When to add ledges and other baby questions

[fanov8]

I know that it will be awhile before I can put ledges back into Peppers cage since she had Halle only a little over a week ago. But I'm trying to look for a time frame when they can go back in. Right now I have a hidey house and 2 tubes in the bottom of the cage. I can tell that Pepper is so ready to run around! She jumps around like a jumping bean! So my question is when can the ledges go back in and it still be safe for Halle. Will I have to seperate the 2 of them around 8 weeks to wean or will they do that one their own? I don't want to cause them any extra stress, but I just don't know much about little ones! I know that there is a chance later on that they could fight but for the most part will they be ok to leave together? I know the tell tale signs, but I'm hoping that being mother/daughter I should be ok.

Thanks for any and all input! I need to add some new pics of Halle too!

 

[fanov8]

Anybody?

 

[Rickman]

I'd wait another week before putting anything back in, as it'll reduce the chances for accidents!
Are the kits gaining?
Usually Mom's are pretty good about feeding, but keep an eye on her - is she letting them nurse? Is she junping around for a reason?
I've had kits that bite pretty hard while nursing, making the female uncomfortable.
As far as keeping the kits together, at 8 weeks there becomes a possibility the female could become pregnant soon after - keep them separated!
As for kits fighting, I've only had it happen once, and that was with quads, and I believe the largest killed the smallest - no marks on the aggressor to tell!

 

[Sandi]

You can leave mom and daughter together permanently if you are keeping them as pets. There is no need to separate them unless there is a problem. I'd wait a few weeks to put those ledges back in considering the kit is only a little over a week old now. Maybe give mom a dustbath, it'll also be cute to watch Halle dust as well for the first time.

 

[fanov8]

Thanks guys! I wasn't sure if I need to wait until the kit was 8 weeks or not. Sounds like I don't need to wait that long, but atleast a couple more weeks.

She only had a single kit, and she is gaining well. She was 56 grams when she was born and as of this morning she is up to 81 grams. Pepper is definately letting her nurse, she has done fantastic with her actually!

 

[Chins To Love]

Make sure to wait about 10 days after birth for mom to have her sand bath back. You want her to heal before she is exposed to sand. There are low ledges in our breeding cages and they are in there permanently, gives mom a place to get a break once in a while (at least at first). We have been lucky no accidents, but they are low ledges. It is awfully cute when they start getting up there, moms always look like they have lost thier hiding place.

 

[VolunteerChin22]

I would wait a little longer. I have a few moms who aren't good about letting baby nurse if they have shelves or a way to avoid them. I usually wait until about 4-6 weeks and then I'll move them to a bigger cage to hop around in...that way they are already starting to eat pellets and hay so if they can't get her to sit still they won't be hungry...

Also wanted to point out you might just be using the names interchangably, but chinchilla "sand" is actually not as good quaility as chinchilla "dust"...dust is much finer in texture

 

[Chubi32]

I don't want to take over this thread but I have baby question too- when can I take off the hardwire cloth around the cage? I bar spacing is 1" by 5" (they're in one of those guinea pig like cages)

 

[Ash]

Honestly, it'll depend on the size of the baby. Usually around the time they are 3-4 months, they are too big to escape, but if you have a smaller baby, you'll want to leave it on longer.

 

[warmice]

I don't want to take over this thread but I have baby question too- when can I take off the hardwire cloth around the cage? I bar spacing is 1" by 5" (they're in one of those guinea pig like cages)

Do you mean 1cm by 5cm? Or do you actually meant 1 inch by 5 inch. Because I measured 1 inch by 5 inch , the hole looks really big. :wacko:

 

[Chubi32]

No I meant the original cage without the hardwire cloth is 1 inch by 5 inch- the hardwire cloth is like 1/2 cm by 1/2 cm- sorry for the confusion haha.