Hello,
So, I've just recently encountered a problem, even if it is a welcome one, and while searching for answers I came across this forum and I think this would be the best place to get a good answer. So please, any help would be welcome.
In March I met a woman who breeds chinchillas locally and as opposed to buying from a pet store I agreed to purchase a baby on April 1st. My mother (whom I take care of) decided she would like one as well and so I messaged the owner of the chinchillas and asked her if she had any other babies from the same litter, female only as I didn't want to breed them. Alas, there were no other babies for sale, but the mother of the kit I had purchased was for sale also and I thought that would be a great idea and happily purchased them both.
It is now May 27th, and when I went to clean out the cage I noticed Serta (the momma) was sitting in her hut instead of on it as usual. I looked into the hut and noticed her foot was covered in blood and immediately got paranoid and threw my cleaning supplies down and lifted her hut to get her out. Only then do I notice the almost completely emerged baby. Yes, dear sweet Serta was apparently pregnant this entire time. So, then I call the person I bought them from and ask her what to do. She says that I can let her have them until the babies are weaned or I can try raising them myself. Well I told her I wanted to raise them, I am attached to my babies and I don't want to just abandon them.
Then she told me the only thing I need is a baby cage because of the smaller spacing. I asked how many per litter she says usually 1-2 which was kind of a relief. I didn't plan on having any. So she said it can be up to 3 hours in between but if there aren't any then I'm in the clear.
So here I am 4 hours later and two babies richer. It is Mermorial day and every place around here is closed. I have my two (well 4 now) in a 182 Ferret Nation double stack cage so they had plenty of room. I've blocked them off so that they can't get into the bottom and I've taken card board and covered up the first 4 inches around the bottom of the cage as a preventative measure. One of the kits has already gone exploring. I'll get a different cage to place them in tomorrow when places are open. So my questions are..
Is the 4" cardboard strips going to be okay for tonight until I can get a cage or is there something better I could use?
Do I need anything extra for momma? Someone suggested a cuttle bone for her to get extra calcium?
Both babies seem active, she seems to be very attentive with them both. One is all gray and the other has a gray head and shoulders but most of his back and butt are all pale in color. Is there anything special they need? Aside from a smaller holed cage that is.
Any recommendations for a cage?
Oh, also
Since I do have a mother daughter pair (very bonded, they sleep on or over each other every night) and they are very sweet together, but do I need to remove the oldest sibling until the babies are older?
Sorry for so many questions but I want to do the right thing for them all.
Desi
So, I've just recently encountered a problem, even if it is a welcome one, and while searching for answers I came across this forum and I think this would be the best place to get a good answer. So please, any help would be welcome.
In March I met a woman who breeds chinchillas locally and as opposed to buying from a pet store I agreed to purchase a baby on April 1st. My mother (whom I take care of) decided she would like one as well and so I messaged the owner of the chinchillas and asked her if she had any other babies from the same litter, female only as I didn't want to breed them. Alas, there were no other babies for sale, but the mother of the kit I had purchased was for sale also and I thought that would be a great idea and happily purchased them both.
It is now May 27th, and when I went to clean out the cage I noticed Serta (the momma) was sitting in her hut instead of on it as usual. I looked into the hut and noticed her foot was covered in blood and immediately got paranoid and threw my cleaning supplies down and lifted her hut to get her out. Only then do I notice the almost completely emerged baby. Yes, dear sweet Serta was apparently pregnant this entire time. So, then I call the person I bought them from and ask her what to do. She says that I can let her have them until the babies are weaned or I can try raising them myself. Well I told her I wanted to raise them, I am attached to my babies and I don't want to just abandon them.
Then she told me the only thing I need is a baby cage because of the smaller spacing. I asked how many per litter she says usually 1-2 which was kind of a relief. I didn't plan on having any. So she said it can be up to 3 hours in between but if there aren't any then I'm in the clear.
So here I am 4 hours later and two babies richer. It is Mermorial day and every place around here is closed. I have my two (well 4 now) in a 182 Ferret Nation double stack cage so they had plenty of room. I've blocked them off so that they can't get into the bottom and I've taken card board and covered up the first 4 inches around the bottom of the cage as a preventative measure. One of the kits has already gone exploring. I'll get a different cage to place them in tomorrow when places are open. So my questions are..
Is the 4" cardboard strips going to be okay for tonight until I can get a cage or is there something better I could use?
Do I need anything extra for momma? Someone suggested a cuttle bone for her to get extra calcium?
Both babies seem active, she seems to be very attentive with them both. One is all gray and the other has a gray head and shoulders but most of his back and butt are all pale in color. Is there anything special they need? Aside from a smaller holed cage that is.
Any recommendations for a cage?
Oh, also
Since I do have a mother daughter pair (very bonded, they sleep on or over each other every night) and they are very sweet together, but do I need to remove the oldest sibling until the babies are older?
Sorry for so many questions but I want to do the right thing for them all.
Desi
