First breed :D

[Chiptastic]

  Been floating around here a little bit, and I finally wanted to ask some breeders for opinions..

I have had chipmunks a little while, but first just had two males. So it wasn't until I got the females and they grew up that I decided to breed. I'm prepared in terms of items (increased cage size, baby toys, medicinal supplies, syringe, the special formula on hand in case I have to feed them should momma reject any, etc) and I have my chipmunk site ready for potential owners (and one buyer set). What I still have is under a week, one week before Luci's next heat. This is the heat she'll get her first shot at pregnancy. Luci is just a little under a year old, and her partner will be an older male, Poet. They already spent a day together to see if they were amicable to be permanently paired (No fighting, some play chases, lots of stares at each other) and don't think so just yet but they get on well enough to pair off when Luci is chirping crazily. 

I think I want tips - things that breeders come up with on their own to solve little problems. Or even just sharing those problems so I know what to expect.. Things that you found useful to know, or discovered along the way. Things that made your life a whole lot easier when you had baby chips underfoot. Anything. Here's my own thoughts, tell me where I'm wrong or need work?

Thoughts: Pairing, and remove the father afterward to be sure of less stress during the pregnancy. Leave momma alone entirely the first week after birth (I really don't want those babies being eaten! And Luci is an aggressive girl). I'm assuming their squeaks will alert me to their date of birth. After the first week, it really depends; Will Luci really be alright with my quick looks? I'd love to try checking in on them once a day but she has been VERY aggressive in heat and I was worried it would continue. She's my favorite and we're very close, but when she's in heat she is just hyped up and angry! What if she isn't alright with my looking and touching, and I can't get in there to tame them? *facepalm* I was hoping that after the first week I could increase the time spent with the babies gradually until they're at 1-2 hours by 3 weeks old (or whatever age it ends up - things are never like you plan them), and longer afterwards if Luci would allow. Babies will be let go between 9-12 weeks, depending on health and weight.

  In short - I've read about it, I've heard of it, but I've never done it. I'm going to try, and I really want to do it right  -  h e l p ? 

[jennyb]

Hi Chiptastic, i didn't touch Hermione's babies for a whole week and i didn't handle them more than necessary it was only a few minutes the first time. When i handled them yesterday it was for abit longer but i haven't really handled them much but thats because Hermione is abit nervous. My female Sandie the mother of my first litter was quite friendly and i could handle hers everyday but that will depend on the female. I still hope Hermione's babies will be friendlier than she is even with less handling. They are so cute tho. I removed the father and some members on here do the same but others keep them together it will depend on how she gets on with him. She may turn aggressive to him once she gets pregnant. The mother will be her largest a few days before the birth and may not be out the nest the day before or she may be quite restless, in and out the nest alot. Hermione actually was active a few hours before giving birth but quite tired she seemed sleepy and stretched and yawned. You can expect 31 days to be the normal length of pregnancy. Hermione a few days before giving birth scraped in her nest alot and sorted out the bedding. When they are born you will hear squeaking regularly sometimes quite loud. I have a vid of this on Hermione's babies thread. Hermione doesn't exactly like me looking at her babies but once i have put them back in the nest and covered them back up she can hear that they are ok and doesn't rush straight to them she will carry on eating the nuts i've given her and it may be 10 minutes before she returns to them so she doesn't seem to get too stressed. My Sandie was quite nervous of her young being touched at first but it wasn't long before she didn't really take notice of the handling anymore especially as they got older and had fur. I checked Sandie's once a day but with Hermione i leave it a couple of days usually i know they are fine as i hear them squeaking. If Luci will be fine with you looking/handling them every day then it should be fine but if she gets stressed i'd make it less frequent. Even if you can't handle them much from their first week so should still get tame. The babies feed from their mother regularly i think its every two to three hours at birth. It will be best to keep handling them even after three weeks, once they get to five weeks they will be running all over the place lol.

Babies will be let go between 9-12 weeks, depending on health and weight.

Lol will you be able to let them go though.... Hermione's babies are only ten days old and i am already attached to them and i can't let them go now. I want to keep them all, it might seem easy to let them go but it isn't. I never let any of Sandie's babies go but i've not had many babies born really. I know eventually i can't keep them all though.

