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[carte_blanche81]

 
Today while I was at work, my roommate called me and told me Dolce had a seizure and died suddenly. She had 4 kits at the beginning of this month, and all the kits are doing well.

I have no idea what could have caused this, and the kits have been eating solid food recently, but they were still nursing on her. I have no idea what I am supposed to do, whether it's hand feeding them, or letting them continue to eat solid food. What supplements do I buy??

[carte_blanche81]

To Clarify:

The Kits were born on the 29th of last month.

[Summer]

  I am sorry for your loss, I belive they still need the mom, you would want ask one of the others. so are about  four weeks?

[carte_blanche81]

yes, and they are drinking from the water bottle on their own.

[Summer]

Jo Ann know all about these little guy ask her. hope evey thing gos well.

[Jo Ann]

Hi,
      I am so sorry to hear that Dolce passed away!   

Do you have any other adult chins?  Preferrably female, fantastic if you have a nursing mom or one that has just weaned kits.

But, if not ...

Do you have the daddy?  Had you put him in the cage with Dolce and the kits?  If the daddy has been in with the kits, they will probaby snuggle with him, clean them and keep them warm.

 If he has not been with them or at least played with them daily, it would be taking a chance to try to put him in with them now.

If you do not have an older chin that will accept and care for them, give them special attention and a hut that they can cuddle in together to keep warm.

Since they are as old as they are drinking and eating on their own ... it is in their favor.  BUT anyone that might adopt them needs to know the mom died of a seizure when they were 4 weeks old ... sometimes seizures are hereditary, but not always. 

Were her teeth dark yellow or orange?  If not ... and they were white ... she could have had a seizure associated with hypocalciema ... low calcium.  This can occur in nursing mothers, especially with 3 or more kits and/or breedback situations. It is important to know ... if you can ... check her teeth if you have not already buried her.

 If you can not check her teeth, check the kits teeth ... are they real white?  If so, you need to get some calcium supplement for them ...

   1 tsp. powdered ...Cuttle bone (bird section of the pet store) and shave some of it off for the kits.
1/4 cup powdered ...Get hay (preferrably alfalfa) and grind it to a powder in the blender.
1/4 cup powdered ...Chinchilla pellets and grind also.  Preferably Mazuri, Oxbow, Tradition, or Manna Pro Sho.
1/8 cup ... Raw Wheat Germ ... found in health food stores ... MUST be refrigerated after opening.

Once this is mixed IT MUST BE KEPT REFRIGERATED in an air tight container!

When ready to use:
Get Nutri Cal (in the cat/dog section of the pet store) use a small amount (about the size of a pea).
OR
Live Culture Yogurt.

Mix just enough power formula above to moisten and form into small balls.  Let each kit have one or two a day.

Milk:  Kitten or puppy formula can be used ... feed using an eye dropper.
        OR you can use can milk/water/Gerber rice cereal, mix well, feed using an eye dropper. 

Before you feed with an eye dropper, please read: The First Signs of Trouble at: Luv 'N Chins II http://www.geocities.com/jobernstein1949/  Pay close attention to the last three video clips showing how to feed with a dropper.

Keep us posted!
Let me know if you need anything else. 

 
Jo Ann

[carte_blanche81]

Thanks for the Info.

The Kits teeth are yellow, I'm not sure about Dolce's, as she's buried now, and I didn't think to look.

I didn't use calf manna this time around, as I did with her previous litters,

[Jo Ann]

How are the kits doing? 

Everything going OK?

We'd love to see pictures of them!   

 
Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

Yes I have been thinking of them too.
How are they?

[Jo Ann]

 We would all like to know how the little ones are doing.

 
Jo Ann

[carte_blanche81]

Gosh.

I'm so sorry for not keeping you guys updated... and thank you thank you Joann for shooting me an e-mail, I'm glad you guys actually care about how they are doing. But anyway, the kits are doing great. They're all healthy and big. I've decided to keep the 2 girls and give the boy away (If anyone wants him, just let me know).

I tried using organic rice baby cereal the first 2 days after Dolce passed, but the only one that was taking it well was the biggest baby. All in all though, they're doing great. I did consult with a vet about what to do and he said since they are eating on their own, then they should be fine. He also said Dolce most likely passed from lack of Calcium, due to nursing the kits (she started with 4). On her previous litters I was giving her Calf Manna, and didn't really think it was making that much of a difference. Well, I know better now, but I did pay a great price for that tidbit of crucial knowledge. Dolce was my baby. My first chin.

As soon as i can get my hands on another digital camera, I will take pictures of them with their dad.

[Jo Ann]

We are all here for each other and we do care ... we may start out strangers ... but we all have one thing in common ... our love for chinchillas ... and that makes us friends.  Most of us have lost a chin and know what it is like.      When someone else looses one we do not have sympathy for them, but empathy, for we have already been there. 
      Helping someone to keep a chin and/or a kit alive by sharing our knowledge rewards us by letting us know we are being useful and reassuring us that there is one more chin to continue giving love and laughter to us undeserving humans.   
      Listening to another's problems, worries or sadness is, in a way, repaying those who listened to us when we needed it.    It's a continuing circle that I hope will never end. 
     Yes, we would Love to see pictures of the kits and their daddy!

 
Jo Ann

[Debbie.nl.ca]

I'm so glad to hear they are doing well.
Amazing, you've done something right, and they will love for it.