Chinchilla Community Forums
Breeders => General Breeder Chat => Topic started by: BrightEyed on September 24, 2007, 06:00:34 PM
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What is the best way to keep a pregnant female good and healthy during her pregnancy and after she has given birth? I have heard different ways of going about it. Calf Manna the first two months seems to be mentioned most often.. but what does everyone here do? I'm sure not everyone does it the same.
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When I first notice a female gaining weight in pregnancy I start giving calf manna. I add it to her regular pellets and give a ratio of about 3/4 pellets to 1/4 calf manna. I also switch from timothy hay to alfalfa hay. I continue this until the kits are old enough to be weened from mom.
After the kits are moved, I continue mom with the pellets, calf manna, and alfalfa for at least two more weeks until I see mom gaining her weight back from nursing. Then I go back to regular pellets and timothy hay.
I keep the kits on this ratio (pellets, calf manna and alfalfa) for at least 6 months then I change to just pellets and timothy hay.
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I also give calcium supplements. In addition, I try to get them to eat 500mg chewable Vitamin C tablets about twice a week. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant and can help prevent heart murmurs and heart-related defects in the kits and in the mother. I also give a water bottle of 50/50 water and cranberry juice starting when I first feel movement from the kits, to encourage her to drink more water, which aids in milk production.
I don't give alfalfa hay anymore, as I noticed with my females, it caused constipation and some bloating. So I just give the calf manna in their food, and I give them Tums with Calcium from time to time, and provide cuttlebones at all times.
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I do the same just thought I'd mention vit.c is also good for healthy gums, to keep those healthy teeth in place.
I have used calf manna, but have found it to cause soft droppings so I switched to a liquid calcium, and as mine wouldn't eat tablets I went with a powdered vit. c as well.I mix it with the liquid calcium and they suck it right from a syringe.
I can give this right on through nursing where as they{MCBA MAG.} recommend you stop calf manna weeks before the birth.
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What dosage of calcium/vitamin c do you give? I have been thinking about switching to a liquid as well, as some of my chins absolutely refuse to eat the vitamin c or tums tablets. But I was unsure what amount to give per chin.
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I judged by weight. If an adult person should take 2 tablespoons, say a 200 pound man, than a nice big adult chin would only need about 2% of that.
I'm a little easier on the vit.c as it can cause kidney stones/problems. Unlike many vitamins, vit. c can build up in the system.
Least is best, and some is better than none. ::nod::