cage for a baby chin??

[xoxoimhis]

we have finally decided on where to get our newest chin!!
thing is.... he will be a baby and we have no experience
with babies. what kind of cage should we buy for him when
we go and pick up the little guy?? also, what are the facts
about baby chins. i heard they need to stay in the smaller
cage for 6 months.... i am also curious about how we will
introduce the baby to our current chins??

do they eat the same type of hay and pellets?? or is there a
special baby version?? i know i posted this in housing because
originally that's what this question was going to be, but so
many more flew into my mind!! lol

the baby will be only a few weeks old.

 

[Ash]

How old is "a few weeks old"? That makes it seem like the kit will be younger than it should be to leave.

Kits get the same type of pellets/hay as adults, but no food treats. They can have wooden sticks and such, though.

As far as a cage, just make sure the wire spacing is smaller, and I wouldn't go much taller than 24". Make sure you put shelves close together and have a hammock across the middle in case of falls. Anchor everything down pretty well, too, if you put it on a shelf.

As far as introductions, you would go about them the same way as normal, but you'll want to wait until the kit is large enough to be able to have a better chance in case of an attack. You'll still want to observe the 30day quarantine, but you may need to wait until the kit is 4-5 months old before doing introductions.

 

[xoxoimhis]

How old is "a few weeks old"? That makes it seem like the kit will be younger than it should be to leave.

Kits get the same type of pellets/hay as adults, but no food treats. They can have wooden sticks and such, though.

As far as a cage, just make sure the wire spacing is smaller, and I wouldn't go much taller than 24". Make sure you put shelves close together and have a hammock across the middle in case of falls. Anchor everything down pretty well, too, if you put it on a shelf.

As far as introductions, you would go about them the same way as normal, but you'll want to wait until the kit is large enough to be able to have a better chance in case of an attack. You'll still want to observe the 30day quarantine, but you may need to wait until the kit is 4-5 months old before doing introductions.

lots of info!! thank you so much!! and the baby is only 6 weeks old.
this is going to be my first time ever even seeing a baby chin so i am
so nervous. but excited too. ^_^

 

[Ash]

That kit should probably stay at the breeder's another 2 weeks... It's rare a breeder lets a kit go before that. Most are only just weaning their kits at that age.

 

[tunes]

I agree. I would not let a kit leave here under 8 weeks, and usually they are older than that. If this person is a hobbyist, it would make me question their dedication to the care of their chins. Most hobbyists wean then hold their kits for a few weeks to make sure they are thriving on their own before they allow them to leave their homes.

 

[Brittany]

also, what are the facts
about baby chins. i heard they need to stay in the smaller
cage for 6 months....

All breeders have slightly different views, but generally it is recommended that kits under 6 months old don't get edible treats (sticks are fine), no wheel, and no strenuous exercise. The purpose of this is to not upset their caloric intake, and make sure they don't burn tons of calories that they should be using for growing.

The youngest kit that a breeder has allowed me to take was 9 weeks old. For the first few months I'd only let her her out for about 5 minutes every few days to take a dust bath, and we built up her playtime from there. I'm sure other people will disagree with me and say absolutely no playtime, again different people will give you different views.

 

[xoxoimhis]

All breeders have slightly different views, but generally it is recommended that kits under 6 months old don't get edible treats (sticks are fine), no wheel, and no strenuous exercise. The purpose of this is to not upset their caloric intake, and make sure they don't burn tons of calories that they should be using for growing.

The youngest kit that a breeder has allowed me to take was 9 weeks old. For the first few months I'd only let her her out for about 5 minutes every few days to take a dust bath, and we built up her playtime from there. I'm sure other people will disagree with me and say absolutely no playtime, again different people will give you different views.

thank you so much for your input!!