Supplements For Pregnant Moms & Kits 
     "General Health & Care" discusses in depth information on these Vitamins and Supplements.

  Alfalfa Hay VS Timothy Hay
     Alfalfa Hay is better for pregnant/breeding moms and kits. Timothy hay is better for non-breeding and non- 
     growing chins.

  Yogurt
     This should be given to pregnant and nursing moms. Any flavor without the "pitted fruit". Give mom 
     1/8 of a teaspoon every other day.

  Enhancer
     This should be given to pregnant and nursing moms.

  Calcium
     This should be given to pregnant moms.
                  Avitron
                  Animax
                  Calcium Sticks

 Cranberry Juice/ Water (equal amounts)
     This is given to pregnant females to stimulate lactation.

 Soy Milk
     Give this to lactating females. This is also okay for kits as well.

 Nutrical or Nutristat

 Vitamin C

Note:
Calfa Manna is a common calcium supplement used BUT may cause unborn kits in the womb to develop bigger then usual and this makes it harder for mom to push out her kits. This makes it much more strenuous on the mom. Lots of breeders have stopped using Calfa Manna. I will not chance it so I will not give my chins this supplement.

  Breeding Mates

Once you put the male in the female's cage, the male will ignore the female and explore the cage, while the female follows the male. Then they will start rough housing, then they will nibble at each other. They are basically checking one another out and deciding if they will get along. If the female rejects the male, she will urinate at him. Another week in separate cages should resolve the rejection and hopefully they will be mates. Before they mate the male will start being more attentive and vocally communicate his desire to mate.

  A Young Chin and an Older Chin
     This way is easier to breed then two adult chins. They will get used to each other more quickly. Of course 
      if  the female is the young one, make sure she as at the right age to breed. If you have an older female, 
      she  may accept a younger male easier than an older one, but young males tend to be inexperienced and 
      have  no idea of when and how to mate properly and often end up irritating the female! A male will usually 
      accept just about any female, but an older female will have a harder time accepting any cage mate most 
      of the  time.

  Young Chinchillas
      This method works the best if you have the patience to wait until they are at the right age to breed. Let 
     them play every day with close supervision. If the female is not in heat you certainly can (and should) let 
     them have supervised playtime together. Let them play in the female’s cage while supervised. 
     Supervision  is necessary so they don’t mate. 

  Adult Chinchillas
      This can be more difficult. The female is more territorial so it is best to put the male in the female's cage if 
     they get along. If not, introduce them in intervals and play time. Put their cages together so they get used 
     to  the smell of each other and give them sand baths together. 

If you are trying to introduce a new cage mate and they just won't get along here are some suggestions that have worked for me:

    Putting the cages side by side for a week and then introducing them again.
    If you get a small carrier that they cannot stand up in and fill it with towels and put treats in the container.
       If you see any aggression or hostility let them out but usually they are vulnerable in this situation and
       simply just get along. I would only do this for 5 - 10 minutes. I hate this method but it works. You may
       have to try this every day for a week.
    Let them play in neutral territory. Sometimes there will still be spraying and barking. That's okay but
       if they start to get physical and there is fur flying please separate them.
    Neutral cages! This method I find works well. I have a bunny cage that I use this method for. Let them have
       there sand bath in this cage as well as setting it up as if that was there permanent home. Put the two
       chins in there and it will take a bit of squawking and fussing from them but usually they get along after this.
       Of course separate them if there violent towards each other.

Some chins get along right off the bat, some are sprayers and barkers, and some just simply don't get along. I would NEVER just throw two chins in a cage without supervision thinking they will get along. Some chins if they have that hateful instinct towards each other will fight to the death. So please supervise!

If you are persistent and try different methods one usually works. I have had to work hard at getting some chins to get along but one of these methods have always worked for me, so far. It will take time and patients but once they get along it's like there were never enemies. It's really strange!

Chin's can reach sexual maturity (that is the first heat) as young as 4 months old and can get pregnant at this young age, but it is rare. The female may get pregnant at that time and this is far too early and the risk shouldn’t be taken. While young chinchillas are sexually mature at a young age the females should not be bred until they are at least  12 months old. Also you should wait until a male is 6 to 7 months old as well. This ensures the male to be mature and fully developed. Make sure the female you choose to breed weighs over 600 grams. Chins should be retired from breeding at about 7 years old to give them time to settle into old age.

