One lone babe

[1newChinmom1]

After taking in a "mated, bonded" pair that had been purchased by a youngster who soon discovered his mom was allergic, we had our hands quite full immediately. Although my daughter had been wanting A chinchilla for about three years, I hadn't really planned to get one for another year (she is only 12). But when her friend called, in desperation, we took the little pair home, and fell in love.
Much to our surprise, not two weeks later, we woke up to a new little one in  the cage! Now, I was still trying to educate myself on what a pair of adults needed, but a baby! We quickly acquired a second cage, extra water bottle for apple juice water, and plenty of timothy hay, I thought we were ok. We lost the Father that evening, don't know why. I guess we are lucky we didn't lose the baby, as little as I knew. But I am learning, more and more, about how little I know.

Now it is two weeks later, and the baby is so big! What once fit in a cupped palm, now fills my hand and has a long tail sticking out over, lol!! He jumps to us, curls in our laps, sleeps on my shoulder, makes tiny chirpy noises and seems very healthy and happy. The mother has slimmed down just a bit, and eats and drinks with vigor. From day one, she has allowed us to hold and share her Babe, even though we were still relative strangers and we have cut off her raisin supply.

Persiphone (the little Mother) is very sweet, grooming and cuddling her Babe, and us. Cerberus (the young Fellow) jumps and plays and sleeps curled up under her tummy most of the time - but sometimes in my hands or on my shoulder - in my hair.
I never expected to be this fond of such little furry  beings! And I genuinely welcome any ANY advice on being a new ChinGrandmom. I am humble and willing to listen. We are planning to separate them at about 9- 10 weeks, because he IS a boy (no doubt). We are following a plan to construct Her a larger cage, to afford room for some jumping and running, but not too large (to avoid injuries). Once he is fixed, we plan to put them back together, to stay. A safe, already friendly, non breeding couple.
Again, I welcome all advice. I really want to keep these guys safe, and happy. I couldn't bear to lose another one. They are just so very sweet and precious.
Thank you for reading my very long (and very first) post here.

[chinclub]

Congratulations on your new baby. I'm a bit concerned that the father passed away.  I'd like to ask a few questions to be sure it wasn't something that could affect the other two.  What food, hay and treats are they on?  Are there any plastic parts in the cage that he was chewing on (shelves, plastic dome house, ect)

And just out of curiosity, why did you stop feeding her raisins?

[1newChinmom1]

Congratulations on your new baby. I'm a bit concerned that the father passed away.  I'd like to ask a few questions to be sure it wasn't something that could affect the other two.  What food, hay and treats are they on?  Are there any plastic parts in the cage that he was chewing on (shelves, plastic dome house, ect)

And just out of curiosity, why did you stop feeding her raisins?

There is no plastic. I understand raisins are a high sugar food which can lead to ill health later. Having a newborn, I have concentrated on providing her with timothy hay, chinchilla pellets, fresh water and fresh water/apple juice. the cage stays clean, we have good airconditioning, and we only had them for about ten days when the new baby arrived, the Dad passed away the next day. he had been put in another, similar cage, right next to her cage. I didn't realize this was cruel, and I should have put him in a different room then. Now I do. I am so guilt ridden, you just don't know. In his new cage (which was the one they arrived in) he had all the same food and supplies she did (except the apple juice/water).
Meanwhile, now, I have a new problem. the little fellow (who is growing by leaps and bounds) did something very scary yesterday and today. He was walking across his cage, and he just went down, head forward. It was like he had lost his balance or something. he laid there, and my daughter (who saw this the first time) came running for me. I picked him up, held him and spoke to him gently, and her slowly perked up. It was like he had been suddenly dizzy, and fell. I saw it happen today, just once. He was again, walking across his cage and he just pitched forward onto the top of his head. I waited a moment, watching him pitch forward continually, then I couldn't bear it and picked him up and could feel his bracing against whatever was affecting his balance, then it passed and he brightened up again, and began nibbling at my fingernail (no polish, don't worry) and nuzzling my palm for a neck massage. I gently stroke the fur around his 'mane' and he seems to like that. Please tell me this is a normal phase, or that it is something that can be helped. and should I hold him at these times, or leave him alone?
Any ideas about his balance issues? I am sorry if I am on the wrong forum. Tell me where to move this discussion too and I will happily go there.
Thank you for your help.

[jmdebb]

hi there, i don't know as much as jamie... but one thing i do remember a breeder telling me...

but first i just want to say.. not really sure of his age or how high up he was.. but kits do not realize what height is.. if i said that correctly.. he might of just fell... if you have shelves or whatnot in the cage, i would take them out so he can't get up there anymore...

sorry about dad..

[1newChinmom1]

Thank you for the answer, but, no, no shelves. Nothing higher than four inches. I measured today. And he was never dropped. We play with him on a deep pile carpeted area, in front of his habitat,with our legs making a "circle of safety" as my daughter calls it. The only other place he goes is on my lap, when I work on the computer in the  morning. He dozes, I fall more in love. What a fellow!
I keep hoping someone will tell me this might just be something he can grow out of. We both love him so much!

[Debbie.nl.ca]

It could be seizures, but he's so young it's hard to tell.
How are his eyes? Could he be blind? is there anything inside his eye ball,like a light colored spot?
If this continues over the nest few days I'd look for a vet.

[1newChinmom1]

Well, he is definitely not blind, lol. He popcorns into my hands from the cage door and lands perfectly every time. He can see an alfalfa cube from across his habitat, and he will watch me from their cage out the bedroom door and across the hall! He only ended up doing this one time, two days in a row. And he hasn't since! We are only four weeks away from his official check up/weaning consultation with a vet.  He hs been steadily growing, eating, sleeping, and popcorning .
 I am beginning to believe I will never know what caused those seizures. I wish I did, but not knowing ANYTHING about his family, I am planning to have him neutered when he is old enough. It can't be right to breed him if I don't even know how healthy his grandparents were, or how well bred his parents were.
I have 4 more weeks to hold my breath, until we go see the vet. With the outside temperatures phasing in and out of the 90's, I am not going to risk his little life by going outside more than is absolutely necessary. Thank you to every one who is trying to help solve this mystery.
The more I learn, the more I realize how much I do't know.