Unknown afterbirth 3 nights after initial labor

[Sunnyastounded]

On the morning of September 28th, my Vienna gave birth to a healthy hetero beige kit. There was a single placenta and minimal blood. The pregnancy was planned, so Vienna was already in a kit-proof cage by herself. The kit is healthy and on its way to gaining weight. Vienna is healthy as well.

Fast forward to last night (September 30th)

After allowing Snickers some playtime and weighing/checking on the kit, I noticed Vienna was a little uncomfortable and kept stretching. I worried for a little bit, but then ultimately dismissed it because this was her first birth. I hopped on my laptop and did some work. After 3 or so hours go by (with no change/odd sound coming from Vienna) I went to say goodnight to the chins. Unfortunately, I found a half dollar sized blob in the cage. It was two pieces connected by a strand. It had no fur or limbs and was dark in color.

I've been keeping a close eye on Vienna, who seems to be perfectly fine (and the kit is feeding still), but I must know what I had to clean up. Was it an undeveloped fetus?

 

[Zoaea]

If it had no structure I really doubt it was a kit. It might have been a huge clot or even a placenta. In humans I know something rare can happen were a placenta forms but the fetus never does, but this is very rare in humans and usually the result of chromasome abnormalities. Maybe she has a retained kit? Did it have a foul odor? I would bring her in for a check up or at least palpate her belly to see if you feel a kit.

Hope it's nothing. And I have only had one chinchilla give birth (resulting in emergancy surgery). All my breeding experiance is with guinea pigs so it's possible this is normal and I don't know about it...

 

[Sunnyastounded]

This is very puzzling. It did look very similar to a placenta and it didn't have an odor. Vienna's belly seems fine and she doesn't seem uncomfortable in anyway (but we all know how good they are at hiding it). I'd like to hear some more feedback.

 

[RDZCRanch]

More than likely it was a mummified kit that you found after it was almost fully consumed by the mom. Most breeders don't find a mummified kit because it is consumed after being expelled. They are usually expelled during the birth of the healthy live kit, but if it were in the opposite uterine horn it could have taken a few days to make its way out of the body.

If it were a retained placenta or underdeveloped kit, it would have a foul odor after being inside of the mother for two days. Mummified kits are mostly reabsorbed and don't really have any tissue available for rotting.

 

[Sunnyastounded]

Alright, thank you very much for the information, Tabitha. What sort of action should I take considering Vienna's current state?