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[Abby W.]

I have a newborn orphaned kit, she is now one week old and I cannot get her to gain weight.  I have tried her with a foster mother which worked fine, but she still didn't gain weight.  I have tried syringe feeding her a couple of times an hour all day long and several times during the night with KMR mixed with a little nutri-cal and some baby rice cereal, and still no luck.  We have been bouncing back between the same two weights for several days, and she is down significantly from her birth weight.  Is there anything else I can do?

[Joyce]

Hi there,

E-mail Lani Ritchey and ask her advice right away.  Go on her website Cachins.org   there is a link to contact her.   Just put 911, Please Help, or Kit needs help......something like that for the subject to catch her attention.
She is wonderful and has helped me out through  Mia's pregnancy, delivery & after with the kits when Mia could NOT nurse due to illness.....................
Lani know everything and will be able to help you I am sure!  Let us know.

[Abby W.]

Thanks so much for the info!  I will get in touch with her to ask her advice.

[Jo Ann]

Supplement the larger of the two kits so her tummy will stay full. 

By doing this, most of the natural chinchilla milk from the foster mom will be left for the smaller kit. 

The smaller kit needs the natural milk much more than the larger kit.

 
Jo Ann

Please share with all of us what Lani's advice is ... we all need to learn all possible options, especially when it comes to orphaned kits.

[Jo Ann]

Hi Abby,
    Have you heard back from Lani yet? 
    If so, what did she say?
    How is the kit doing?
    Is this a new orphan? Or is it Paige? Or is it one of the two from Rebekkah?  I'm confused as to who this orphan kit belongs to now.

 
Jo Ann

[Abby W.]

I have not heard back from Lani yet, but I will be sure to let you guys know when I do so we can all benefit from her advice.  The orphaned kit in question was the little standard from Rebekkah.  I had to have her euthanized as she would not gain weight no matter what I did, and then she stopped using her hind legs.  She just dragged them around behind her like they wouldn't work.  I had tried as you suggested a couple of days of taking her sibling with me to work and letting her have long periods of time with Cybil on her own.  Even then she would not gain weight.   The poor thing had such a rough entry into this world and I just couldn't see asking her to fight anymore when she was obviously slowly losing.  All in all, this has been a rough experience, but I guess if one is going to breed it should be expected that these things may happen from time to time 

The sapphire female is a firecracker though, up in the 55 gram region now and hopping around like a normal kit.  I have pics of her on my website.  I haven't figured out how to post them on here yet.

[Jo Ann]

I hate to hear the little one had such a rough time of it, but now she's in chinnie heaven with her momma and is no longer in pain.
     Yes, when you breed, you have to expect problems sometimes.

 
Jo Ann

[Summer]

I am so sorry you lost her, But she is not suffering any more.   

[Stacy]

Thats so sad. I think when you breed anything things like that should be expected. 

[*Karen*]

if one is going to breed it should be expected that these things may happen from time to time 

This is one of the reasons why I stopped breeding. 

[Abby W.]

It is a very sad part of breeding.  But the joy I get from watching the surviving kits grow and play far exceeds the sadness of losing one.  To me, it is still an incredibly rewarding experience. 

[Summer]

  Very ture!