help

[nickistewart]

We just had a baby chin yesterday - I posted re. whether to separate the dad or not (my post isn't here!). He came to us very anxious and chewed his own paw off - started with one digit and did it many times until his entire paw/arm was gone! We bought him a bigger cage - he had continued to chew his paw and then a vet online suggested we get him a friend. We go a girlfriend for him and he has been fine ever since. Now - 18 months later, they have their first baby. We separated them as per lots of online research BUT we are going away for March break and I am worried he will be so lonely without her/us that he will start to chew his other paw. He is trying to get to them (Mom and baby who are below in our ferret nation cage) and "crying" but seems less anxious today than yesterday but he may just be getting listless. Should we let him back with her and take our chances that she gets pregnant again? What do others think? He is gentle with the baby and kept it warm while she ate the placenta. We separated them later but he actually managed to get in her area past their marble cooling pad (how did they move it?) and he was keeping the baby warm below while mom was getting rest above. We separated them again - he "cried" for a while but I am wondering if it is like locking the henhouse after the fox got in! HELP - suggestions/advice is welcome!

 

[javachin]

You need to keep them separated. Getting him a female friend wasn't the correct way of stopping him from mutilating himself. It sounds like there was another issue going on and he should have been seen by a vet in person. Diagnosing online isn't going to help or stop the problem. There is a very high chance the female could be pregnant since you left him in the cage after birth. Females can get pregnant very shortly after birth. You need to keep them separated in different cages.