continued questions about kit

iluvmychins · Mar 20, 2009

One of the questions I asked was never touched...

About when is a good age to take momma and kit out of a secluded super quite area?

Also, when is a good time to start handling them (more than when weighing) and how long at a time?

Thank you again!

Rickman · Mar 20, 2009

I usually wait until the kit shows some intrest in me, or two weeks, whatever comes first. Just kind of hold your hand in there, and see if she comes to sniff or taste it, maybe climb up on it, and don't make any quick moves. I always speak softly when interacting with my chins, as it seems to calm them!

Parkerspetchins · Mar 21, 2009

I pretty much handled the couple of kits that were born here daily after the first few days. I wanted to give mom a short break and socialize the kits a bit. I didn't keep them out for long but I waited for a time when they weren't feeding, weighed them, and then held them for a few minutes. When they got to be a couple of weeks old I handled them for a little longer and let them play.

Quiet is a good thing for mom to have so I would keep her as calm and quiet for as long as you can. Is there a need to move her back to a noisier area?

Megan · Mar 21, 2009

I do not set a time-limit on when I start to handle kits. Normally the first few days, I allow mom and kits to settle in. After that i'll take them out for a few minutes here and there. it gives mom a much needed break from her kits, and helps them to be a bit more social (IMO). When the kits look healthy, I can tell they are gaining ok, and just seem to be comfortable and settled in, is when I start holding them. For some it may be a few days, others a week or two. It all depends on the kit

My chinchillas and babies are kept in the same area of the house, kits or not. I do not move them from room to room

So where they live, is where they raise their kits.

iluvmychins · Mar 21, 2009

thanks

Thank you all again!

Jean Marie- I actually have them secluded to a room on the first floor of the house wehe there is no noise. My chinchilla room is on the second floor, but in a quite area also. I am in that room all of the time. I just dont want to keep them isolated for very long, and I am sure daddy wants to see his baby girl! Being her first and last baby, I thought being isolated for awhile would help them bond. I just didnt know how long they should be away from the norm.
Thanks again!

Sheri · Mar 21, 2009

I don't keep my mom's and kits isolated. I want my kits to know household noises from day one.

Handling is a different story. I may handle them the first day to get weights or I may wait till the second depending on Mom and what time they are born. For some reason while everyone elses kits seem to come at night and early AM, mine all want to deliver around noon. I had a litter born between noon and 2 this afternoon. This particular mom is in the livingroom in her cage because she doesn't seem to like the chin room. She does good here and is comfy so I let her be.

She had a BV and a Tan btw.

I start handling kits a little at a time from 4 days to a week old. By 2 weeks they are handled several times a day.

Veronica · Mar 21, 2009

Our chin room doubles as our computer room, but we don't have any kids, so our whole house is probably quieter than others, though the TV, vacuum, telephone are noises they hear all the time. We also handle the kits from day one. We sit on the floor and hold them down low because they have no qualms about jumping from your hands.

6Dusters · Mar 21, 2009

I kept Ava and her kits in the same room with the rest of the chins. Ava is pretty laid back and let us hold the kits right away. I weighed them and put them back. About day two we sat on the floor in front of the cage with the door open and held the kits in our laps. She nosed them from the door opening and we kept the visitation breif. I think each chin might be different. I've read some are very protective. Kits are pretty darned fast and can hop!!The best advice stated was staying very low to the ground with them. The pair in my situation was a rescue couple. And a suprise pregnancy shortly after being adopted. I was shocked to say the least. Now they are seperated and quite happy. Good luck with your little ones.

starleomach · Mar 22, 2009

I don't isolate any animals unless they are sick or aggressive towards other chinchillas. as for babies I playas soon as they are dry for a few minutes on and off all day

sublime5981 · Apr 5, 2009

I would think that moving a chin to another room would be more stressful than leaving them in their familiar surroundings.

Cuddlebug · Apr 6, 2009

I don't move my chins around unless it is to move a pregnant mother to a baby safe cage. They live in my living room and dining room and are use to the noise level. We handle kits every day from day one. We keep it short and either sit on a comfy sofa or on the floor while holding them.