have 4 day old orphan chinchillas and NEED HELP

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Kimberly

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Jan 24, 2012
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Hi! My name is Kimberly and I have 2 baby chinchillas. The momma escaped from her cage and I cannot find her anywhere. I think she may of even hopped out of the dog door. This happened this morning. I pray that that isn't the case and she will reappear soon. After tearing up the whole house looking for her I new the babies should be fed. I have 4 day old chi's and I have just started bottle feeding them 3 times with kitten formula. I have been using a syringe like dropper that squirts in their mouth. One chin does well, the other not so much. I was told to feed them every 2 hours which I have..and I have been trying NOT to get to the nose area. Little Hermes is having issues..as soon as I try to feed him he is NOT interested. I have to squirt some on his mouth and he licks it off. I need as much info as I can get on how to make sure they will be okay.

I have them in a small cage with blankets and a heating pad on low. Every time I feed them I swab their behind with a moist cotton ball so I can stimulate them going to the restroom. Which they have not yet. How much formula do they need every 2 hours. I keep trying to find it on the internet and it says when they push away they don't need anymore. Well Hermes doesn't want any to begin with. What can I do to make Hermes more comfortable with eating.

Thank you so much. I really really need as much advice as I can get. I am heartbroken and I want these little ones to survive.

Thank you. Kimberly
 
I suggest you read the linked page as well, but I wanted to comment on some of the stuff you wrote specifically.

You said he doesn't want to take the milk - that will come with time. When we have to handfeed babies, the first few days they're always like "what is this crap this non-chin person is trying to feed me? Forget it!" but then they realize it's food and after a few days they're typically eating like champs.

As for finding mom, I would try closing off as many rooms as possible. Maybe put down food/dust in each room, if possible, and you'll be able to tell if she's come and dusted when you're not around. If you're turning the house upside down for her, you may be scaring her and driving her further into hiding.

KMR is a no-no. Goat's milk with baby cereal added is what should be fed. That's in the linked thread above.

With Hermes, give it time. Some aren't gung-ho on eating right from the beginning. Sometimes, though, they just don't make it, despite best efforts. Heck, kits don't always make it when their mothers are feeding them, so we can only try as best we can. Keep trying to get food into him. Ideally, you want the kits to be gaining a few grams a day.
 
Good luck. I agree about finding the mom. I think some dust in the center of each room would be the best way to see if she's around or not.

I thought I lost a chin up a chimney one time and he finally turned up someplace completely different.

Fingers crossed.
 
Maybe if you post where you live someone might be able to help you.

No kitten formula. Goats milk, baby cereal (rice) and water. I hope you find the mom.
 
Thank you so much. I am going to get the goats milk tomorrow. You have no idea how hard it was to get that info. I called all my vets here and they had no idea. They all recommended kitten formula. I am a stressed chi mommy at the moment. I just want them to be okay. I live in Flagstaff Arizona. I will keep you all updated. I just fed them again...hermes did hesitate but he seemed to lick up some. In a few hours I will be back at it. Thanks again.

Kimberly
 
What a horrible situation for you. I sure hope momma is found soon and can resume care for her kits. Until then, follow the advice given and best of luck to you! Please keep us updated!
 
FOUND THE MAMMA CHINCHILLA and have questions

I was up all night round the clock feeding the baby chins. They did well. The bigger one started enjoying her feeds. Hermes not that much. I was so exhausted and so scared for their mommy. I knew she must have made it outside in our backyard. We have a national forest behind us but our yard is gated. It has been REALLY chilly the past few nights and I thought the worst. I have been praying and crying worrying about the kits and the mom. Something told me to go out in the yard and check under the sheds. My little tea cup poodle started wagging her tail and I knew it was Charlie(I thought she was a boy when I named her.) I was excited but scared..I knew she wouldn't come to me since she has always been skittish. I ran and got their dust house and food. Rabbits also burrow under the shed and sure enough she went in one of their burrows. I tried grabbing her and she hid deep inside. I waited...and waited until I heard her messing around with the dust house. I gated everything up and tore apart the back part of the shed...I put rocks in the burrow and she stood there and let me pick her up. Immediately I put her in the cage with the babies. The babies were so excited they were cheeping and kissing her. I cried. She was very thirsty and started cleaning the babies right away. Hermes definitely needed to be cleaned since he was a messy eater with me.

My only question should I still supplement the babies or will the mom still have plenty of milk since she has been away from them for a day? Should I keep them confined to a small cage or put them in the large one?
 
I found the mom, and she is with the babies. Thank you so much for all your advice. I was wondering if I should still supplement the babies since she was away from them for a day.
 
Let mom take care of them, but weigh them daily to make sure they ae getting enough to eat. If they do not gain or lose weight, the start supplementing them again.
 
So happy you found mom. Keep a close eye on her for a few weeks to make sure she didn't pick up anything while outside.
 
Just read this I am so glad for you mom and chins are reunited !!!!!!
 
How scary but so lucky that she is back. That was great that you listened to your instinct. That happened to me once with a lost kitten. They aren't supposed to be outside and I had already checked 3 times but I opened the door one more time and there he was all scared and ready to give up his wandering life.

That is heartwarming to hear the mom reunited with her babies.
 
I am so glad you found the mom and they are reunited. You did a fantastic job! Hope they are all doing well. Keep us posted.
 
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