This term means that the female is ready to mate (only if they are at least 8 months of age or older.) They come into heat every 28 to 35 days but often skip a heat. Most females are often in heat between December and February and in the middle of summer. Most births occur in May, June or October. Heat lasts three to four days. An indicator to know the female is in heat is the opening of her vagina compared to when she is not in heat and it may appear red and have a watery look to it. Most heats usually do not occur in the summer but sometimes it does happen.

Heat last's three or four days. She expels a waxy estrus plug about 1cm (0.4 inches) long. It is hard to find a heat plug because female chins often eat it after it is expelled or it is lost in the bedding. Heat plugs are smaller then mating plugs.

It is waxy, and white and about the width of a pencil and 1-1/2 inches long and may be seen in the cage usually at the bottom of the. It looks like a long skinny stick. They are usually also eaten by the female chin or lost in the bedding, so they aren't often seen. If you see a mating plug leave it in the cage for the mom-to-be to eat because this provides nutrients for her. But you will find some congealed liquid in the cage. The plug usually falls out of the female within 10 - 12 hours after mating.
Don’t get confused with the Estrus Plug.

Here is a link to see a great picture of a Mating plug Plug "Stopper"
http://www.soft.net.uk/furries/Breeding.htm

Usually this takes place at night or early in the morning. An indication that the male is ready to mate is the swishing of his tail. They also make soft, low cooing noises which sounds different from the every day chin noises you here. At first the female rejects the male. The male chases the female around the cage. Then mating occurs, with the male is on top of the female and this is done several times during the act. After this is done you will see bunches of fur in the cage. If you see a mating plug then you know it was a success and you can start counting down. The gestation takes 111 days to sometimes 120 days.

After the male and female have been together for a while the female may become pregnant. It may take months before a new pair settle down and the female becomes pregnant so patience is a must. Pregnancy detection in chinchillas can be tricky and sometimes the only evidence is when you find the litter. Some will show signs and others will not, but there are a few signs to watch for:

     The mating plug.
     Weight gain.
    The female may sleep on her side or unusual positions to try and get comfortable.
    The female stops eating for a few days and then resumes normal eating habits or eats more.
    The female drinks more.
    She may spend more time licking the mineral block.
    She may become more grumpy and do the opposite of what her normal habits are.
    She tires rather quickly-easily
    In the last months of pregnancy her nipples may become long and pink.

For the first few months she may not gain more then 20 - 40 grams. Her last 30 to 40 days she may look pear shaped and she may gain 150 - 350 grams through the whole pregnancy.

If you suspect your female is pregnant and due soon place her in the "maternity" cage with the dad for now. While the mom is delivering the dad will help mom with the babies and this can give her a bit of a break. After she has her babies remove the dad.  The male can be put back in with her after 10 days. They can have supervised play time together during the 10 days. Male chinchillas make good fathers; the only reason for removing the male is to prevent a Breedback.

While mom is delivering if you have the opportunity to see this you should be quiet and out of sight. They don't like all the commotion as you probably wouldn't want if you were giving birth. Only intervene if there is a problem.

  Breedback

The female will come into heat again soon after giving birth and the male is removed to prevent another pregnancy. A constant cycle of pregnancies and nursing wears down a female, so she should be allowed to recover between litters. She may be too weak to care for her chin's properly and they may die. Also the female won't produce enough calcium therefore her kits won't get enough calcium through the mothers milk. "Breedbacks" are not a healthy breeding method!

  Caring for Your-Mom-To-Be

Care for your mom-to-be as usual, but make sure she has little stress as possible. She needs plenty of peace and quiet, a good diet, plenty of fresh food and water. Avoid any unnecessary handling and make sure she has a large nesting box that is big enough for her and her babies. Otherwise leave the rest to nature. Female chinchillas usually don't have any trouble giving birth, but if she does have problems call the vet immediately.

When the mom gains pregnancy weight she may not gain more then 2 or 3 ounces but then she could also gain up to 15 - 20 ounces.

