My Young Chin just had twins?!

[stem1989]

Hi Im new to this forum but didn't know where else to look, Ive read up on as much as I possibly can but I still have a few unanswered questions which I would be so grateful for any response!

I own 5 beautiful chins (4 girls 1 boy - in separate cages) but its my most recent addition to the family that I need guidance with... I bought Babe on the 1st April this year a standard grey and was told she was 12 weeks old and she was going to be separated from her brother within the next week so we decided to buy her.

Last night when I went into the cage to feed them, I saw blood throughout the cage and assumed she had been fighting with our ebony who she was introduced with when we bought her as they were both ~12 weeks old, or so we were told... But low and behold Babe was on the floor nursing 2 tiny kits weighing in at 49g and 52g, 2 boys I think but I haven't had much chance to get a good luck as Im just so scared of hurting the tiny things as they seem so fragile.

Even though I am an experienced owner I am not a breeder and never have been, but I have been blessed with these 2 little miracles, only problem is her kits must be inbred as she was housed with her brother when we went to buy her and obviously she wasn't 12 weeks old as she must have been pregnant well before we bought her. It just worries me, the kits seem fine and are gaining weight, mum is producing milk and been a good mum considering her age but as she is so young what should I look out for because this can't be good for a young chin surely? I know in the books and online it says not to breed before 7-8 months and she's obviously not that age.

I just don't want anything to happen to her, Is there any advise anybody can give me for aftercare of the mum and what to look out for in the kits?

Thanks for reading!

 

[mishalaa]

It's not common by any means but there have been a few kits I'm aware of that have gotten pregnant even before they were weaned, so it is possible that your chin was 12 weeks old when you got her, she would have gotten pregnant at about 8-9 weeks old.

In the cases that I know of, the chins that had gotten pregnant so young did not make the best mothers - were inattentive and did not nurse. It sounds like your girl at least has that down, but I would continue to monitor their weights and be ready to handfeed if they do not gain. It may take a day or two for her milk to come in and them to actually start gaining, so don't panic if they lose a couple grams the first day or two, but hopefully you'll see a gain by the third day.

The only other suggestion I have is you may want to separate the ebony cagemate out so the mom can be alone with her kits, and make sure the cage mom and kits are in has small enough wire spacing so the kits can't escape through the bars.

 

[stem1989]

thanks for your reply,

I have already separated them although I learnt within the first hour or so about the cage spacing as one did escape and walk right back into my ebonys cage and luckily the ebony was not fussed so they are all in a small cage now with 1cmX1cm spacing which is much better!