Advice on Female Chinchilla Please!!! ?pregnant

Re: Advice on Female Chinchilla Please!!! ?pregnant

albatross — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 19:46:24 GMT

Dad needs to stay out for 5 days minimum. She comes into season 12 hours after babies are born, then stays in season for 4-5 days, then shouldn't come into season again while she is lactating.

Sounds like he may have done the deed before he had the snip!

I wouldn't bother weighing her all the time, some hobby breeders do, but if she's pregnant then you just need to wait and see what happens.

Re: Advice on Female Chinchilla Please!!! ?pregnant

shell30984 — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 16:42:30 GMT

Thanks for the info Albatross,

Ive weighed her today and she weighs 1025g (i weighed her a few times to check as i thought it was a lot) when i first got her she was roughly 780-800g.

She doesnt mind being handled - but can get stressed easily - so i might leave handling her for a while.

Do you think i should weigh her weekly to see if she is putting on weight???

My male was done about 5 weeks ago - so obviously there is still a chance he could of - but im assuming at that weight she may be near the end of the 111days?!

Ive been prepared and got things ready etc

If she does give birth then what do i do with the male? should i seperate them? this wouldnt be a problem as ive joined a small cage with a large cage (incase i successfully bred then i could use the single cage for mum and kits)

Thanks for all your help

Shell

Re: Advice on Female Chinchilla Please!!! ?pregnant

albatross — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:40:31 GMT

If the male was placed back in with the female within 6 weeks of the castration then she could be pregnant.

Chins gestation period is 111 days - give or take 5 days.

If, and only if, she likes being handled, you can gently pick her up and blow on the fur to see if the nipples are showing, and or lactating.

You often see babies kick 3 weeks before the due date, but it depends on how active they are.

Mum's with a single kit can hide it up under the rib cage and so may not look pregnant even if they are. Chins generally putting on weight may look pregnant when they're not.

When due to give birth, within about 5 days, hips will start to appear again (she will look like the mcdonalds M to give it a description), rather than a round half ball.
Also she may lay down a lot more and look like she has a flat tyre poking out from under her body.
She may go off her food the last couple of days.

All these though are general observations and, after breeding chins for 18 years - are no means indicative of all pregnancies.

You could have a scan done but it means shaving her and it depends if she will stay still enough and not be stressed by the experience.

I'd do some counting, then be prepared just in case - low cage, no 1" mesh (new kits can get through that size mesh), nest box or hammock, removing dust baths and hay etc.

chins rarely get mites due to the thickness of fur. Hair loss could be stress, could be pregnancy hormone related, could be fur fungus/ringworm so keep an eye on it and also on the male.
Depending on where you live I could possibly recommend an experienced chin owner who could pop round and check for you. We have a very good network throughout the country and regularly help chin owners with all sorts of problems (or advise they see a vet if it appears a medical problem).

Re: Advice on Female Chinchilla Please!!! ?pregnant

Shane — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 17:13:49 GMT

Get some blood from her and do a preg test. lol

How long ago was the male castrated?