Advice with newborn kits

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

Yes, just rotate the big guy and supplement him a bit to take the edge off hunger. He's more apt to retaliate against the little one if he is hungry. But he needs to suckle the teet on the other side of mom. Hopefully he will get that teet flowing and stay there.

 

[Srlampron]

Just a quick question out of curiosity: are chins like humans where if only one breast/nipple is used to nurse, the other(s) will dry up? Just something I was wondering.

I've been following this post since the beginning and have been so worried about these boys. Hope little guy is doing better! What's his current weight?

 

[ArmyWife]

Tonight I weighed them and little guy is 57 grams and big guy is 75 grams so little guy is definitely gaining! I sat and watched them for a while and tried to get big guy to nurse on the other side of Mommy. He continuously kept going back to where little guy was nursing. There were several times that little guy went after big guy and tried to bite him. Twice I actually had to pull little guy off big guy. I'm worried that big guy is only gaining weight because he's eating hay and supplement JAGS formula and not actually getting any milk.

 

[Cuddlebug]

If he is gaining, he is getting enough milk. They don't eat enough supplement and hay at this age to gain if they are not getting enough milk. sounds like they are doing good. Keep rotating out the big one and supplementing him with formula.

 

[ArmyWife]

Just a quick update, little guy weighs 60 grams and big guy weighs 80 grams. Both are very active and fluff monsters. They seem to be nursing on mommy's other side. They are about 2 weeks old... should they be gaining more than 1-2 grams a day now?

 

[addictedtochins]

Glad to hear that! I was wondering about them. I am sure lil guy will be fine and live!
We need new pics!

 

[Kansas City Chinchillas]

Just a quick update, little guy weighs 60 grams and big guy weighs 80 grams. Both are very active and fluff monsters. They seem to be nursing on mommy's other side. They are about 2 weeks old... should they be gaining more than 1-2 grams a day now?

They should be gaining at least 1-2 grams a day. More would be good and kits often gain more but gaining everyday is what to be concerned about.

 

[ArmyWife]

I just weighed them and big guy weighs 85 grams and little guy weighs 66 grams!! Needless to say, I think we're in the clear! I tried giving big guy scritches this morning and he LOVED it... cutest thing ever!

These are the best pictures I could take so far. Don't mind the messy cage, these were prior to me cleaning it today.

This is big guy munching away at some oats that I gave Mommy for a treat

This is little guy running away from me... as per usual

This is big guy munching away on the JAGS formula... total milk mustache. Mommy is creeping in the background.

So we haven't named the kits yet. My husband said we should name little guy Napoleon because he has a Napoleon complex lol

 

[ArmyWife]

My male chin had sticky moist stools a couple days ago. I took out his mazuri pellets and now his stools are back to normal. Now instead my female chin has the same kind of stools. I took the pellets out of her cage... is it ok just to give her hay right now while she's nursing? I'm assuming that it's the pellets and I need to switch to oxbow pellets; can I switch cold turkey right now? Will the kits stomachs be ok with new pellets since I've been making them the JAGS formula with the pellets? I provide my female with mostly orchard grass hay and then some alfalfa as well.

We got hit really badly by the hurricane and have been out of power since Sunday. I believe that the pet store located near by is without power but is still open and I know they have oxbow pellets.

 

[Jenn]

I can't help you with stool advice, but just wanted to say the kits are adorable and look to be thriving!

 

[Spoof]

I'd do a cold switch on the pellets asap. Messy stool is nothing to mess around with when you have nursing babies because mom can pass it on. It's an imbalance in the gut flora. I had the same issues when I used Mazuri though some people never experience it.

 

[ArmyWife]

I'd do a cold switch on the pellets asap. Messy stool is nothing to mess around with when you have nursing babies because mom can pass it on. It's an imbalance in the gut flora. I had the same issues when I used Mazuri though some people never experience it.

Is it a coincidence that my male chinchilla had it too or could that be giardia? What pellets do you recommend instead? I know for sure that the pet store near my house is open even without power and sells oxbow. I really want to clean their cage and wash their liners but I've been out of power for 4 days now including no running water. OY!

 

[Spoof]

Is it a coincidence that my male chinchilla had it too or could that be giardia?

Giardia lives in the digestive tract naturally. Any time it becomes unbalanced it allows it to flourish and that is when you will see it in the stools.

Because your male and female had it and it disappeared by simply removing the food from each in separate cages experience says change the food first. Go get the Oxbow. ) If they don't have oxbow, get whatever plain rabbit pellet they have. They are almost all identical now.

 

[ArmyWife]

Giardia lives in the digestive tract naturally. Any time it becomes unbalanced it allows it to flourish and that is when you will see it in the stools.

