Unexpected Baby Chinchilla

[gizandcharlie]

I didn't realize I had a boy and a girl chinchillas, but I do now. I thought they were both boys until I watched my chinchilla Charlie give birth to one little boy at 8:45 this morning. With all this said, I've been doing a lot of research today on how to care for the baby, and it's now almost 5 PM.
I'm nervous because while I was watching videos of other newborn kits I see how active they are, how they are a little plump and have their eyes open. My kit does none of those things, he moves very little, cries quite a bit, is smaller than most chinchillas (I haven't weighed him yet because i don't have a gram scale but I plan on going out soon to find one.), and I'm unsure if he's been nursing or not.

Should I just go find a vet and bring him and mommy tomorrow morning? I'm just very nervous and want to be sure the little baby makes it!

 

[javachin]

Some babies can be quite mobile after birth, others not. I hope you have removed the male, as they can re-breed quite quickly after birth. At the very least, put mom and baby in a cage that has holes no bigger than 1"x1/2". Babies can get out of openings larger than that. They figure out how to suckle very quickly and just monitor the baby's weight daily once you get a scale.

Also check out this link if you haven't already: http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21

 

[gizandcharlie]

I had already done a little research on kits before the birth (although I wasn't expecting babies because I thought I had boys..) and knew about taking away the father so I did that immediately. I just got back from Walmart and I bought a scale to weigh him daily. Thank you for the help!

 

[Vyxxin]

To add to what's already been said...a vet isn't going to be able to help much and if anything, it may stress both mom and baby out enough to kill the kit. Keep them home unless you suspect mom is ill. Along with bar spacing being no larger than 1"x1/2" the cage itself needs to be small. Take out ledges, don't give mom a place to escape the baby...because she may take advantage of it and not nurse the kit. Get a gram scale, it's the only way to monitor a young kit...gaining weight is good...losing weight means you'll need to handfeed. Hope that helps a bit!

 

[Riven]

There is actually a chance that she was bred back before even giving birth, separate and keep separate.

I think it's hard to say "smaller than other chinchillas" without having them there to actually compare. Kits vary in size greatly. Right now you're number one concern is separating and a baby safe cage. Make sure mom is eating and seems to be feeling good.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Also, based on your post it seems like maybe the kit does not have its eyes open - is this the case? If so, you need to gently open them. There are threads on here relating to that topic and others can hopefully speak from experience

 

[gizandcharlie]

Thanks

Thanks again everyone.. The baby is doing much better now. They've been separated even before birth, as soon as I realized what was going on the male was taken away. And everything has been babyproofed. He's getting more mobile, and I was going to wait until tomorrow morning to see if his eyes open on their own. They don't look crusty or infected or anything. I went out and bought a scale and he weighs 47 grams.

 

[gizandcharlie]

This morning I got the babies eyes to open, and I weighed him again, but he lost two grams.. So now i'm worried. I went out and bought the ingredients to hand feed but he won't take it. Just sits there with it on his lips.
Not looking too good

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

Have you had to hand feed a chinchilla before? A lot of them are not too keen on it. Perhaps some of those experienced with and feeding a kit can suggest some techniques? Also there are probably threads on it since I know most breeders have dealt with hand-feeding at some point or another

 

[gizandcharlie]

The baby just passed away.. I tried everything I could. I think he was premature, I don't know. But every little thing I found I tried. I even called a vet and did everything they said. Mommy tried biting his face so I took him away because he was bleeding and as a few minutes passed I felt his heart rate and breathing drop, and within minutes he was gone I'm not putting my chinchillas back in the same cage together because I most certainly do not want to go through that again. But thank you guys so much for all your wonderful help, I really wish the outcome could have been better.. I'm devastated.

 

[javachin]

Losing a couple grams or so within a couple days of birth is normal. Sometimes mom's milk doesn't come in as long as 5 days. You can try supplementing now, but he will probably be stubborn about it. When it comes to hand feeding, sometimes you have to be a bit more firm with squirting just a tiny amount into their mouths. They won't take it willingly at first, so you have to keep trying. I've had kits really fight me or once they got the hang of it, would just sit there and hold the syringe and eat without a fight…just gotta keep trying.

 

[Sue]

It's probably correct to assume it was premature or there may have been something else wrong with it. If mom was rejecting it, there's not much you can do. And since it already passed, you tried what you could. Keep an eye on mom and watch her weight from here on out. Hopefully all will be well. Sorry you lost him.

 

[e.murphy518]

So sorry for your loss, it sounds like you did the best you could for them. I am sorry you had to go through that, I hope that you, the mom and the dad are all doing alright.