the nursery: to clean or not to clean?

[adoptaratcanada]

I just came across these 2 contrasting answers. Maybe someone here with more experience can comment:

My own experiences say to NOT clean the cage with the nursing mother and
babies in it until the babies are older. This is because the bedding that
the mother gave birth in has both her & the baby's smell on it, whereas the
new litter would not. In my experience, not having the smell of the babies
on the bedding confuses the mother and she's more likely to neglect them.

I have to say that I don't agree with this! When they are so young their
respiratory systems are so weak and the build up of anomia from urine is
very bad for them!

Linda

[Andrea]

With gerbils I don't clean the tank with babies for two weeks, and when i do I keep the nest in tact, but clean around it.
I find at least with gerbils, they do not sue their nests as bathrooms, so it is not stinky. I also do the same for gerbils prone to de-clans, keeping some of their litter/nest keeps them from fighting.

[Die Fledermaus]

I plan in several days to partial clean bedding around the nest that is currently in my 20L tank. Less ammonia; similar smell.

I also handle the babies daily. See my thread on natal care. Rats react differently than Syrian hamsters.

After two weeks Moet's four baby's eyes are opening. They are champagne (2) and champagne and white (2). Chandon's horde, just over a week old, is starting to fuzz out, and are of many colors ranging from champagne to dark. Photos later.