth, but because the pups are delivered at an advanced stage of development, lack of access to the mother's milk has little effect on the mortality rate of newborns. Cohabitating females assist in mothering duties if lactating
But you need to separate the male and female before she gives birth because the male may eat the babies. |
