Milk question

[warmice]

Hi i would like to know how do you determine if the mom is producing milk properly? Mitten gave birth to one beautiful kit this morning and I'm quite concerned if she is producing milk (although she have prolonged nipples). I thought that i would just ask just in case.

Thanks in advance for your replies!!

 

[shubbles]

usually if its only one kit they will not have a problem with producing milk. If the kit seems to be acting lathargic or scrawny then hes probably not being fed

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

The only way to know is to weigh the kits daily. The first few days the kits may not gain much or even lose a little. After mom's milk comes in fully (a few days) the kits should gain about 2 grams a day.

 

[warmice]

Okay thanks!! So when is the good time to step in and hand feed the kit it its necessary? I've prepared goat milk just in case.
The kit is really cute and hyper. Just within 2 hours, its hopping around the cage (Yes Diaper is only 2 Hours old)! =)

 

[Gizmo24]

awww...2 hours old! I bet he's adorable!!!!

 

[warmice]

Yeah! but i still don't know its gender. I'm afraid its too frail for me to carry and check its gender and weight. I'll probably carry it in the evening..

 

[addictedtochins]

Do you know about and have a chin safe cage? Oh and we need pictures of the babe

 

[warmice]

Yup! We had done research about the chin safe cage and their both separated from the dad and the mom and kit in the chin safe cage now.
Thanks for your concerns.

Mitten is a really attentive mom! Been feeding and feeding, cleaning and cleaning Diaper. They really look really cute together! :dance3:
Her weight is 56g.

Is she ebony? She looks pretty much like an ebony to us. Mom's a violet and dad's an ebony. She has a very pretty marking on her back. The first half of her body follows the color of her mom and the second half of her body follows the color of her dad.

 

[tunes]

As long as she's gaining steadily, mom is producing milk. She's a beautiful little ebony girl.

If you had to hand feed in the future, you need to remember that the milk mix is only good for 48 hours. So you wouldn't want to make it up until you really needed it. You can freeze it, and take out what you need on a daily basis, but you can't just let it sit in the fridge.

 

[warmice]

Alright. Thanks!! another question do i need to wash my hand with anti-bacterial soap every time i carry her? Am I being too paranoid (because I think that nurses in the hospital wash their hands before carrying the newborns). haha

 

[Riven]

Washing never hurts anything.