How much approximately should a female chinchilla weigh before and after giving birth? I know there is fluctuation but what would be a dangerously low post-birth weight? I know absolutely nothing about breeding and am trying to help a friend. I do not want to give the wrong advice. I believe the female who gave birth unexpectedly is quite small and I do not know if I should advise handfeeding or not. I have already told him to carefully monitor food and water intake, remove treats, and to weigh her regularly as well as the one kit. The kit is doing quite well and now weighs 64 grams I just worry about the mom.
Weight of the mother?
- Thread starter Lillybabe
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Dreamlite
Well-known member
What is her normal not bred weight? If she is significantly lower than that and she continues to loose I would help hand feed the kit. How old is the kit? Is he gaining well?
The kit is gaining weight. I believe she is now three days old and her birth weight was 57 grams and she is now 64 grams. The mother was never weighed before birth as it was unexpected. The young man with the chinchillas was given a male and female pair and only found out through YouTube that they should be separated. He is too young to join or post here himself. The kit I feel is doing quite well I was just wondering what should be done to help the mother keep and gain weight. I recommended free feeding alfalfa already. He'd been essentially free feeding oats which I feel could have something to do with her small weight. However when I had posted he had given me an incorrect weight of 494 which is why I was concerned. When he double checked she was 617. I think this is still a bit small but it's much better than the first number.
Cuddlebug
Well-known member
617 is not too small. have him stop feeding the oats and give her lots of alfalfa and a good pellet. She should be fine. She will lose weight as long as she is still nursing a kit. That is normal. With her size and only one kit, they both should be fine.
She may still drop weight. 617 isn't a big chin, but some people prefer breeding small chins. I would do as recommended, offer a bit of alfalfa (slowly at first so she doesn't develop diarrhea), and monitor her weight. Tanya from Fuzzy's Kingdom sells a supplement that helps chins gain weight. It worked wonders for a chin I took in here that was just painful to look at. He was SO thin - blech. Didn't work to grow his ears back, but, I'll take the weight gain anyway.
