Pet Goddess

As the chinchilla kits begin to show an interest in food, you can assist in the weaning process, and start “food-training” them by feeding them chinchilla pellets that have been softened with water. Even though they are born with a full set of teeth, the softened food will be gentler on their little mouths, and will make for an easier, smoother transition from mother’s milk to solid foods.

Soon, usually less than a week, you will see them taking pellets or other food items from their parents bowel to nibbled on; this is a good sign that their innate need and desire to chew is developing nicely. Around the same time they should also start picking up and nibbling on the “chew stones”, sticks and other chewing items that are in the cage.

The kits will need constant access to fresh food daily as their bodies demand for nutrition and calories is very high while growing and developing. The onset of eating solid foods and chewing will also trigger the continuous growth characteristic of the chinchillas’ teeth. Be sure to add extra chews to accommodate their needs.

Aside from the extra nutrition and calories needed by a growing kit, the types and kinds of foods provided need not be any different than that of the adults. Just be sure that an adult is not “bullying” the kits away from the food or eating it all up before the little ones get a chance to meet their needs. A side concern is an adult eating too much and growing obese.

If any or all of the afore mentioned concerns become an issue, you may need to temporarily move the “offending” chinchilla to another cage. Surprisingly enough though, a kit can more often than not “hold his own” and they will all live in harmony with each getting their individual needs fulfilled. You main job will be to provide enough fresh food to accommodate the additional new tummies while being sure to not add too much.

A baby chinchilla can become pregnant as soon as five to six months of age so be sure to be prepared for this by having the needed number of cages in order to separate the males from the females, this includes the kits from the adults as well. A pregnancy that occurs too early will result in a baby chinchilla having kits too young which can cause serious complications while giving birth as well as in any future attempts at breeding.

Your baby Chinchillas’ should be checked by your Veterinarian not too long after birth; taking the whole litter and parents in at the same time is best. After, an annual visit should suffice. If something appears amiss at birth or the mother shows signs of straining with no resulting births, take all concerned in to be seen immediately!

As you continue to “hand-train” them, the baby chinchillas’ will eventually begin to show affection toward you; the more you handle them, the closer the two of you will grow. This is an avenue for them to let you know that they love you as much as you love them.

Posted January 2, 2010 Comments(0)

So, you’ve decided to breed your chinchillas’ or, perhaps you have become a chinchilla “parent” through no hand of your own; a male and female, housed together have produced these tiny, delightful little creatures, called Kits, on their own. Or, yet still, maybe you have decided to start out by obtaining a weaned kit from a breeder. In any event, there are a few basics that you will need to know.

In the following we will discuss the few special needs and characteristics of chinchilla kits: 

Pet chinchillas are normally born even-tempered. This is because the parents were good-natured and you or the breeder took two chinchillas with good temperament and allowed for them to breed. It is best to try and not disturb a chinchilla or her newly-born babies for a week or so after the birth; doing so could greatly distress the mother. You should give the new, little family at least a week of relatively “undisturbed” time; this is their bonding time, an important factor in promoting good, even temperment.

Although “hand-training” a kit is neither difficult or extensive, it does take some time and patience. Also, like most any youngster, the chinchilla kits will follow the lead of their parents. Due to this nurture and nature, they will become more easily handled and make wonderful companions.

The mother will carry the babies for about 111 days before giving birth. Being nocturnal animals, mothers will often go into “labor” during the night, giving birth in the early morning hours. A mother will deliver anywhere from one to about five kits; the average number being three.

The babies are born with all their hair, a full set of teeth and eyes wide open. As all development, with the exception of growth, occurs within the womb, they look just like a miniature version of the parents, weighing about one to three ounces.

Although they will be kept very close by the mother for the next several days, it’s not long before these inquisitive little creatures will start trying to exploring their surroundings, often much to the exasperation of their mother who will pull in one only to have it wander out again as she goes for the next.

Chinchilla babies need to stay with their mother for six to seven weeks until they are weaned. During this time the mother’s milk will be all that they need to keep them strong, healthy and growing.  After the kits have had time to adjust to their new surroundings and bond with their mother, you will want to start handling them. This will get them used to being touched and picked-up by not only you, but humans in general.

At first take them out together or with a parent as this will give them a sense of security. Then you can gradually, a bit more each day, start taking them out individually and for longer periods of time. The more time they spend out with you, the more they will become used to human contact. If you plan to sell the babies, practicing these slow and gentle “outings” on a regular basis will make for a friendly, well balanced and therefore more valuable pet.

A happy, well adjusted pet is all that more likely to have a happy and loving home.

Posted December 31, 2009 Comments(0)

While there are many reasons why you might want to own a guinea pig as a pet, there are also many reasons why you may talk yourself out of it as well. One of those reasons is the guinea pig’s ‘bathroom habits.’

You see, unlike cats, who will always use a litter box if there is one available, guinea pigs may not. So, how can you potty train your guinea pig?

Again, not all guinea pigs will take to using a litter box, although many will. It seems to be a matter of personal choice for the guinea pig. There are many things that you can do, however, to make the litter box more ‘attractive’ to your guinea pig.

Start by placing the litter box in the correct location inside your guinea pig’s pen. Like many other animals, guinea pigs will not eliminate in the same places that they eat or sleep. For this reason, you will most likely want to place the litter box on the opposite end of the pen from where your guinea pig eats and sleeps.

Next, realize that you must have a great deal of patience when training a guinea pig to use a litter box. There will be accidents. Also realize that guinea pigs don’t like to be ‘forced’ to do anything. You must be gentle in your reprimands, and you must keep a close eye on your guinea pig.

When he starts to eliminate outside of the litter box, you need to be ready to pick him up quickly, and to place him in the litter box. He is doing what comes naturally, but he can be taught with patience and effort.

Use the correct materials in the litter box. You can’t use regular cat litter. Your guinea pig will prefer either wooden or paper pellets for his litter box, and you can actually use the same bedding that you use in his pen as well.

Training a guinea pig to use a litter box should start shortly after you get him, but after he has already done his business in his pen a few times.

The idea here is to place the litter box in the spot that he has chosen for eliminating inside of the pen. Experts suggest placing some of his own fecal matter in the box, just so that he gets the idea more quickly. Do not use large, overwhelming litter boxes. A very small plastic box is all that is needed for a pet this size.

When your guinea pig uses the litter box, he should be rewarded for doing it correctly. Give him a small treat, and talk sweetly to him.

Believe it or not, he will remember this, and this may prompt him to repeat the action for more treats and praise. If you see the guinea pig sitting in his litter box, even when he isn’t eliminating, don’t discourage him. If you shoo him out of the box, he may become scared of it.

If for some reason your guinea pig turns the litter box into a bed, you should take steps to make his real bed more attractive to him, so that he will stop using as a bed what he deems as the more comfortable litter box.

If this continues to be a problem, change the material that you are using in the litter box to something that you are not using for his bedding.

Finally, keep your guinea pig confined to a small space, with the litter box inside, until he is using the litter box consistently, and then widen his space gradually until he uses the litter box each and every time that he eliminates, regardless of how far away the litter box is. A pen with expandable sides is ideal for this.

With patience and effort,  you can get your guinea pig potty trained, so that you can enjoy him or her without worrying about a mess in your house.

Posted November 27, 2009 Comments(0)