Possibly pregnant chin?

[ReneeM]

I'm still weighing the smallest kit. His weight did not increase again this morning, but he has not lost any weight and is nursing. I've named the gray standard Ninja He was already trying to climb cage bars! He only crawled up about an inch though. He is at least 10g heavier than his sister and brother.

 

[Jenn]

I have nothing constructive to add, but wanted to say that the triplets are beautiful!

 

[ReneeM]

Just wanted to post more pics of the kits! They are so rambunctious for four days old!

Momma, Mira. She jumps out of the cage every time I open it! When I put her back in the cage she hits me, lol.

Meet Ninja, the spider chin. He is a little escape artist and has hopped out of the cage twice while I was putting hay in. He only made it about an inch before I caught him. He has taken up to trying to chew my nails as well. I pull away before he can though. He is also climbing the walls of the cage!

Here is the second boy, who has yet to earn a name. He is a little snuggle bug though.

And baby girl, Marika. Poor girl, with two brothers! I think she may be imitating Ninja as well. I saw her jump on the cage wall as well!

 

[EMSChins]

Snuggles is a good name for the second boy!

 

[ReneeM]

Aww, I love that name! I'll call him Snuggles then. Thanks! I really shouldn't be naming them, that most often means they are not leaving . I know I can't keep the boys though. I can't afford seven chins. If I had it my way, I would keep them all! Mira made it so the least amount of chins I can possibly have is four. I was going to keep her as a single chin, I know they do better in pairs though. So Marika will be staying ^^. Then I have Moshi who may be staying as well . I can't imagine how hard it is going to be to rehome these little guys!

 

[Newt]

they're all lovely...I wish I could have them!

 

[Sue]

If the one still does not gain in another day, you need to step in and supplement. And supplement them ALL. They all need what mom has and you are going to need to supply them with just calories, so to speak. The largest will take the most from mom, the smallest will be left out. If you supplement the largest first, the smaller ones will at least get something from mom which is the best scenario.

Sue

 

[ReneeM]

He didn't gain weight again today, and may have lost a gram. Would I be feeding them every two hours? Or less often than that because the others are gaining weight? Would they be okay till this evening? I can't drive because of my foot. I would have to have my brother pick up what I needed. I'm checking out the hand feeding threads.

 

[mishalaa]

If the other two are gaining, don't handfeed them. I would try rotating the larger kits out every few hours and leaving the little one in before handfeeding any of them, mother's milk is far better than any formula if she is producing it.

 

[Cuddlebug]

I agree with Mish. Start rotating them and if, after a few days, there are still problems, then you can step in and hand feed.

 

[EMSChins]

I have had several litters of triplets this year already and the system that I used when I had one that was smaller than the other two was to "top off" and rotate the bigger two kits every 2 hours around the clock.

Example:
Kit A (smallest) stayed with mom 24/7

6am: Kit B - "top off" (give warmed goats milk supplement via small 1 cc syringe) and place in smaller cage with heating pad under half for 2 hours

8 am: Kit C - top off in same manner as above and place in smaller cage, put Kit B back with mom

10 am: Kit B - repeat step above and put Kit C back with mom

This way the smallest one only has to compete with one other kit for milk at all times while it has 24/7 access to mom. Also the mom has two hungry kits nursing around the clock to stimulate and maintain adequate milk production. By topping off the kit you are removing it prevents it from getting too hungry but yet hungry enough that it nurses when placed back with mom.

If the smallest kit is still not gaining after 24-36 hours then you will need to supplement it as well but continue to leave it with mom.

I have had great success with this method and have been able to place all 3 babies back with mom within a week of this this rotating schedule.

Basically you are rotating one of the two kits every two hours, but each kit only gets supplemented (or topped off) every 4 hours.

Hope that is not too confusing.

 

[ReneeM]

Thank you for the info. I started rotating them out tonight. Snuggles was nursing like a champ! My vet gave me syringes with special caps to make feeding the kits easier. I was hoping not to have to intervene, but I'll do all I can to help the little guys. I've read up alot today. My poor brother had to go find me goats milk, because of my foot.

 

[ReneeM]

I'm so happy! Snuggles gained 1-2 grams since last night! He weighs in at 50 grams. Marika weighs in at 62 grams, and Ninja is quite a porker at 70 grams!

Ninja and Marika hanging out

 

[andreya]

Awww. =) I am glad that they are all gaining well.

 

[ReneeM]

Thank you I'm so happy Snuggles is gaining weight!

Momma Mira nursing Marika and Snuggles.

And Ninja doing what he does best ( escaping!) He didn't even make it off of the door before being caught.

I got this look after putting him back in the cage:

A week old and already glaring at me!

 

[ReneeM]

I'm sorry to post again, I couldn't figure out how to edit my previous post. I was watching the kits, and saw Marika chase Snuggles away from Mira twice, while he was trying to nurse. I have been rotating them, but it seems Marika is a bully. Do kits sometimes fight amongst themselves? Could Marika seriously wound Snuggles?

 

[Cuddlebug]

Yes, kits do sometimes fight and they can do serious injury to each other. My first litter was quads and the smallest was so beat up by the siblings that one side of his face was a big wound. We weren't even sure if he still had the eye under the scabs. He healed fine and did still have his eye, but it is a good example of what can happen. Keep a close eye on them.

 

[ReneeM]

Thank you for the info. I'll watch them closely. My parents don't know it yet, but I'm going to find a way to keep Snuggles. I love him to much to adopt him out. I don't think I could say goodbye Darn babies and their cuteness!

 

[ReneeM]

I was just wondering when kits are old enough to take a dust bath?

Would it be okay to let mom take one? She is starting to look greasy. I have not given her a bath since I got her last week. I was afraid the kits would inhale the dust.

 

[mishalaa]

Yes they can dust.