I removed Mira's boys on Friday. They seem to be doing really well! My female kit, Marika, is still housed with her mom. She continues to use the baby cry as she did when she was younger. She does this when I get her out to hold her as well. Is this still normal for an 8 week old kit? She also seems to be sulking. I think she misses her brothers. The three of them would always sleep together often without their mom. She still sleeps in the spot they slept in together. I saw her snuggling with her mom a little this afternoon, but mostly she sleeps alone.
8 week old kit still cries for mom?
- Thread starter ReneeM
- Start date
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It's not uncommon for an 8 week old kit to baby cry especially if she is still with her mom. She probably misses her brothers but she has mom to keep her company. She will adjust and be fine.
Dreamlite
Well-known member
I have a 5 yr old male wo still makes that sound when I pick him up. Every chin is different.
I hope she adjusts soon. Are her brothers in a cage nearby?
I'm dealing with the same thing. I'm fostering some rescue chins and it's going to be VERY hard tomorrow when the one kit turns 8 weeks old and I have to remove him from his mom. I'd kept he, his mom and dad together (ensuring no breed back the first 10 days after she gave birth) and they're a very close family and snuggle together a lot. I am going to put him in a separate cage with his dad. I'm worried the mom will be depressed losing her male partner and her baby boy at the same time. It's not going to be easy. The baby is especially bonded to his mom. (He was her only baby).
The other female I rescued just had two kits (one girl and one boy) last Monday. I removed the father to a cage nearby and he's sulking and barking at me and knocking over his food dish. He's very unhappy not being with his family.
The rescues told me to keep them apart for 10 days so I will and I will only them allow him back with her and the kits if he is gentle with them and there are no problems. Otherwise maybe I can get him to bond with another male rescue chin. Sorry to ramble....this baby thing is new to me (my own 5 pet chins I do not have in mixed groups and don't have to worry about pregnancies).
I wish you all the best....please update on how she is adjusting.
Cuddlebug
Well-known member
Furmommy, please stop putting male and female rescues together. They will breed and they should not be allowed to do so. The adults will get over not being together. They will not die of loneliness if you separate them.
I'm dealing with the same thing. I'm fostering some rescue chins and it's going to be VERY hard tomorrow when the one kit turns 8 weeks old and I have to remove him from his mom. I'd kept he, his mom and dad together (ensuring no breed back the first 10 days after she gave birth) and they're a very close family and snuggle together a lot. I am going to put him in a separate cage with his dad. I'm worried the mom will be depressed losing her male partner and her baby boy at the same time. It's not going to be easy. The baby is especially bonded to his mom. (He was her only baby).
The other female I rescued just had two kits (one girl and one boy) last Monday. I removed the father to a cage nearby and he's sulking and barking at me and knocking over his food dish. He's very unhappy not being with his family.
Sorry to ramble....this baby thing is new to me (my own 5 pet chins I do not have in mixed groups and don't have to worry about pregnancies).
Good on your for taking on some foster chins but I have to echo the post above.... please separate the mixed pairs out and keep them separate. I'm not sure I understand the rescue's need to keep mixed/'family' pairs together at all TBH. If the chins are rescues then they have no idea how many litters the female has had and how many breedbacks - potentially depleting the female and putting her health at risk.
It is also putting human emotions onto the animals (that they will be lonely etc) at best and is deliberately breeding non-pedigree/rescue chins at worst. The fact that the male is kicking off is more to do with hormones and the want to mate the female than loneliness per se. Keeping them apart really is the safest solution - if the males are being castrated and then reunited with the females after 6-8 weeks then that's a different story.
I think the majority of members on this forum would agree that rescues should not be condoning (or even worse, promoting) the intentional breeding of rescue chinchillas.
You're having a steep learning curve if you're taking on pregnant foster chinchillas and I hope that everything goes well for the mothers and kits.
