How long can kits remain with their mother before they must be weaned?

[Squirrel_Butt]

Hi Today I was talking with the owner of Chinworld. They have over 100 chins. I was told that the kits should remain with the mom until 3 months.  I was told that weaning after 8 weeks is based on information that the early breeders  used.  That this method is used for ones that are going to be bred or pelts. The vet said that definitely after 8 weeks they should be weaned.  The Chinworld owner said that the male kit wont breed with the mom or sister until almost 5 months. She has raised her like this for a while. I don't know what to do. Has anyone else here ever kept the kits with the mother until they were 3 months?    What she said does make sense, as taking them from their mother early could lead them to be less sociable. I'm game for that method, but I need to know if there is the possibility that a breeding could occur. I ABSOLUTLY can't have any more chins.  There is no more room.

[chinclub]

I've been breeding for over 15 years and currently have a herd of about 400 chinchillas.  I've tried several methods.  Within my herd 3 months is just too long.  If I leave babies longer than 7-8 weeks the moms start getting stresses.  Some will start fur bitting themselves or their babies. Most moms have already weaned them by then and the babies already know how to eat, drink, groom, and dust.  Plus at 3 months babies can breed mom. I know it because I have seen it.  I gave a sickly kit to another mother to raise and because it was smaller and not with mom I let them stay together longer than usual.  He was a runt and still managed to do the deed at 3 months. 111 days later their baby was born.

[Squirrel_Butt]

OK that settles it. I must wean them at 8 weeks then.  They are already assaulting mom. Jumping onto her back and biting the fur off.       

How will I know if the kits are stressed after weaning? What do I look for?

[dianah]

i left my boys stay with their mum until ten and a half weeks. this is because she had mastitis and couldn't nurse for the first three weeks and so they weren't putting on weight at the same rate as they normally would, one of them especially was hard to keep alive. however, ten and a half weeks was my absolute limit, i did not want to risk them impregnating their mum and sister (i left the girl in with the mum). they were absolutely fine. if they are healthy, 8 weeks is the time.

what you need to remember is that when it comes to chinchillas, there are plenty of people with different opinions. it is perfectly plausible that this lady has had babies with their mums until they were 12 weeks old without any problems. however, that could mean that she was particularly lucky or perhaps even that some of the pregnancies may have been caused by kits rather than a dad without her realising it.
i've heard of people who gave their chinchillas chocolate as a treat and it didn't do them any harm. you know what i mean... there's plenty of different opinions out there and you are the one who decides which one to go with. in your particular conundrum, you've got your vet and several people who have bred chins saying that 8 weeks is a good time and one person who says 12.

[dianah]

How will I know if the kits are stressed after weaning? What do I look for?

best way: keep weighing them once a week - weight is a great indicator of how things are going. also, monitor their poo as gut responds to stress and just keep an eye on their behaviour, if they're eating, pooping, are active etc, then you should be ok

[Squirrel_Butt]

Thanks all! 

[chinclub]

I also mark the water bottle with a rubber band to keep a good account of how much they are drinking.  I have found in my herd that it is extremely rare to have a kit not thrive after being weaned.  I can't remember the last time I had a problem with a weaned kit.

[dianah]

that's a really good idea. i do often monitor mae's water because she gets ill often and normally i just 'remember' the levels but this is so much better.

[Squirrel_Butt]

Right now the kits are separated from Raisin. She lost enough weight where it became visible. I had a blood test done, and the vet advised to separate them, but allow them to have a daily milk meal from her. We are trying to see if her weight goes back up after nursing less frequently.  The babies are housed together for right now.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I have never seen a kit stress from weaning.Had a fool here sell her kits at 5 weeks.
By 8 weeks mom has had enough. and babies need their own space.

[Squirrel_Butt]

They are separated now. They visit mom every other day for an hour to nurse.  On week 7, Raisin lost a large amount of weight so the vet had me separate the kits from the mother, allowing a daily visit to nurse. When Raisin was re weighed, it showed her weight was still down. Blood tests came out normal.  The vet is having keep them separated still, but now with an hour visit every other day.

[starleomach]

99% of breeders wean at 8 weeks.

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Yes I totally agree 7-8 weeks is perfect for me.

[Squirrel_Butt]

Yup. Everything turned out ok. The mother is finally tame, the kits are bouncy.

[Jo Ann]

   Glad to hear all is well now.   

It has been confirmed that a male chinchilla, at the tender age of 10 weeks old, can impregnate an adult female chinchilla.  I always make sure my males are weened before they are 8 weeks old. 

A female chinchilla has the ability to become pregnant at the age of 3 months old, BUT, is not physically capable of carrying and delivering full term kits.  Her organs and body are just to small and her system would be drained of nutrients needed by her own body to develop itself.  Most chinchillas that become pregnant at this early age ...
1) Can not deliver, so the kit/kits inside her die and set up an infection killing the mother also.  Or
2) She carries them to term and kills them as she attempts to deliver them forceably.  Or
3) She carries them to term, and dies delivering them.  Or, even worse,
4) If she and the kits all survive the birth, she will rarely have enough nutrients to pass on to the kits for them and her to survive until they are old enough to make it on their own.  In short they starve to death.

Any time two chinchillas of opposite sex with breeding ability are placed together, even for a minute or so ... they are in a breeding situation!  Out of site for a minute ... guess what ... it only takes 15 seconds for a male chinchilla to impregnate a female chinchilla!  Chinchillas do not distinguish the difference between non-family members and family members when it comes to breeding.

Male chinchillas should never be housed together IF there is a female chinchilla housed in the same room with them, even if she is in a separate cage.  Male chinchillas have been known to fight to the death over a female they can not even get to.  I almost lost a father and son chinchilla this way ... they were fine for almost a year, then, one night after I went to sleep, one almost killed the other ... neither got away with out scars.  Below is a picture of the son.  Warning: It is graphic!

   Jo Ann





.