HELP New To Babies.

[Chubi32]

Alright- so for those of you who missed my thread in Health and Hygeine I just found out maybe 3 days ago that my new beige boy is actually a she and is pregnate.. and this morning I woke up to a beautiful little kit As thrilled as I am I am terrified. I've yet to read anything kits and have never been a mother myself so this is all very new. Right now Mom and kit are in one of those guinea pig cages with the plastic drop bottoms. The bars on the sides are 5" long and 1" high before another bar if that makes sence. Will this cage work? I also have list of questions.

1. The babies eyes arn't open yet.. I read in the FAQs that this is okay unless there is an infection. The whole reason I took Mama to the vet in the first place though was an eye infection- could the baby have one too?
2. When am I aloud to touch the baby? I know with birds you arn't aloud to touch them so I didn't know if the same went for chins or what? haha.
3. Do babies need actual water or just their Mamas milk? The water bottle is as low as it can go but the pan is about 5" deep. Once again I read in the FAQs to mix unsweetened apple juice with water but I didn't know if that was just for Mama while pregnate or for the kit or I don't know.
4. Should I be concerned that Mama is like sitting on the baby? I'm sure she's just trying to keep the baby warm but I'm terrified that she's going to sufficate her.

Sorry for all the stupid questions.. I had no idea this poor girl was pregnate and didn't have much time to prepare myself.

 

[Chubi32]

One more question- Mom is on top of baby and I hear squeaking (possibly from baby?) is this normal/okay??

 

[6Dusters]

You will need to place her in another cage with wire or screen with holes no bigger then a dime size for now. Babies can and will crawl out of there! They can jump and climb by day two. You can buy cloth wire or small wire at home depot and cut to size and wire it in if you can't buy a new cage.

Second mom's milk is for kit. Add nice hay and ground up pellets. My new three day old kits are eating hay a bit. Make sure food is cage level on the floor where kit can reach it. If you don't have a gram scale to weigh kit....them borrow one. Keep daily log of weight.

Fresh water for mom daily. You can provide a second bottle with half apple/half water for a few days. Some people don't.

Mom won't smother kit. She stands over them and warms them and babies nurse standing up or upside down under her. They squeak when being cleaned or meeting mom.

Kit may need a warm compress then try to open eyes if not open. And mom will not mind you handling kit. Some mom's are very protective. Just a warning. Mine is lunging and kacked day one. Now she knows they are fine. I talk to mom in my "sweet voice" and give a raisin.

Good luck. And remember no question is too stupid.

 

[alli713]

No, that cage is not okay, once that kit gets mobile, which can be on the first day, it will crawl up the side and out the bars. They need to be 1" x 1/2" or 1/2" x 1/2" openings. If you don't have a cage like this the best you can do is get hardware cloth and wrap the cage in it.

You'll also need to take out any shelves so that mom has to stay by baby and so that she doesn't jump down and kill the baby. If there's a wheel in there it also needs to come out.

Mommas milk is fine for now. Eventually it will start nibbling on hay and pellets but her milk is fine for now.

Momma will sit on the baby, that is fine, she's probably nursing.

However you will need to get a scale and weigh the baby every day to make sure that momma has milk in. You can find one at Walmart, you'll need to get one today. Then weigh the kit at the same time every day to make sure it's gaining.

I'm sure others will come with more advice, as I'm not a breeder myself.

 

[Chubi32]

Okay- I can get to Walmart/Hardware store after work today to get the hardwire cloth and scale. Thanks for all your help. There are no ledges or wheel in her cage- so hopefully everything will be okay. I'll feel much better once her eyes open though.

 

[tunes]

If the eyes aren't open by tomorrow, you'll need to get them open. Use a warm, very slightly damp wash cloth or Q-tips and gently rub the eye back and forth. Once it seems like it's damp and maybe a little bit open, GENTLY pry it apart with your fingers. Don't push in and damage the eye, and don't pull hard and rip the eyelid. Just gently work at it until it opens. You may need to do this a couple times before you're done.

I touch the babies as soon as I see them, because I take them out to weigh them, and check mom to make sure there are no more babies inside. As mentioned, some moms are protective. I have one here that will rip you down to the bone, so before I reach in her cage, I put on my carpal tunnel brace (she's not fond of biting metal apparently) to protect my hand.

I don't use apple juice unless mom is definitely not producing milk. Check the weight of the kit before you start messing with the extra bottle. If the kit is gaining, then don't worry about the juice mix.

 

[addictedtochins]

I'm not a breeder, but if you weigh the kit this afternoon it's normal for it to lose a tiny bit for a day or two right guys?? Post pics and weights if you can

 

[Olallie]

That is true, some kits lose weight the first day if moms milk does not come in. How ever if its still losing after day two I would supplement until/ if mom gets the milk in.

 

[Chubi32]

Wasn't able to get the scale today (definetly tomorrow morning though) but my husband had some hardwire cloth in the shed and it covers the whole cage except for the top but I layed fleece on the top of it for now. I've definetly seen her nursing the kit though. Will post pics and weights tomorrow- I've never bought a gram scale before. Is there just one kind or what should I get?

 

[addictedtochins]

Get one that goes up to at least 1500-2000 grams with the ability to hold a adult chin in a bowl, you will want to weigh adults sometimes, for instance if you feel they may be ill or off there food. Have you gotten it's eyes open yet?

 

[sciencenerd]

Walmart and Office depot carry postal scales that go up to 3-5 lbs and measure in 1 gram increments. Tare it with a bowl or other container on top. I think they run about 26 bucks.

 

[Essentia]

I have one that goes to 10 lbs. that I got in the kitchen dept. of walmart. It measures ounces, lbs. and grams.

 

[Chubi32]

Okay thanks I'll be looking for one today- and yes I forgot to mention that I did get the eyes open with the warm, damp cloth. Will giving Mama a dust bath affect her nursing to the kit? I was going to pick up some unscented baby wipes today as well to clean her off with then give her a bath.

 

[6Dusters]

Don't have to clean mom or kit as long as they are doing well. Wait a week or two before a dust bath for mom. She still needs her bottom to heal and close all the way. Dust now could cause a problem. When it's time to dust mom....make sure kit is not around. Mom's get so excited and could crush or hurt a new kit.
Good job on changing the cage for the kit. Your going to be so suprised how fast that little one can jump and climb in just a matter of a day or so.

 

[Chubi32]

Okay thanks I won't clean her yet then. And yeah I know me and my husband watched the baby climb the walls already this morning! It was crazy to think they can do that so soon. I love how big their feet are compared to their body =)

 

[tunes]

You can give mom a dust bath now if she's all nasty. I've given mom dust baths the day of birthing, during birthing, the day after birthing. I've never had a problem and mom feels TONS better after. Chins in the wild didn't wait 10 days before taking a good roll in the dust/dirt/whatever and they didn't make themselves extinct by doing so.

 

[Chubi32]

Haha okay thanks guys- and I got a scale today! Rascal is his/her (not sure yet) name and she is 62 grams. Is this normal? I will continue to weigh her to make sure she is gaining and not losing weight. Sorry for the crappy pictures- she wouldn't stop moving!

 

[Chubi32]

Just re-read Sciencenerds post about weighing with a container on top- I didn't do that. I don't know if that makes a difference or not. She was pretty still standing on the scale.

 

[Cuddlebug]

62 grams is a good weight. If she just stood still on the scale, that works just fine.

 

[mishellyshel]

as long as the scale said "0" to start that is fine. sometimes if you have the container on top then take it off, there is a negative number.

he/she is adorable!! doesnt look like a standard.............violet? sapphire?? what a fun surprise for you.