Because your male and female had it and it disappeared by simply removing the food from each in separate cages experience says change the food first. Go get the Oxbow. ) If they don't have oxbow, get whatever plain rabbit pellet they have. They are almost all identical now.

Alright I'll go get the oxbow today after work. I left a voicemail with my exotic vet who should hopefully call me back tomorrow. I'm thinking about taking a stool sample in just in case. I swear... it's one thing after another with these little guys but I wouldn't change a thing. I adore these little guys!

 

[ArmyWife]

I just checked on them, she's still continuing to have soft stools. She even had some in her fur which may be from one of the kits. I picked up one of them and noticed mushy stool near his genitalia. I left a voicemail with my exotic vet to see if I can just bring in a stool sample. Mommy seems very anxious right now but I think it's all related to the hurricane and loss of power. The kits are still gaining several grams every day.

I don't weigh my mommy but when I looked at her tonight I thought it looked like she may be losing. Is that normal for a nursing mom? I'd attempt to get a base weight but I feel that would be way too much stress for her.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Yes, the mothers do lose weight while they are nursing kits. It is normal. Since they all my be having problems, I would take samples in to the vet if I could, just to be safe. It probably is the food, but it's better safe than sorry.

 

[Sue]

I doubt very much that you have parasites or giardia. But you may have bad feed, I wouldn't change it in mid-stream or you may lose both parents and kits. Keep them both on hay for a few days, she needs alfalfa for the calcium. Your vet can even do a blood test to see if she has enough. Buy new feed if you can, same brand. Big guy is just a glutton and is muscling little guy off the other teet because he can. That's why little guy is fighting back.

You have a picture with one of the babies on a dish that looks like oats maybe. What is that? Supplements are great, but babies can overeat and get runny very easily, and personally I wouldn't clean that butt with my tongue either. Keep them clean and try new feed (same brand). Supplement with goat's milk if they're fighting.

We have one guy that out of triplets got the raw end of the straw. I tried for two weeks to supplement all of them, but he was bit below both eyes, his chin, his nose. Both eyes were swollen shut from being scratched. Moms have six teets but, dang it, if some kits have to have the same teet and will fight over it. He's out of there now, in a separate cage, and we're hand feeding him. Needless to say, he loves our attention and can't get enough of it. But ideally, they need mom, and dad.

Thank your husband for his service, thank you for your support of him. Bless you all,

 

[Spoof]

But you may have bad feed, I wouldn't change it in mid-stream or you may lose both parents and kits.

What? This has happened to you?

 

[6Dusters]

There are so many reasons for soft poo and perhaps just one reason causing it. I do have a question. How much suppliment are you giving out. Such as daily? And how much? Is your male getting the same ration as well?

Another question would be how long have you been feeding out of that pellet bag before the problem started?
Did you open a new bag of hay and this problem started? If so, did all the chins experience this in a matter of days?
How is your water supply? Are you using bottle water with the power being out or using tap?

Good idea to run in a poo sample.
IMP I would stop the suppliment and narrow one less thing for now. And you have to watch kits. I'm not saying that is the problem. But they really should be eating pellets and hay. They will get spoiled and eat only the suppliment.

Back to you.........

 

[ArmyWife]

There are so many reasons for soft poo and perhaps just one reason causing it. I do have a question. How much suppliment are you giving out. Such as daily? And how much? Is your male getting the same ration as well?

Another question would be how long have you been feeding out of that pellet bag before the problem started?
Did you open a new bag of hay and this problem started? If so, did all the chins experience this in a matter of days?
How is your water supply? Are you using bottle water with the power being out or using tap?

Good idea to run in a poo sample.
IMP I would stop the suppliment and narrow one less thing for now. And you have to watch kits. I'm not saying that is the problem. But they really should be eating pellets and hay. They will get spoiled and eat only the suppliment.

Back to you.........

I give them about four tablespoons of supplement which I make fresh about every two days or so. They have it readily available every day. My male chin does not get the supplement as he separated.

I have been feeding from those pellets since prior to the kits being born. I opened a new bag of orchard grass hay about a week ago. This was the hay given to my male chin to help him harden his stools. It's a pretty new bag so I believe that my male chin got loose stools prior to using this bag. I've always used bottled water for them.

I pulled the supplement out this morning and gave them fresh hay. Immediately one of the kits started munching on the alfalfa hay. Everyone is still very active, I think Mommy just appears very anxious due to the hurricane and loss of power. I'm hoping to get a call back in the afternoon from my exotic vet to see if I need to bring them in or if I can bring in a stool sample this weekend.