  Gestation 

Look for gestation calendar at the end of this page.

Pregnancy lasts for about 111 days. The male and female can live together with no problems. The female needs a great deal of rest and needs plenty of Calcium. During the final weeks she will often lay on her side. This is normal behavior, don’t panic she is still alive and well!

You must baby-proof the cage if it is made of wire. Baby chins can fit through very small openings and unless your wire is 1/4 x 1/4 you may end up with an escapee! You can attach smaller mesh wire to the outside of the cage or tape cardboard all around the outside. Just do whatever it takes to secure your new ones so they do not fall from the cage and end up dead.

The floor of the cage is something that needs to be dealt with as well. Baby chins can break legs very easily in the wire. So placing cardboard on the floor, or using a piece of pine or even carpeting is a good idea for a few weeks until the chins have grown more and will not be in danger of getting a food entangled in the wire.

As for cages with more than one level you should be thinking of closing off upper levels so you do not have a dare-devil chin on your hands. They have absolutely no height concept and will fall to the lower levels. Once they have grown some and learn more you can reopen the upper levels. It is a good idea to place a small box, small wood shelter, small PVC pipe, etc. in the cage so the babies can escape from harm if mom decides to run and jump around. Just make sure that whatever you decide to use cannot be tipped so that mom ends up squishing her new babies because they somehow end up underneath it. Kits can go into a regular sized cage at approximately 6 weeks old.

Prior to birth the female may have a noticeable mood change within 12 - 16 hours before birth. She may act very aggressive towards her cage mates to very mellow and not eating any food. When birth is about to come the mom usually moves to the bottom of the cage and finds a corner. Then her contractions start and it will look like she’s having seizures but she’s not so don’t panic She will begin cleaning and nipping at her genital area. Birth usually happens in the morning or at late at night. When the female goes into labor she will groan, stretch and make sounds of pain. You can start to prepare babies for within an hour or less.

If there are multiple births (three to four kits) this process takes several hours. Finally the Female will pull her kits out with her teeth. Then the female will eat the afterbirth. If you notice the Female has blood on her mouth and front paws this is a sure sign of birth.

Before the birth make sure you have heating pads ready for the birth and blankets or towels. Also you should put in a small carpet for the babies before the birth and a baby creep. A baby creep is a hideaway from the parents for the babies.

Sometimes the kits eyes are stuck shut and cannot open them. Spread eyes salve (Bepanthen eye salve recommended bought in pharmacies) on the slit between the eyelids and carefully pull them apart.

There is an excellent birthing Video at Audie's sight:
Twitch Chinchillas
http://www.twitch-chinchillas.com/breeding.html

  Sexing a Chinchilla

You may notice when you are first trying to figure out if you chins is male or female that the genital area looks somewhat similar. A first I would say it is quite difficult to figure out. I will try and make it as simple as possible.

Both the male and female have a cone and this is where most people get confused.

You can expect 2 to 3 litters per year and up to 5 kits, which is highly rare. The normal amount of kits is 1 to 2 kits per litter.

After the babies are dry and have nursed you should handle them a little to get them used to people. Watch to make sure that each baby is nursing and that the kits aren't fighting. When you handle the kits for the first time it is also a good idea to weigh them. The kits should weigh between 1- 3 ounces/35 - 60 grams. If any weigh under an ounce you may have to feed them yourself. (More info. on hand feeding kits is covered in another section.) The kit's bellies should be round and full, this lets you know that they are getting enough to eat. Usually mom has enough milk to feed all, but if she doesn't and there are more than 3 babies, or if she can't produce milk you may have to hand feed or supplement the kits. The babies can be weaned at 6 weeks of age, but they should be left with their mother until they are two months old. Then separate them for two weeks so they can adjust to being with out mom and this gives you more time to be sure they are eating and are healthy. For each kit feed them a handful of hay in the morning and at night. Then feed each kit 1/2 a teaspoon of pellets at night and in the morning slowly increasing to 1 teaspoon as they grow. Don’t over feed a kit even if they eat all of the pellets because this may cause diarrhea.

