Unexpected baby, plz help.

[Collmar89]

I came home this weekend to find a baby chin in my cage. I saw the one mounting the other and separated the two. The baby is about 12hrs old and seems to be ok.

The father is in eye sight of the cage but is flipping out and was wondering if I should keep the parents a part?

The mom seems to have fur missing from above the tail and much wet in the bottom area and was wondering I I should be concerned bout it?

This came as a great surprise since my parents checked on them the day before and that they were suppose to be both males.

Any info on this matter is greatly appreciated.

 

[Chefscott]

Im no expert but just saw your post and thought maybe you could look up past threads on the questions you have, thats what i would do, and good luck Im sure everything would be ok, Ive read once that when a baby chin is born the fathers can be around and that they are very protective and help the mother by watching baby so she can get something to eat and drink, but be sure to watch closely how the father acts if you put him in the cage it might be worth a try you dont want to stress the dad out so bad that it kills him or makes him sick, but again good luck

 

[Zoaea]

There is s lot of information in these threads and a search bar if you end up with more specific questions. But to get started head over to the FAQ on babies http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=864.

I would say the most important things to do right now is to make sure your cage is baby proof, that is small bar space, 1/2 in or smaller, and remove any wheels, high shelves and keep the male separate. The female can get pregnant right now and there is a risk to the baby if they get in a tussle. Smaller cage is better for mom and kit so if the spare cage you put the male in has small bars I would swap the cages.

There are some things to watch for, such as the mom ignoring the baby or if the baby is dropping weight still after a few days. Make sure the mom has plenty of clean water and hay to eat and a good quality pellet. Use a gram kitchen scale to weight the baby if you can.

Edit: I just saw the new post before mine, keep the male separate or you will end up with more kits. Chinchillas arn't like most prolific rodents and suffer complications often in pregnancy. Only breeders keep pairs together. ;P The stress wont make him sick, he smells the mom in heat, you could put him in a diffrent room to calm him though.

 

[ArmyWife]

I definitely agree with what was said above. Make sure you baby proof the cage and do not put the male back in with the female. Breed back is very unhealthy for females. Remove all shelves and make sure mom and baby have a "hidey hut" to give them some privacy. I would also buy some goats milk just in case the kit isn't gaining weight or not nursing. I definitely recommend buying a postal scale and weighing the kit everyday at the same time and make sure you record their weight. With that being said, I wouldn't get involved and supplement until it's absolutely necessary. You can occasionally handle the kit just so they get used to humans holding them.

 

[Encantadora]

As long as the cage is proper for a kit, and she is caring for it, you're fine. Mark your calendar 110 days out and watch for a breed back pregnancy.