Hand feeding babies, need advice

[blinkrawker739]

My female passed away on Friday/early Saturday, leaving us two 7 day old babies. I have been hand feeding them the formula found on this thread:

http://www.chins-n-hedgies.com/forums/showthread.php?t=21

They are fed every two hours and normally take about half of a cc before squirming like they are done. I could not find a scale until Monday so the weights from them are:

7/25
Blossom 51
Cynder 55

7/26
Blossom 52
Cynder 57

7/27
Blossom 52
Cynder 56

Do I need to be trying to get more down them or is that normal? They are now 12 days old. I have been searching online and have asked a breeder friend of mine (no response from her and no luck with online searches) about how much they should be eating right now at each feeding. Obviously not all kits are going to be the same size or eat the same amount but I was just wondering.

I read a thread on here about triplets who were born and at birth each weighed the same or more than my babies weigh now. Which of course I know they are not born all weighing the same weight and some can be rather small.

I have also been having some problems getting them to poo. I have followed the advice on that same thread with no results. Someone told me to add Karo syrup to their formula, which I have been doing for several days. (A very small drop added.) Sometimes I get them out and they are pooing then, and sometimes I find tiny poos in the cat carrier (it was recommended I keep them in there so they do not become too chilled). That is not very often though, maybe once a day. Cynder was going last night at about 2:30 am when I got her out to feed her, and I haven't seen Blossom go since the night before when she went quite a bit.

The droppings are not soft but are quite small and hard. Their tummies are soft.

They are active and alert and still get into small squabbles with each other. Their tails are up and curled.

I want to thank you in advance for taking the time to read this and replying. I have been researching nonstop about this for over a week but I can't seem to find the exact answers I am looking for.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

Keep up with the feedings every two hours and definately try to get more in them at each feeding. My quads are gaining about 3-4 grams each day and that is with handfeeding and rotating with mom. Even with the rotations the kits will easily drink 1.5 ml every 2-3 hrs.

Are you rubbing their genitals to make them go to the bathroom? At this age they need stimulation to go. Warm damp cotton ball does the trick.

Hope this helps some
Jessica

 

[blinkrawker739]

Thank you for the reply. : ) I am, I have been using warm wet cotton balls every 2 hours (after feeding) and they will pee each time. I just seem to be having a problem getting them to poop.

I will try to get them to eat about a 1.5 ml each next time I feed them. I thought they weren't getting enough but the few things I found online about amounts they should be getting were conflicting. One said .5 of a ml was good for a 10 day old kit, another said more.

Cynder will suck the syringe and get close to .5 of a ml before she will squirm and flip around and it's hard to get her to take more. Blossom normally does not suck it and it's harder to get her to eat, but she will eat.

 

[blinkrawker739]

I replied but it is not showing up. Not going to post the same thing again in case an admin has to approve it first. This is my first time posting here so I was not sure.

I also wanted to add that I have a gel pad that I have been heating in the microwave and placing under the carrier so that they can stay warm in between feedings. They have a soft baby blanket that they cannot catch their little toes or nails in, and a stuffed teddy bear (with no plastic parts) to cuddle up to.

Someone also suggested giving them alfalfa. I did not know if they were too young for this now or not, and I know that they need to be getting formula more than anything else.

At what age can I give them a water bottle, pellets, and some hay? Thank you again. : )

 

[Sycamore Chins]

Make sure the formula has not cooled down and that is why they are squirming away from it. We had one male that we had to handfeed that the temperature had to be PERFECT for him to eat it - and then he would gladly chow down on it.

I would also stimulate them before feeding, instead of after. You may see them eat more if you do that.

 

[blinkrawker739]

That could be it. Do you suggest that I keep the syringe in a cup of warm water to keep it warm for the second kit? Normally it has cooled some when the first is done. I have been feeding Blossom first as she is smaller.

I see that an admin does have to approve it first, sorry about that mix-up.

I will start stimulating before. Do I need to stimulate before and after? One website I read said to do that but I seemed to only be able to get them to urinate after. I have not tried to stimulate before in a few days but I will from now on. They need to eat in about an hour and 15 minutes so we will see how they do.

 

[addictedtochins]

A question for the breeders. Would it be a good idea to see if the father would join them in the carrier or kit proof cage for their warmth and comfort?

 

[tunes]

You give the mom alfalfa to help produce milk. I would not give alfalfa to new kits, it's too high in protein and could cause loose poo.

How big is the syringe you are using? I use a 1 mL syringe and I keep the bottle the formula is in in warm water, not the syringe. I constantly test the formula to make sure it's a good temp, which includes swirling the formula around in the jar. If you have it in a syringe, you might miss hot spots.

I also agree on checking the temp. Some kits just won't eat it unless it's warm, or even slightly more than room temperature.

