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[kneesaa]

Hi,
I've read about weening time and that's when most people take the kits away, but I'm planning on keeping Pookie. So my question is do I need to spearate mother and daughter at weening time or can I keep them together? Is there any thing I need to get or do for them? Pookie is going to be 2 months old on the 27Th. Thanks Shannon

[Jo Ann]

    Main two questions:

1) Is Pookie a male or female? 
IF Pookie is a male ... no he can not be left with momma and will need a cage of his own ... chinchillas do not distinguish family members in this part of their lives.  A male kit that is 10 weeks old has the ability to impregnate a female chinchilla.

2) Is Pookie's daddy still in the cage with momma? 
IF the answer is yes ... then you have to get Pookie a cage of her/his own ... regardless of what sex she/he is. 
IF Pookie is a female and the daddy is still around ... he could impregnate her - you don't want that.   Female chinchillas have the ability to become pregnant at 3 1/2 months of age, but they have not matured enough to be able to safely deliver the kits ... usually momma and kits are all lost when this happens.
IF Pookie is a male, you do not want to put him in the same cage with momma, because he could impregnate momma. 
IF Pookie is a male, you do not want him and daddy in the same cage ... they could have a fight to the death over the right to breed momma chin.  This is called survival of the fittest.

Don't know why it is, but there is something about that 6 weeks deadline ... between 6 and 10 weeks of age, if a kit is left with it's parents, some will hurt the kit, while others do not.  I had a pair of females I let stay in to long with momma and daddy ... at 8 weeks ... each of the girls got one ear chewed off ... I have another that was a single kit ... it got both ears chewed off ... since then ... I have it marked on my calendar and flag the cages with kits in them. 

For some reason, if the kit is a preemie or sickly, most chin mothers will continue to take care of it no longer how long it stays with her.  When I was in a wheel chair for 7 months, one of the kits got left with momma for 4 months and she continued to nurse him and even chewed his food for him.  He was born with only 2 teeth ... the top two front teeth.  He is still doing good ... I feed him ground pellets and ground hay ... and he gets his teeth trimmed weekly ... he never developed any more teeth.  He's as sweet and lovable as he can be and has his third birthday coming up soon.        He will never be put into breeding ... but will always have a home here as long as he lives.

    Jo Ann

[kneesaa]

Pookie is a female. And when I saw that Pooka had the her I took Peaka out and put him in a cage of his own. So it is just Pooka and Pookie. So do I need to separate Pooka and Pookie later? She's got cute little ears . I don't want them chewed off. Pooka has been a really great mom, this was her first and last litter.  Shannon

[ABC Chinchillas]

I have a mother daughter pair here. I never separated the two. they live in a cage with some other females. they will wean the kits themselves normally. as long as dad stays out the should be fine together. If you find mom does not wean on their own then you can pull the daughter for a few days

[kneesaa]

Oh cool thanks. I was hoping that I wouldn't have to separate them. They are so cute together.

[Jo Ann]

Pookie is a female. And when I saw that Pooka had the her I took Peaka out and put him in a cage of his own. So it is just Pooka and Pookie. So do I need to separate Pooka and Pookie later? She's got cute little ears . I don't want them chewed off. Pooka has been a really great mom, this was her first and last litter.  Shannon

As I stated, it is very rare that they harm the kits.  I have had many moms and daughters that have stayed together.

... they will wean the kits themselves normally. as long as dad stays out the should be fine together. If you find mom does not wean on their own then you can pull the daughter for a few days

The reason for separating them for a few days, if mom keeps nursing them past 6 weeks, is to give mom's milk a chance to dry up so that the kit can not continue to nurse.   

Mother and daughter do form a close bond to each other ... After they have been together a long time, if there comes a time when you want to separate them ... watch both of them very careful and make sure they are still eating and drinking enough ... if they are not, then you would probably have to put them back together again.

   Jo Ann