Fostering Kits

[mark miller]

I've recently wondered about something that I've never tried before. If a mother has raised a single baby for 30-45 days and that kit is only using 1 nipple and the others have dried up and stopped producing milk, but the 1 nipple being used still has milk, could that mother handle 2 fostered newborn kits? Would they have to fight over the 1 working nipple or if they tried to nurse on the other nipples is it possible for those to start producing milk again from the babies stimulation? I was always under the impression that if a female only had 1 working milk producing nipple that she could only handle 1 foster kit, but now I'm questioning that thinking. I'm hoping some of you have had some success and can share your experiences in fostering multiples to a mother that just raised a single baby. Does it work and what is the success rate for raising the multiples for those of you that have tried it?

 

[Ash]

Who says all the nipples dry up? Most babies of other species, in my experience, rotate what teat they suck from. Do chinchilla kits only nurse from one specific nipple?

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

Yes-they always use the same side.

Mark-I've always wondered if the other side would start production. I suppose it could if the kit kept nursing off from the unused side but I am sure he would be very agitated when it wouldn't work right away. I'm not sure I would use a foster mom that had a 30 day old kit on her. I'd be afraid the kit would fight with the newborn if there was only one nipple. I have pulled kits that were 6 weeks old and doing well so a newborn can get a chance at life.

Hoping someone else with experience chimes in.

 

[mark miller]

Yes, I would be seperating the 30-45 day old kit from mom before fostering the 2 newborns. If the original baby is closer to 1 month old, then I foster it to another mom with a single for a couple weeks. I wean my kits at 45-50 days in pairs, if I don't have 2 to wean then I'll leave a single with mom till 7-8 weeks. I always check moms for milk before fostering new kits to her and generally when they've only raised a baby there is only 1 working nipple for milk. I have had good success using foster moms, just never tried fostering 2 new babies to a mom that just raised 1.

 

[jacd061506]

I just did this, I pulled a seven week old single kit from mom to foster two of my tiny quintuplets (now the only surviving kits) and they each use one side of mom, where as the single kit was only on her left side. They seem to be doing well, both kits are now over 40g.

 

[starleomach]

If the hormones are there (which they should be) if the kits start suckling the milk should begin producing. It is the suckling action in each nipple that causes milk production. The more nursing the more production. So in theory since she has been nursing from at least 1 nipple all along then she should start producing else where as well if the kits stimulate her nipples