Baby Kit Eating Solid Food Early

[SoSerene]

I was sort of thrown into this whole chinchilla breeding thing, but I am trying my best to muddle through. My brother was given a male/female pair and he told me that they may be having kits. I told him we would take a pair of the kits if that happened. Instead, he offered me the existing pair. After I saw how they were being taken care of, I decided to take them off his hands. And I have to say I am absolutely in love with my little puffs, although they are not very interested in being petted or held.

I thought that the female might be pregnant, so I took her to the vet who told me that she wasn't. But then surprise! On May 19th there was a newborn kit in the cage. We removed DaddyPuff immediately. MommaPuff and BabyPuff have been very happy and she seems to be a good mother. He is strong, healthy, and a bit demanding of his momma.

The last couple days I have seen him eating out of the food bowl. I moved it higher because I read that they are not supposed to have solid food until 4 weeks. He still made his way to the food bowl. So I fed him a few oats, thinking they would be easier to digest and might satisfy him. Should I be worried he is getting into the food so early?

 

[tunes]

No, leave the food bowl where he can access it. Kits sometimes will start nibbling food and hay in the first week of life, though generally a little later than that. There is no time limit on when they can start eating. When they do, they do.

 

[grumpysisi]

No leave it in reach. They eat solids early, I found a four day old munching pellets and hay, dont leave treats for mum in reach though if you give any. Just a good quality pellet and hay. Babies can climb amazingly well, so make sure cage isnt too high.

 

[Godofgods]

Babies can climb amazingly well, so make sure cage isnt too high.

understatement of the century'

 

[SoSerene]

Oh man, tell me about it! He is ALL over the place. Even after I take him out for a few minutes, he still jumps in the exercise wheel and goes to town. This little guy is eating everything! But thankfully, I still see him nursing as well.

 

[sarahspins]

I thought babies weren't supposed to have access to wheels?

 

[Dreamlite]

They start eating hay at two weeks old so that's normal

 

[Cuddlebug]

Babies should not have a wheel or out of the cage cage playtime until they are 6 months old. They need all of their calories for growing. They also get really stupid and do not know when to quit. They can literally run themselves into seizures to to low blood sugar.