Advice needed..Ruby possibly pregnant

[Sdo9396]

Okay, as some of you may know, I got Ruby off CL about 3 weeks ago. Her previous owner also had a male chinchilla who I believe was allowed to play/come in contact with Ruby (I was given photos of her with a cagemate). So right off the bat, I was a little nervous that she could've gotten pregnant. Today, Ruby had a vet appointment that I had made just to have her checked out since I had no medical or genealogical history. I wanted to make sure everything was okay with her and that there were no medical issues that I needed to be aware of. I told the vet that she was possibly allowed to play with a male chinchilla and asked if she could feel anything inside her tummy. She felt around and felt her two kidneys and a "lump". She couldn't tell if the "lump" was a full colon or possibly a baby. She said that it was the size of a kidney just that it was further back in her abdomen. She said that I could get an x-ray to see if there was anything inside but that it might be too early to tell. I decided to hold off since the x-ray had a possibility of not showing anything. I might go back in a month or so to have it done since the baby would show up if there is one. If I were to feel around her tummy, I wouldn't know what is normal and what is potentially a baby. Her belly feels round and according to the vet, she weighs 1.9 lbs! I don't know if this is accurate since the scale they were using was for dogs/cats. I am going to get a gram scale tomorrow. What do you all suggest I do? The suspense is killing me!

 

[Laurie]

What you can do is read up on all the emergencies babies threads. You need to have a baby safe cafe with baby safe wiring, you need to prepared to hand feed should baby/babies come and mother can not care for them, you need to have an experienced chinchilla vet on hand should mom go into labor and have problems. Is there a breeder near you who could help answer questions for you should she deliver?

Counting from today mark your calendar 120 days if that much time passes and she does not deliver than she will not.

In situations like this they say prepare for the worst hope for the best that's really all you can do

I would also stop pressing on her belly and checking as if she is pregnant it could harm any kit or kits

 

[JodiO]

The gestation period for a chinchilla is 111 days so if you got her three weeks ago, possibly pregnant, you should have your answer in less than 90 days ( @ 3 months!). Good luck!

 

[Essentia]

I would also stop pressing on her belly and checking as if she is pregnant it could harm any kit or kits

100% agreed. I would not bring her back to the vet for an x-ray and additional tummy manipulations. I would start counting 111 days from the day you got her. If you end up with a kit, she was pregnant, if not, she wasn't. X-rays are dangerous for fetuses, human or otherwise. Palpating the abdomen is also dangerous and could harm her or her unborn kit (if there is one). Bringing her back and forth to the vet is also bringing more unneeded stress to her and her possible kit.

 

[Sdo9396]

Thanks for the advice everyone. I won't be going back for the x-ray after reading Essentia's post. The vet mentioned something about an ultrasound but don't you need gel or something for that? I don't know how that would affect the fur on her belly..I guess I will just have to wait! I have an empty FN141 that I could wrap with screen/wire just in case a baby pops up. I also have empty syringes just in case the baby needs to be hand fed. Is the vet that I saw a bad one since she couldn't distinguish between a full colon and a baby? :neener:

 

[Airyn]

I live right in Wayne and work in King of Prussia. If you do end up with kits and need supplies, pm me. I have extra feeding syringes, food bowls, glass water bottles, baby rice cereal and dry goats milk replacer. I'd be happy to help out however I can!

 

[Sdo9396]

Thanks so much for the offer Airyn! I will keep you in mind if anything happens!

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

I'll donate a house "if" you end up with a baby, because I know you'll keep it!
Here's hoping on your behalf that she isn't, but that if she is you get a healthy bouncing baby, with no complications!