Caring for 2 week old baby

[Lindsey13]

Yesterday I rescued a female and her 2 week old baby. What is the average weight for a 2 week old? This little guy weighs 51 grams and I was wondering if it would be helpful to supplement him with goats milk or if I should just let him nurse off of his mom and keep on monitoring his weight? Also what color would you all say he is? Sorry the pics are so blurry, he kept on wanting to move! He is a very active little guy and has been trying to climb the half of the critter nation they are in.

 

[AZChins]

He looks like a heterozygous beige.

51 grams is a little small for a two week old, that's about the average weight of a newborn. Is he nursing all the time? It is possible he was just a small baby and he's been gaining weight all along. He's active so he's got to be nursing enough to supply him with enough energy to wiggle. How about...watch him for a day or two and see if he's gaining weight. If he's not gaining or he starts to act strange in any way, get some goat's milk. In fact, get some goat's milk just in case. Have it on hand so that you can feed him if you need to.

My average weight for a two week old is about 80 grams or so. He's a little behind. But, when it comes to babies sometimes averages can be deceiving. He may be perfectly healthy at the weight he's at and he'll catch up later on.

Congrats on the new chinnies!

 

[Lindsey13]

Thanks so much! I was thinking he seemed pretty small for his age. He has been nursing about all the time. I already have some goats milk on hand just to be safe but figured I would ask before giving him any. I was looking online for information and found a site that said mix 1 can of evaporated goats milk with 1 can of purified water, does this sound right or is there another way I should give it?

 

[jbcstratton]

It looks to be beige or tan, a white belly means you have a beige.

 

[AZChins]

You could feed that to a baby, but it has some added sugar because of the canned evaporated milk (or at least I think it does.) I found some dried, powdered goat milk that I prefer to the canned. Fresh would probably be best. I hope you don't have to handfeed the little one. You'll have to keep us posted on how he does...he's just a little thing!

I have to ask, is it possible that he could be younger than 2 weeks old? Maybe the person didn't get the birthdate right?

 

[Dreamlite]

I have a 2 week old that's only 53 grams but she was born 36 grams and has been gaining steady. I wouldn't supplement until your determine if he's gaining or not.

 

[6Dusters]

All chins are different. Baby looks healthy. This kit is old enough to start eating hay as well. Go to the FAQ area and you can start giving a dry supplement that both mom and kit will eat.

 

[Zoaea]

Also look at your can of milk, if its normal milk you don't dilute it, evaporated milk means it has been concentrated.

 

[Lindsey13]

Thanks for the help everyone! I have actually not had to supplement him at all. He is now up to 68 grams so has gained 17 grams in a week and is doing awesome!

 

[Chinmama]

What a little sweetie!

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Aw! Love the last two pics, mom & baby having and cuddle and shared bath time? Adorable. In other news: are you 100% sure he is a 'he'? If so, keep in mind that eventually he will need to be separated from mom so as not to get her pregnant (and if you neuter him, he will still need to be kept separate for a certain amount of time following the surgery).

 

[Lindsey13]

Thanks I am for sure the baby is a boy and already have an extra cage to put him in as soon as he is weaned. I would rather separate them then having him neutered since you don't hear of that too often.

 

[Lindsey13]

Updated picture of Kirby. Hard to believe he is now 5 weeks old and 115 grams. I'm thinking he might be a homo beige because when looking at his eyes he looks to have a ring around his pupils.

 

[D.Who]

he won't be homo beige as momma is a standard and he would need two beige genes to be a homo beige but he is beautiful and sounds to be doing amazing!! congrats!

 

[Lindsey13]

Yeah I guess he is just a lighter colored Herero beige. Wasn't thinking about both parents had to be beige for him to be homo beige!

 

[Lindsey13]

What age is best to take the males away from their mamas? 8 or 10 weeks or what is best? Kirby is now 6 weeks old and 150 grams.

 

[JessieVictoria]

I have a little girl who was a bit too small (she's still pretty small overall) but I was told to give her alfalfa hay as a supplement, plus she loves it. (And her larger big sister loves it too haha!) I hope that could help him grow a bit!

 

[Cuddlebug]

Most breeders wean the males at 8 weeks of age, unless they are small for their age. If they are small, they can should go another week or two with mom.