Rivendell ChinchillasSometimes for various reasons mom may not be able to take care of her kit(s), or may need help doing so. This may be due to it being her first litter, having nutritional deficenies, having to many kits to care for, or many other complications.
For good kit care here is a list of things you should keep on hand:
| Gram Scale | Droppers & Syringes |
| Milk replacer | Mom & kit supplement |
| Towels | Baby wipes |
Not too big of a list, so lets see what each of these are used for and a little more about each of them.
-Gram scale, this can be found as a postage scale ( tends to be a little more accurate usually) or a digital kitchen scale. This not a must, but is very helpful is making sure the kits are gaining weight.
-Droppers & Syringes, there is a reason I did not put or. When kits are very young a dropper works better because syringes can stick or we can apply too much pressure causing problems with milk inhalation. As the kits get older and get the idea of hand feeding down the syringes work better though.
-Milk replacer, this can be in various forms. I personally like the dry lamb milk replacer. But you can also get canned goats milk. Both can be kept on hand. Some people recommend evaporated or condensed milk. These may be easier to find but can tend to be sweetened which is un-needed. The first two are better choices. Some sites will recommend KMR or another over the counter milk replacer for pets. This is not ideal. These milk replacers for puppies and kittens are based on the needs for carnivores, and chins are herbivores. This is why lamb and goat milks work better and are easier to digest for kits.
-Mom & Kit Supplement is a dry powder supplement that can be put in the cage for mom and kits to free feed on. This does not mean to fill a dish to the brim. I suggest feeding about 4 tablespoons or so a day. This supplement can be made at home when needed. A great way to make the feed fines is to use a coffee grinder.
1 part powdered lambs milk ( in a pinch you can use powdered milk from the baking isle, but that is not ideal for a long term solution)
1 part pelleted feed fines
1 part oatmeal baby cereal
Keep this supplement in a dry cool place, it does not need to be refridgerated, but will clump if not keep dry. For easy distributing you can keep it in a small jug type container and pour out how much you need each time.
-Towels are needed for wrapping up squirmy kits and cleaning up messes.
-Baby wipes are needed for wiping mouths and read ends ( to help stimulate bowel movements)
Let's start with knowing when to supplement or hand feed. Sometimes mom's just need some help to get going. This is where supplementing comes in handy. If a mom just isn't getting her milk in quickly then you can supplement temporarily. If a mom has too many kits to feed on her own you may need to supplement for the entire time. And if a for some reason a mom can not care for her kits at all you will need to be the provider.
When first supplementing or feeding a kit using the dropper and milk warmed to body temperature gentley place one drop of milk on the lips of the kit. This works best if the kit is burrito'd in a small towel. It may take several times for it to understand this is it's new food source so you need to be patient. With young kits you will need to feed every two hours, that includes through the night. If possible having the kits in with mom, or in with a "foster" to help keep them warm and clean will help improve chances of survival. A foster can be dad, mom even though she can't feed them, or another female chin who will help care for the kits.
When hand feeding kits usually won't over eat. But a good way to tell they've had enough is when their tummies feel round. If their tummy is round and hard, then they ate too much. Note this and feed a little less next time.
After feeding if no foster is available you will need to help stimulate bowel movements by using a baby wipe and gently wipe the kits anal region. This helps keep the kit clean, and stimulate bowel movements. Once you see that the kit is regulary having good formed bowel movements on it's own you can stop this step.
Keep the kit warm. If a foster is not available you need to make sure the kit does not get too cold. Normally the mom would keep the kit warm. You can use a fleece pouch and keep the kit away from drafts. Some people suggest a heating pad under half of a carrier, the kit will move to the warmer side of the carrier. I perfer not to use this method because I worry about the kit over heating.
You can weigh the kit daily to make sure it is gaining. With regular feedings the kit should be gaining fine. Be sure to weigh at the same time each day and keep a log of weights so you can compare and track it's weight gain.