Chips Babies leaving the nest

[chris]

This weekend was the first time Chips babies have started leaving their nest.
I saw the first one out on Saturday but only for a few seconds and today there has been one out exploring its new home for the first time. It has been out and about for most of the day I also saw a second one poke its head out of the burrow for a couple of minutes and then it retreated back down.  I have one concern though. Scrat the father is looking agitated and swishing his tail alot, also he has been chasing Chip around alot more and I saw him pin the baby to the ground. Is this the time to remove him from the aviary or is he proving his dominance now the babies are coming out of the nest?

[Grasshopper]

ahhhhhhh that pic is really cute.
He or she looks like a really healthy chipmunk.
I hope Scat doesn't injure any of the babies or Chip.
Hopfully he'll calm down soon but i don't know if it would be best to remove him or leave him in i'm afraid.

Grasshopper

[chris]

  7 of them have now come out of their nest. We are so pleased and Chip has been a great mum. Chip looks tired and I think in the end she forced them out to start fending for themselves but so far it has been a great experience.
Now we have to decide what to do with the babies whether to sell them  or keep them and build another aviary and split the sexes.
Decisions decisions, but it has been an unexpected ( I thought Chip was a male when we bought her  )  though very exciting time that we have enjoyed very much

[Teresa]

I was just browsing through some pictures and noticed that you've got pine cones in your aviary.  I picked some up today and was going to ask if they were OK for chipmunks but you've just answered my question. Thanks.
And your baby chip looks lovely I'm picking up some babies in the next week or so.