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[Jo Ann]

I just wanted to mention just in-case it is something I should be worried about.  Yesterday, after Kiwi moved from her one spot, I noticed a lot of wet shavings from under her.  It could be just urine since she hasnt moved really and just urinated under herself.  But then this morning I went in to check on her and I had her walk towards me and underneath her again was more wet shavings, not as much as yesterdays but a section of wetness.  Again, could be urine, but I just wanted to know that if her water did break and nothing happened with a baby, there should be blood seen at some point correct?
Am I safe in assuming this is just urine.  I smelled it and couldnt really tell because it smelled like wet pine.
She is drinking a lot of water, and Im not seeing the babies move as much as they had been.  They are still moving, but barely.

  Never assume ... break the word "assume" down into smaller words ...

Is she cleaning her self pretty good?  Chinchillas are very clean animals ... it is not normal for one to sit in urine.

Me, I would take her to the vet a.s.a.p.  It may be urine and it may be her water breaking. Is it staining her fur?

Either way, it is not a good thing ...

If it is urine, she's setting herself up for infection big time and you do not want that for her or the kits.

If it her water breaking and the kits are not comming, it could be much worse.  Getting her to the vet would be my #1 priority right now.  To see blood and no kits is always a vet check a.s.a.p. ... but to see fluid under her more than once, even with no blood, I would get her to the vet and let them check her out.  She is to close to term to take any chances, especially with a large litter.

 
Jo Ann

[KCchins]

Thats a great idea on freezing the milk.  This is after its mixed with the water correct?

Yes mix the goats milk and water before freezing.

[QTPie61282]

Ok, Ill have to run her in tomorrow once Im done with work.  Im just worried about them handling her and palpating her alot.
I finally got the xrays emailed to myself so I will post them.
She hasnt sat in any water or urine at all today.  She is sitting in her bed, and sometimes on top of her house.
I havent been able to look under her to see if its staining.  She is so big I dont feel comfortable moving her about unless I can sneak a peak while shes laying on her side.

I came up with a date of this Sunday that she should be ready.  You said their cycle is 28-35 days, this Sunday will be the 35th day of the cycle since she had her last litter.  I ordered a brand new gram scale also so I can weigh the kits better, my old scale wasnt that great.

Here are the xray pics.

[Jo Ann]

The x-rays are real good ... especially the first one.  You can see the heads and spines of the kits.

Jen, I'm just going by what I would do ... you know her better than anyone does, it's your call.

We need to run her around the room a few times ...
maybe the kits would want to come out and see what was going on ...
    ... just joking.

Here I've been concentrating on your little one so much, I've forgotten to keep a close eye on mine.  We've been presented with 8 kits in the last 2 weeks.  A Pastel and a Tan from Bonnie & Paul (their first litter), a hetero Eb and a White/Eb from Missy (their first litter together), 2 Violets from June & Josh, a Charcoal from Duke & Duchess, and a black velvet from Miss Abby and BJ.  In the 2 weeks before that, a pink white and a standard from Cindy Lou and Chubby Chew, 2 homo Ebs from Midnight and Star and 2 Standard kits.  They make the sweetest sounds when they are kits.   


Jo Ann

[QTPie61282]

Hey Congrats on all the kits!!!  Im so sorry Ive been keeping your attention on my girl.
You obviously have your hands full too!!
But then when Ki has hers, we can share their photos!

Normally I would be nervous, as I have been this entire time.  She seems to be eating ok, drinking very well, now moving around more.  Maybe when I saw her the times I did, it was just coincidental that she was in the same area.  She could very well have moved around during the day and right back to the spot to sleep.  The urine spot I dont know.  I dont think any water broke.  I dont see any blood.  And I dont see her cleaning herself all that much. 
She is lying around a lot.
I may just bring her in tomorrow just to be sure anyway.
I think she is just exhausted and very worn out from this pregnancy.  Its Nothing like her last one.

Thanks for fixing up that xray by the way.  Now I can show more people who dont know much about reading xrays, and use the arrows you have to point them out.

Again congrats on all your youngings :-)!!!

[Jo Ann]

     Nothing to be sorry about ... I enjoy working with others!  It has kept many things off my mind that I didn't want to think about.   Also, the chins say "Thank-you" ... since I have not been waking them up several times a day to see if they have kits under them yet.       Of course, I have Lady, our Great Dane, she keeps an eye on them.  As soon as we have new kits, she comes to get me to show me where they are.  I think she thinks she's their momma, too. 

     Yep, it could be coincidental, especially if you were checking on her about the same times she would normally be asleep.  Chins have their own habits and favorite places to sleep/rest.  She's probably smarter than we are and knows she's got a rough go of it ahead her, and is saving her strength till then. 

     The main reason I did that to the x-ray was to ask you, if that was where the vets think the 5th kit is (the one on the far left of the x-ray).  I'll post it now.  You can really see even the upper and lower front teeth in the second from the left, but the two on the right are easy to see, even their little spines.  Just click on the picture to inlarge it.

