Pregnant Mom

[DustySmokeyMom]

I adopted a Chinchilla in January. Thought she was a he. I noticed that she started to put on weight and a lot of it. Weighed her the other day and she has gained 90 grams in less then a month. My question is that I have no idea if she was pregnant when I adopted her or if my male got her pregnant. Is there anyway to tell by weight gain about how far along she is?

 

[Dreamlite]

Nope, the only way to know is when you have kits born. Does either chin have a pedigree? Do you have them seporated? Is she in a baby proof cage? Read the FAQ in breeding section. Its a good place to start.

 

[Zoaea]

If you separate her now you can start counting days. If has the kits more than 111 days after you brought her home, then its your male, if its much sooner than that, then likely you got her pregnant.

 

[DustySmokeyMom]

Mommy

She's a Standard Gray. Here is a pic or her sleeping. I weighed her yesterday and she is now at 816 grams. The first time I weighed her was Feb 25th and she was at 630. I am 99% sure that she was pregnant when I brought her home. I have had her for 74 days. Her and him were not in the same cage until a week after she came home. So that would put her due date way out to May 4th. I can't imagine she is going to go a whole additional month. She's already laying on her side, drinking water like mad and eating about every 2 hours. I am guessing sometime in the next 10 days. I have built a cage ready for her and just have to finish baby proofing it. The last picture Smokey(F) is on the left and Dusty(M) is on the right.

 

[DustySmokeyMom]

Can someone look at my Chin's in their pictures and tell me if the girl is truely Standard Gray. She's an adoption from the humane society, but she almost looks violet, however I have no clue how to tell.

 

[Cuddlebug]

Pregnant chins should not be having play time. Also, if they are not pedigreed, they should be separated and kept that way.

 

[Zoaea]

She looks standard to me. Hope everything goes smoothly for her!

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

I hope that everything goes smoothly for her and that she is either kept separate from the male permanently, or you have him neutered (which means keeping them apart for a few months regardless).

 

[DustySmokeyMom]

First of all, please don't' lecture me for her pregnancy. If you have read she was adopted from the humane society where she was missexed and I believe she may have been pregnant when I got her. This was 100% pure accident and I was just looking for some guidance. I DO NOT believe in breeding animals and will assure that this does not happen again. I have stopped her playtime as she just wants to eat and sleep now. I am guessing within the next week we will have babies. I have done A LOT of research since finding out she was pregnant. Depending on the sex of the babies will depend if he gets fixed or not. Since I am pretty sure she will end up having more then one I am hoping for one boy and one girl then I will just separate by gender permanently. If not I have all intentions on having him fixed. When does she need to go to her own cage where she is not with him before the babies are born? These two are very bonded so I don't want to pull her from him too soon.

 

[ticklechin]

In the future, chinchillas should be quarantined at least 30 days when they come into your home, especially rescues since you have no idea what they have been exposed to and also, never assume a chin is what sex the place you got them from says they are, ALWAYS CHECK.

 

[MyzarandGemma]

I would separate them now. Especially if you think she might birth as soon as a week. She needs to get adjusted to her cage. I am no expert on breeding, I just know what I've read here. Make sure her kit-proof cage doesn't have high shelves where she can run away from her kits, but that it has a house or something they can snuggle into.

Good luck, sorry your he was a she. Please know that no one on this forum is really trying to offend you, they are really just trying to help. Sometimes it comes off with some intensity, but that is because they are fierce advocates for chins. Good luck with this and I hope all goes smooth, that her milk comes in and that you end up with healthy chins.

 

[DustySmokeyMom]

She was quarantined for the first 2 weeks. Kept in a separate cage.

I would separate them now. Especially if you think she might birth as soon as a week. She needs to get adjusted to her cage. I am no expert on breeding, I just know what I've read here. Make sure her kit-proof cage doesn't have high shelves where she can run away from her kits, but that it has a house or something they can snuggle into.

Good luck, sorry your he was a she. Please know that no one on this forum is really trying to offend you, they are really just trying to help. Sometimes it comes off with some intensity, but that is because they are fierce advocates for chins. Good luck with this and I hope all goes smooth, that her milk comes in and that you end up with healthy chins.

Thank you. I understand that I am a firm believer in rescue and not breeding. It just happens that the rescue I got I believe was pregnant when I got her. I am going to separate her this week, it is hard though because the two are so so bonded.

 

[Basket_of_Chinchillas]

She was quarantined for the first 2 weeks. Kept in a separate cage.
Thank you. I understand that I am a firm believer in rescue and not breeding. It just happens that the rescue I got I believe was pregnant when I got her. I am going to separate her this week, it is hard though because the two are so so bonded.

That's great that you don't breed rescues One note on the quarantine, not to be taken as 'lecturing', but a 30 day quarantine in a separate cage and in a separate room is strongly recommended.

 

[ticklechin]

You said a week in your post. Might as well not have bothered to think that was quarantine, its not.

Her and him were not in the same cage until a week after she came home

She was quarantined for the first 2 weeks. Kept in a separate cage.




Thank you. I understand that I am a firm believer in rescue and not breeding. It just happens that the rescue I got I believe was pregnant when I got her. I am going to separate her this week, it is hard though because the two are so so bonded.

 

[DustySmokeyMom]

It was 2, but they were in the same room.

 

[Vyxxin]

Agreed, if you're going to quarantine (which most recommend) in a separate room is the only way to do it. Anything airborne will be on the same "air system" if they're in the same room. Likewise, washing hands/arms is also recommended. No shared playtimes etc. Completely separate for one month.

Likewise, one month is the only way to do it as well because some illnesses have a long incubation period. One month, separate room Best of luck!

 

[DustySmokeyMom]

Playtime

Should she have no playtime? She is a very social girl and likes to wander around the pen. I usually just let her out for 20 mins now instead of the hour like before.

 

[Vyxxin]

I would definitely restrict her activity. Keep it limited to the cage. Go to HER to play, until she's cleared of pregnancy one way or another.

 

[Cuddlebug]

No out of the cage playtime. It is just too risky for her and the kits. Also, separate them now. He could actually get her pregnant again as soon as the kits are delivered or even sooner (chinchillas have 2 uterine horns and can carry 2 pregnancies at one time). She does not need to be nursing one liter while she is pregnant with another. They will get over being separated a lot sooner than you might think.

 

[JoAnne]

Pregnant Mom,
Best of luck on your new babies. Hopefully, they are the proper sex to allow you to cage them as you wish.
Chincerely,
JoAnne

P.S. please read pm