What to look for to know if mating has indeed been a success. In many cages with litter on the base it is difficult to find them as they are lost and thrown out with the litter. I usually find them easily as I use newspaper under the wire floor of my cages. the wire floor not only lets dropping and urine fall through. I means the chinchilla is kept much cleaner as there is no spoiling by dirty floor which chinchllas hate. Urine on a chinchillas fur is very distressfull for the chinchilla. Chinchillas are extrememly clean animals.
If you find one count on the calendar 111 days. This is always a good guide to when the female will give birth. I never need to weigh pregnant females or babies to know if they are okay. I can instinctively know how they are. However if you are new to breeding it may be beneficial to weigh the female at regular intervals. Also when kits are born you may be reassured kits are okay by weighing them too at regular intervals.
These 111 days give you lots of time to gather together and plan all you need. You will need to have a small first aid kit ready with basics for treating bites(kits do sometimes fight and mum may need emergency treament too) FIRST=AID box also read up on baby suppliment feeding. Read up on pregnant females. Sometimes mum's milk does not come in quickly therefore you will need to feed the kit/s until her supply is though. feed alfalfa hay to mum this will help bring in her milk quicker. two alfalfa cubes(sugar cube size) or a small handful if loose alfalfa and then reduce to two every second day. Read the pages here for how to suppliment feed. There is no set amount for feeding kits. Let them take what they wish. Take the male out before the birth! babies often get killed as the male will mate with femaleafter, and sometimes during the birth.
read about cages for birthing is your cage safe for babies? no high shelves etc.? Read about kits when they are born. In other words? BE PREPARED for the unexpected. Then the birth will not be so daunting for you.