Yes, I would leave them with dad. Dad's often times will pick up on the "cleaning" duties if mom can't/won't. Also, it should not be a wet cotton ball, just a warm, sightly damp one.

Do not use a gel pad. Get a heating pad and keep it under half of the cage only, set on the lowest setting. Gel pads cool off too quickly and their temp can't be regulated. You would end up burning them if you got it too hot. Leaving them with dad will take care of the warmth problem.

ETA: At 12 days old they should be taking a LOT more than .5 mL. I just started hand feeding some kits born Tuesday and they are taking a full 1 mL syringe and then some at each feeding. I believe the FAQ you linked to says that kits will start to eat pellets and hay within a few days. At 12 days old they should absolutely have pellets, hay, water, and also the dry formula listed in the FAQ, since they lost mom.

 

[tunes]

Changed my post up there - they were born Tuesday (2 days ago) not Friday. I swear when the kids aren't in school, I can't remember what day it is!

 

[blinkrawker739]

My heating pad shuts itself off after awhile and will not come back on until I reset it. I think it only stays on for about 30 minutes. Do you suggest buying a new heating pad? I will buy a bottle today and heat it up in that. The bottle I had for feeding kittens (brand new, never used) I loaned to a friend and of course never got it back lol. I had been heating it slowly in a tiny pot.

When I tried to introduce them to their dad they squealed and jerked away from him and trembled. He bit the bars of the cage (I let him smell them through the cage) but he was also 'talking' to them like he used to talk to his mate. I was not sure if that was a normal reaction and I did not want to put them in there and have them be bitten. Any advice about that? Like I said I have asked my friend who was a breeder for a decade I believe but she only replied about adding some Karo syrup and did not reply to my other messages.

The syringe goes up to 3 cc's. I chose it because the tip of it is long, like a nipple (it is not soft rubber so cannot be easily punctured) and they seemed to do better with it than with a regular dropper. I think I have a 1 ml syringe and if I do I can see if this tip will attach to that, if it is still ok to use it.

Thank you Tunes. Like I said I have found so much conflicting information online that I was not sure what to do. Most said do not give them pellets or hay or even a water bottle because they need formula only. The cage I have is baby safe so if it is safe to put them with him they cannot escape.

 

[blinkrawker739]

LOL, since I graduated I can never remember what day it is. ; )

 

[tunes]

I have never added Karo syrup, and I don't recommend it. Mom's milk doesn't have Karo in it and I don't think they need it. I will add baby cereal to help with weight gain, but I see no point to the Karo.

Dad may have been calling to them, and the kits eeking is totally normal. If mom was alive and cleaning them, they would eek the entire time. That's just kits being kits. Stay by the cage and monitor the situation, bring a book and read. If it seems like dad is okay with them, then leave them. I have never had an issue with a dad hurting a kit.

It's far safer, especially for an inexperienced hand feeder, to put drops of formula ON their lips. Don't let them suck on the syringe or you could end up aspirating them. Also, you might want to try hanging a formula bottle for them. It may take them a while to get used to using it, but a lot of people have success with that. I'm going to give it a shot here for the trips I just started hand feeding, once I get them eating well with the syringe.

 

[menagerie]

My heating pad shuts itself off after awhile and will not come back on until I reset it. I think it only stays on for about 30 minutes. Do you suggest buying a new heating pad? I will buy a bottle today and heat it up in that. The bottle I had for feeding kittens (brand new, never used) I loaned to a friend and of course never got it back lol. I had been heating it slowly in a tiny pot.

I would buy a new heating pad that doesn't shut off. Unfortunately, most of the human ones now have an automatic shut off feature. You can get a reptile heating pad, they stay on.

 

[Essentia]

The reptile heating pads I found have to be put on a glass aquarium before turning it on (or at least that's what it says). Is that the one you use?

 

[blinkrawker739]

I dug through some boxes here and found an older heating pad that stays on. However it only has one setting, and that is 'On'. It doesn't seem like it heats up too hot.

Went to the store and found some dry goats milk replacement so I am going to mix some of that up for them. Put them in with their daddy and he cleaned them and got them to poop more than I've ever been able to.

Also I found a 1 ml syringe and I have been using that. They now have a water bottle hooked and I added some hay and pellets for them. I will post a photo later if you don't mind. I am not sure what color they are, I think one is an ebony white and the other a pink white.

 

[tunes]

If you leave them with dad and he cuddles them, they shouldn't need a heating pad. If he doesn't, then put the heating pad under a corner of the cage just in case. If the cage has shelves and ledges, take them out so dad will stay down with the kits. If there is a house and he goes in it, leave it in. If he stays on top all the time, then make sure you have the heating pad in the cage under the house and you might want to consider flipping the house over so they can get in rather than on.