Mummified kit (caution, pics)

Whimsy · Apr 8, 2010

The nurse in me wants to share this rather clinical post. This is intended as a shared learning experience and a graphic warning to those who are considering breeding without foreknowledge.

Z5 was born today. It was our first experience with a mummified kit.
We thought at first it was a placenta... but the color was all wrong. I took it from the mama and knew this hard lump was no placenta. We're just thankful that our female passed the kit with no complications and still has one that is viable.

I keep close eye on weights and noticed that this female started losing weight about three and a half months into this, her first pregnancy. Dove's total weight gain from the time she was introduced to the male was 265 grams. Her one viable kit was born at 8am and weighed in at 51 grams. The mummified kit was passed at 2pm and weighed a mere 6 grams.

Marie5656 · Apr 8, 2010

Though I am sure you have experienced the loss before I am sure it is hard to have still born or malformed kits. Hope the mama is doing well.

cindyv3737 · Apr 8, 2010

So sad...I'm so happy she is ok and passed a healthy baby. So sorry for you loss.

chinchillalover0927 · Apr 8, 2010

how does this happen?? like i mean what goes wrong that would cause that? just trying to learn thats why im asking.

Spoof · Apr 8, 2010

Anything can go wrong, just like with humans. It's actually pretty common for a female to pass a partially reabsorbed kit with other healthy ones, sometimes as late as a week afterwards. I've had them come out from the size of a pea to a full blown kit. Always with live siblings though, never had one pass just by itself. Get one or two a year, most often all you hear is a "crunch crunch" because the female will eat them.

Lynn & The Chins · Apr 8, 2010

I'm so sorry for your loss, but thanks so much for sharing this knowledge with all of us.

chinchillalover0927 · Apr 8, 2010

Spoof said:
Anything can go wrong, just like with humans. It's actually pretty common for a female to pass a partially reabsorbed kit with other healthy ones, sometimes as late as a week afterwards. I've had them come out from the size of a pea to a full blown kit. Always with live siblings though, never had one pass just by itself. Get one or two a year, most often all you hear is a "crunch crunch" because the female will eat them.

tara, thanks for the info but the "crunch crunch" from the female eating them grossed me out lol and i have a veryyyy strong stomach .. but thank you for the answer. i was just curious

CJR · Apr 9, 2010

That is really interesting. Sad, but interesting. I am glad you posted it.

I understand why the females eat stillborn/defective babies, but it still... kinda grosses me out.

Whimsy · Apr 9, 2010

.....actually, the "crunch" is how I first knew it wasn't placenta.

Brittany_Lynn · Apr 9, 2010

psycho_ash said:
That is really interesting. Sad, but interesting. I am glad you posted it.

I understand why the females eat stillborn/defective babies, but it still... kinda grosses me out.

Exactly what I was thinking.
It's kind of interesting to see the shape of the kit, as it wasn't fully formed.
But yeah, the crunching...eep!

Spoof · Apr 9, 2010

It's kind of interesting to see the shape of the kit, as it wasn't fully formed.

Actually, that one was probably fully formed - it already has hair. Soft tissue is the easiest to absorb so go first, what you are seeing left is the hard tissue (bones) and fur. Likely it was a later term reabsorption.

Brittany_Lynn · Apr 9, 2010

Spoof said:
Actually, that one was probably fully formed - it already has hair. Soft tissue is the easiest to absorb so go first, what you are seeing left is the hard tissue (bones) and fur. Likely it was a later term reabsorption.

Whoa. :huh:

Whimsy · Apr 9, 2010

Yup, this one was a later term. As I posted earlier, mom gained weight and then started to lose it toward the end of the pregnancy. The kit is formed, but you can see in the second picture where the head and eye sockets are sunken in....no brain, no eyes.

Olallie · Apr 9, 2010

Wow interesting, but I couldn't blow up the pics because it grossed me out too. Will have to do it later when I haven't eaten yet, so I get kind of used to it if I want to be a breeder one day...

cindyv3737 · Apr 9, 2010

Whimsy said:
Yup, this one was a later term. As I posted earlier, mom gained weight and then started to lose it toward the end of the pregnancy. The kit is formed, but you can see in the second picture where the head and eye sockets are sunken in....no brain, no eyes.

Interesting...I've heard of animals "removing" the evidence. Thank you for posting the pictures. I'd never seen a mummified baby before.

Ippo456 · Apr 9, 2010

Spoof said:
It's actually pretty common for a female to pass a partially reabsorbed kit with other healthy ones.

How is the kit (which I'm assuming is still in the mom's stomach) being reabsorbed?

Mt. Zion Chins · Apr 9, 2010

Believe it or not - I just had the same thing happen to me today. One very healthy 65g kit was born. About 4 hours later a mumified blob once born. The mom started to eat it when I notice what it was and took it away.

RDZCRanch · Apr 9, 2010

Ippo456 said:
How is the kit (which I'm assuming is still in the mom's stomach) being reabsorbed?

It's a kind of defense mechanism that some animals have. When a fetus is non-viable or something goes wrong in utero the body breaks down the fetus allowing the mother to essentially reabsorb the kit. The purpose is to save the mother from birthing a carcass that could attract predators.

Lynn & The Chins · Apr 9, 2010

WOW, Tab -- VERRRY interesting!!!

starleomach · Apr 10, 2010

I had that happen a few weeks ago with a kit, The huge sc I had born a few weeks ago. He was 80 grams and shortly after he was born his mom had a mumified kit that weighed 15 grams. It happens once in a while

Mummified kit (caution, pics)

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