If the female looks like she could use a break and the kits are doing well then wean them early, but if the kits are small and the female is in good shape keep them together longer. Handling the kits frequently is important because it helps them adjust to their future homes better and their more comfortable around people. Be careful because kits are lively and can easily jump out of your hand already. Kits are born fully developed and independent. There eyes are open and with a coat of fur. They can also walk. After a week they can climb and hop on small obstacles. The kits are already nibbling hay and soon they can start to eat pellets as well. The kits eats solid foods naturally in addition to its mother's milk and the change over to solids is gradual so the kits have time to adjust to the food. After the first six weeks there is no concern to feed the kits anymore.

You have to try to feed the kits yourself. Buy some Rearing Milk for dogs and cats in a Pet Store or Mix canned Milk (7.5 % fat) with hot tap water and mix equal amounts. You can also use Whole Milk. Give this supplement at room temperature and put it in a rearing bottle or dropper. The milk must be freshly made each time. Smaller weak kits need to be fed every two hours and usually drink 1 - 2 ccs every feeding but this depends on if there receiving milk from mom. Regular sized healthy kits need to be fed every 2 hours to once or twice a day. They all need to be supplemented until 3 - 4 weeks of age.

A dropper or rearing bottle can be bought in Pet Stores. Feed them slow so they don't choke. After your done feeding massage the Kits belly with one finger to stimulate digestion. After the forth day add small quantities of hay and Pellets. From the second week on, feed the rearing milk every three hours and also offer small amounts of pellets and hay. Kits need rearing milk until they are six weeks old, progressively in smaller quantities.

  Motherless Kits
This would be the same as above but you must provide warmth the mother provides. Put the kits in a   wooden box (that they can't jump out of) with some hay and set it next to a radiator, heating pad, small heater or some kind of heat. The Temperatures must be 68 degrees and 71.6 degrees. This is vital!

  Birth Norms & Complications
     Complications are very rare but do happen and you need to be prepared.

Premature birth causes the lungs and digestive system to be underdeveloped. These areas are more prone to infection and the lungs can fill up with fluid. Unfortunately there is not much to do about that.

Very long labor can be stressful on the kits and mom. Sometimes kits are born with excess fluid in the lungs which they are initially unable to expel. They will try to breathe and you may think they are a bit slow starting. The mother usually nips them lightly to get them to cough out the fluid and take in breaths. Sometimes you can bring them around with CPR and hold the kits in your hand and give a downward movement which can help move the fluid out (but do not do this unless you are very familiar with the technique because if done improperly it can kill the kit). If left untreated, the kits will "drown" in the lung fluid. They will appear listless and die soon after birth. Also, sometimes a kit in utero during a long labor can have some oxygen deprivation if the sac tears away too soon and this can also cause death soon after birth.

The mother could have a type of enteritis or possibly pneumonia. You would notice a difficulty in her breathing (possibly even a whistling) if she had pneumonia. There is usually some sign to indicate the chinchilla is not well. If she had an enteritis or Guardia then it would be evident in her stools. If she has either of these, the weakness can pass on to the kits.

Sometimes when the mother pulls the kit out, she can puncture the nose, head or even the spine with her teeth. You may not see the puncture but it can cause bleeding. Also a kit can be pulled out back first which usually causes paralysis of the back legs and can cause internal bleeding as well. The kit can survive a few days but usually is unable to move at all. Take the kit to the vet immediately. You may have to put the kit down to prevent suffering.

If the mother is very young (giving birth under 1 year old) many times, she gives birth to kits that are not well developed and/or pre-mature. This is because she herself is not fully mature and developed herself. Sometimes a first litter may not go right for whatever reason. The mother may become very stressed at being pregnant. There are many factors which can cause a premature birth. It is not a good practice to breed chins too young.

At a young age for a mom to be giving birth she needs extra calcium, vitamins and supplements. Also the babies are going to require extra supplements because the mom has not developed fully herself . Keeping the moms cage clean and fresh food & water changed daily is very important. Make sure she has her dust baths about every 2 days. If she appears in labor, do not give her a dust bath. She can not have one after the kits are born for 10 days or one for 12 to 24 hours before the kits are born. Change bedding as soon as the kits are born. Calcium and vitamin C are important during the pregnancy and nursing.

