Six weeks or Eight?

[QuandoQuandoQuando]

As most of you know I'll be getting my baby chin soon, however he will be six weeks old when I get him. I've read and have been told that eight weeks may be better for him, but six may be okay. I'm wondering what I should do, have him come home with me at six, or letting him stay for another two. (*sniffle*)
As breeders and/or pet owners what do you do for length of time under mom?

 

[tunes]

I generally wean at 8 weeks, unless they are really good sized, and then I keep them for at least a week to be sure that they are eating and drinking, gaining weight, etc. I would not just pull a kit from it's mom and send it out the door. Other people do, but it's not something I am comfortable with.

 

[starleomach]

I do not wean mine before 8 weeks. I also keep them a little bit after weaning to be sure they are eating and are ready to go.

 

[QuandoQuandoQuando]

But if he's eating and gaining weight?

 

[jags]

I agree with the above as I wean at 6-8 depending on size and then hold for a week or more to make sure they are eating and drinking well before I send them to a new owner.

 

[Rickman]

I usually wean at 6 wks. if they're over 200 grams, and they're ready to go at 8.

 

[tunes]

But if he's eating and gaining weight?

I still would not let a kit go until after it had been away from mom for at least a week. I personally don't think 200 gm is a behemoth of a chin. I want to see my kits up near the 300 mark before I will wean them, especially if they are going to a new home with an inexperienced owner. Babies can be a pain in the butt, from special caging so they don't escape, to monitoring their weight to be sure they are gaining. I like to be SURE that they are well on their way before they leave here.

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

I don't let mine go until they are 10 wks old

 

[saphire]

I wean at 8 and let them go at 12weeks, I'm just a litte over protective I guess.

 

[Silverrose]

I'm with Saphire. I wean at 8 weeks, but haven't let anyone leave here under 12 weeks. I just want to make extra sure that my babies are healthy, a good weight and eating well, and able to be on their own before I send them to a new owner.

 

[Godins Chinchillas]

I wean most of mine at 8 unless they are from a litter of triplets then I usually take the largest one away at 7. Wean the second at 8 weeks and leave the smallest till 9 weeks. Then I hold them all, with the exception of the 9 week triplet until they are at least 9 weeks old and are eating/gaining well.

 

[i <3 DC]

yup and i cant wait to get Cole in January!!!

 

[rcr]

My rule of thumb is 3 months and/or 300 grams. Males get separated from moms and sisters at 3 months so I don't have to worry about an accidental inbreeding.

 

[Claire D]

The UK average is 8 weeks weaning (@ 250g ish) and homing from 12 weeks.

 

[QuandoQuandoQuando]

What are the consequnces of bringing home a baby before he's 'big enough'?

 

[Stackie]

What are the consequnces of bringing home a baby before he's 'big enough'?

I got a baby chinchilla from a pet store..he was very small and I suspect just taken from his parents. I believe the variety of sudden changes stressed him out so much that it caused him to get diarrhea and within days of bringing him home, he got a rectal prolapse and died. This may be an extreme case, but I think it is in the best interest of the chin to stay at the breeders and slowly transition into being away from mom onto their own, without being transported and introduced to a new environment all together. This would just to add to the stress of being without mom.

By staying at the breeders, the breeder can make sure the chin is gaining weight, eating food on his own, and transitioning into independence from mom nicely BEFORE being introduced into a new environment altogether. They can be more sure that the kit is healthy enough to move to a new home and lessen the stress hopefully.

 

[Sandi]

I understand that you are excited and anxious to bring Quando home and you are asking the right questions as well as the pm that I got from you, but I have a question. Is the breeder asking that you take the kit home at 6 weeks old? If so, I'd probably question the breeder why they would pull a kit from it's mom and let him go to a new owner so quickly.

 

[QuandoQuandoQuando]

Yes and no I suppose. When I first found him she had said he'd be ready to take home on the 2nd of January. So she's not exactly asking me to, but until this week, I was unaware there was a problem with taking him home before then. Maybe I've got my information wrong and she said he'd be ready in six weeks rather then he'll be ready when he's six weeks. Obviously I'll have to check.

 

[tunes]

Some chins do not deal with stress well at all, particularly babies. It can be really hard for them to be yanked from mom then shoved out the door without any transition time. They can stop eating and drinking. They can become withdrawn. It all depends on the particular chin. Here at my house, I never wean a single chin. They always go into groups so that they can play and not be scared at being alone when they are so small.

 

[QuandoQuandoQuando]

Is it possible that he could have been weaned before six weeks?