 
Jo Ann

[QTPie61282]

Well low and behold I came home from work today and my cats were sitting outside the chin room door very curious.  I went in and Kiwi was sitting proud with her new Quads!!!!!!!

I am in the middle of taking pics now so I will post them within the next few hours.
Two boys and Two girls I believe. 

They all seem well except for the runt who keeps getting pushed away from mom and food.  I mixed the goats milk and have been feeding her.  I plan on some alone time with her and mom later this evening as well.

Im just so relieved that she delivered safely and everyone is ok.  I brought her back today for a radiograph to make sure there wasnt a 5th and there wasnt.  Just the 4.

[Summer]

CONGRATS!!    glad evey thing went ok. I can't wiat to see the pics.

[Abby W.]

CONGRATULATIONS!!!  I am sure you are both glad the wait is over, and all went well.   She isn't even my chin, and I was nervous! LOL

[QTPie61282]

Thanks for thinking of myself and my Ki.  I really appreciate all the help and support.
I have some pictures.  The other camera isnt working, so I had to retake some with my Fiances camera.  So I will have better ones tomorrow.
 T4 Pink White Male 43 g



(lighting isnt really good here, he really is white!)

T5 Beige White Male (white with beige markings) 43 g




T6 Beige Female 35 g




T7 Standard Female 46 g




The only thing I worry about now is the little runt.  She is getting pushed away by the others, trampled on and I dont want her to not eat.  I left her alone with mom for about 30 minutes and gave her time to eat (i hope thats what she was doing while under mom), and to just bond with mom alone.
I have also been trying to give her the goats milk, mixed with a can of water, warmed up, not too hot, but not cold.  She turns it away after one or two drops.  Kicks the dropper and then struggles to get away from it.
What can I do to make her eat it??
Does this just mean she doesnt need it, and that shes getting enough from mom?
I would just like suggestions for her.  Runts in kit litters always scare me.  Her last runt in the last litter past away after 3 days.

Thanks everyone!  Mom is doing well too, getting her figure back   

[Jo Ann]

Glad to hear mother nature took over and everything went well.

      Congratulations!   

      I couldn't get on line last night (that figures), but woke up to the good news this morning.   

     Looks like the first impression, 4 kits, was the true one.     T5 (beige/white) is looking for milk under the stuffed animal.   

     They are cute!  What are the weights?

     I have found that the runt will get a better chance to get to mom's milk (the good stuff), if the bigger kits are kept full by supplementing them.  Mom may not have enough for all 4 kits.  Cranberry juice in an extra bottle will often get mom to drink more liquids, so that she can produce more milk.  And/or a bottle of the goats milk hanging in the cage when you are not there will give the kit/kits more nourishment also.

     It is not unusual for the first day or two, that they only take 2 or 3 drops of the formula at a time, during the supplementing sessions.  That's why you have to feed them every hour on the hour the first 2 or 3 days. 

      Kits usually spend about 80% of their time under mom the first few days.   

 
Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Well finally, and so well worth the wait, they are gorgeous.
Congrats!

[Stacy]

They are so cute! The runt sure is tiny.

[QTPie61282]

Thanks everyone.  The runt is tiny.  And its actually a boy.  I looked again last night, and it definitely was not a girl.  He was so small when I found them that I probably didnt look closely.

If I put cranberry juice in a bottle., do I need to mix it with water?  or straight cranberry juice?

The standard female keeps picking on the beige white male, he has a bite mark on his nose.

Their weights are posted with their pictures.  The two white ones are each 43 grams, I think they were twins because in the xray you see the two on the left, pretty much overlapping each other.  The runt is 36 grams, and the standard monster is 46 grams.

What happens if they push the dropper away, does that mean they are full, or dont like the taste?  How can I make it more palatable?

[Abby W.]

I have found they resist the dropper at first just because it is unfamiliar.  It seems like with the kits I nursed I had to ALMOST force feed them the first couple of times, and after that they got the hang of it.  It took a lot of time and persistence at first.  Also, I found once the formula began to cool they wouldn't touch it.  My picky kits insisted their formula be just the right temperature, a little more than lukewarm, I guess like it would be from mom.

You should put in a bottle of 50/50 water and cranberry juice, and make sure the juice has no sugar added, and that you also leave a second bottle with plain water for her as well.

If the kits are fighting and actually injuring each other you may need to separate them and alternate kits in with mom for feeding.  I had a set of triplets I had to do this with.  I placed the kits who were not with mom in a separate cage with dad, and then rotated them every hour, feeding formula to the kits that were not going in with mom, so that everyone got fed every hour, just they alternated between formula and mom's milk.  Unfortunately, this has to be done EVERY hour round the clock.  You will probably find then when they are separated from mom they won't fight each other, but when they go in to nurse they will.  So I would rotate them in two groups putting the standard and the beige white in separately, so they do not nurse together.  Good luck!