A pregnant female does not bleed or have any discharge during pregnancy until the day of birth. If you see blood or a clear discharge then she may have an infection and would have to go to the vet for that.

Remove or discontinue dust bath for about ten days previous to a littering (when the littering date is known) or as soon as babies are discovered, if the littering was unexpected. If there is dust on the nipples this can get into the babies eyes and cause an eye infections. Many eye infection have been known from this.

The dust bath can also cause uterus irritations when the female takes a dust bath before the uterus opening is closed following littering. The dust forms a small foci of infection as the uterus closes; these will prevent the female from conceiving at the next heat or even at many bleeding's to follow following. This may even result in sterile females, unless they are douched out at a later date.

Uterus: The female organ in which the young grow and develop before birth.

If you have any thought of a problem don’t hesitate and take mom to the vet immediately.

The information below should be only done by someone experienced.

If mom has started labor and if the baby’s feet are not thrusting outward and mom is struggling to deliver, then take a soft tissue or cloth, gently grasp the baby’s feet and gently but firmly pull downward and backward, arching the baby’s back. This will free it unless the mother is in serious trouble. If delivery is not spontaneous and easy, or if there has been labor for some time and the feet are not showing, then take the mom to your vet immediately. This will need professional help.

Watch the mother, especially with really large females that deliver one or two babies and then stop. Many times an additional baby or two will be blocked off in the uterus. You will need help in getting the baby delivered. This trouble is usually caused when the second or third baby is being pushed against the baby in front of it, causing their body to turn back into the opposite direction of the uterus and blocking further delivery until someone frees the baby and places it back in its proper direction. Larger females that have larger litters have a greater chance for this problem.

Always pick up the mother when you think she has had sufficient time to finish littering and examine her closely for the following:

  Additional Babies: Gently palpate the abdomen to see if additional babies are still in the uterus. If no more 
     babies are found, examine closely to see if small lumps may be felt in the uterus. A still birth (one that has 
     died) and that has dried up could be stuck and needs to be removed.

  Afterbirth: The afterbirth may be stuck and needs to be removed.

  Tears & Bruises: Check for tears or bruises around the uterus opening.

  Nipples: Check the female’s nipples to see if all nipples are in good condition and filled with milk. If they 
     are hidden in dense fur it is you can trim the fur away, but be careful not to nip the nipple because this will 
     ruin it  for further nursing. If nipples are sore or chapped apply bag balm once or twice per day until the   
     redness is gone.       

Bag Balm: This is an antiseptic and helps prevent full bacterial growth. This can be used for sore or chapped nipples, scratches, and abrasions.

If babies are found wet and chilled, or even if they appear dead or stiff, you quickly immerge them in a cup of warm water and massaging them briskly on the tips of their noses being out of the water. Take the baby in one hand, lay it on its back, with your thumb on their abdomen, submerge the baby in the water until only its nose is above the water.

Massage by pressing the thumb into the abdomen and arch the back by bringing your index and little finger to a closing position toward the thumb. This action of pressing on the chest and flexing the body will pump a heavy mucous out of the baby’s lungs.

Abdomen: This part lies between the thorax and pelvis.
Thorax: This part is between the neck and the abdomen, supported by the ribs and breast bone.

As soon as you have done this a few times, blow quickly and hard into the baby’s mouth to expand the lungs. (Or use oxygen). At this stage, the baby will usually start to gasp; in a few minutes you must dry and warm the baby up and dry him/her off. He can be dried with a hot towel and placed in a warm spot that has a heating pad or some kind of warmth and hold the baby down until it fully recovers and take the baby to it's mother.

If there are multiple kits and the kits are coming too quickly the Mom has no time to lick the kit dry properly and keep it warm. Pick that first Kit up and warm it up in your hands while blowing on the kit to dry it. When the kit is dry and able to walk put it back with the mom.

Never give up on trying a chilled, dead baby, as it will amaze you what you can do with hot water massage stimulants and oxygen.

If babies are dry but seem weak or chilled they can be placed in a warm box near a heating device, light bulb, heating pad, radiator, any kind of heat or warmth. Give weak babies added heat for a few days. The Temperatures must be 68 degrees and 71.6 degrees.

       The chinchilla's gestation period following a successful mating is about 111 days.