I'd advice you to talk to Dayle C as she has had lots of babies born and her Fidget has been a great mother so she will have good tips for you. I ask her for baby advice too 

[Chiptastic]

Thank you for replying Jenny  Hermione's babies sound amazingly precious! I'm glad it's only 31 days - waiting seems like the hardest part. I always picture pregnant chipmunks like waddling penguins - is that accurate?  Imagining all those babies in that tiny body sound like a chipmunk-cheek full of snacks. I hope Luci is like Sandie, adjusting to them being touched. Minor correction - I would handle them after three weeks, but I meant that they would be handled less before then (before they get big & strong enough for momma to allow, maybe sooner if Luci is pleasant!). I thought 3 weeks was about when their fur would be entirely in, but eyes still not open.

Well, letting them go, that'll be the tough bit alright! I am keeping some but not all.. At some point awhile back I decided to determine the carrying capacity for chips and put it at seven adult chipmunks. That would make it my four plus a baby or two, and an extra spot (that probably will never be filled to leave a space for any 'emergency chips'). Selling the extra babies will be so hard though, but picking who to stay and who to go will be tougher.

The name Fidget sounds familiar so I think I have seen her before but never spoken directly. I'll try and contact her if my postings here don't flag any attention. I'm very glad there is a reply though - breeding is exciting, but it makes me nervous!

[judyw]

Don't be nervous. You are prepared for this, not like some chipmunk owners who haven't got a clue what they doing.You will be fine and Luci will be a great mummy
good luck

[jennyb]

Thanks Chiptastic they are so great. Lol they can be quite small when pregnant or very large it depends how many babies they have. A Chipmunk having a large litter will look very round. You won't notice her getting big until the third week of pregnancy and she will be largest a couple of days before giving birth to give you an idea i have a couple of Hermione on here the first one is her a week before giving birth, the other two are her the same day as giving birth. Plus the a couple of Abigail pregant too - 1st pic is her 16 days pregnant and the next two are her 24 days pregnant. Hope this gives you an idea. Hopefully Dayle will post a picture of Fidget pregnant so you can see the size of the mum when having ten. Yeah by three weeks they will have their fur. Yeah you may have seen Fidget and Dayle before on the squirrel board (Crazymunk)


Below i have posted some of the first signs to look for to tell your Chipmunk may be pregnant


1. She won't come back into season (chirp) this is the most obvious. (if she hasn't called by two weeks you can ashume she is pregnant)
2.  She may become aggressive to the male, not letting him near, she may guard her nestbox and food. She may also be aggressive to females
3. She will start nestbuilding, adding extra bedding to nest. Maybe spending more time in there.
4. Teats appear through belly fur when can't be seen before. (within first 14 days they may become visable, by final week they will be clear)
5. My females both scratched their belly alot
6. She may change behaviour. e.g. Abigail uses her wheel when pregnant but not normally. She may become quieter and sleep more like Hermione did.
7. Nate said on his site that pregnant females sometimes eat odd foods
8. Towards the end she will stretch alot and yawn and Dayle said drink and pee alot too.
9. She may also squeak abit near birth.

[DayleC]

This is fidget pregnant with 10.....I really thought she was going to burst open..I was going to wait till the monday and take her to the vets I was that worried. Needless to say she took it all in her stride.   

[DayleC]

This is a video of the litter.....unfortanately the smallest one was squashed and died so there are 9 here.....and Fidget if you can find her    Can you imagine the fun of having this lot out at the same time?   MANIC   

 <a href="http://i65.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/Crazymunk/DSCN2233-1.flv" target="_blank">http://i65.photobucket.com/player.swf?file=http://vid65.photobucket.com/albums/h216/Crazymunk/DSCN2233-1.flv</a>


Just in case you wondered...Fidget and the father of the litter are both Agouti carrying the dormant Dilute gene which is why its a mixed litter....Most people will know you need two dilute genes to produce dilutes so one from each parent = dilute babies

[judyw]

Hi DayleC

Love the pickture of Fidget. She look masive. I thought 8 was a lot but 10. Was it her first litter?
Must be hard work for mummy chipmunk to bring so many up. Bless. She did  a great job i bet. Well done.



 

[pinkpill]

  that vid just looks so busy n manic i can just imagine how full their sleeping quarters were but i bet they were all warm 

[Chiptastic]

Thank you for the confidence booster Judyw 

Wow - the first one I wouldn't have guessed, but in the second & third picture her little belly pokes out! So cute.
It almost seems like the girls already started the behavioral markers but maybe that's because they're adults now - Luci spent almost all of yesterday in her nestbox (very unlike her). She sleeps there when in heat, and takes comfort in a hanging toy at night when not in heat.  They've also done the most adorable yawns now that they didn't do before. I need to get a picture of one of those to post, but they never hold the yawn long enough for me to snap one! 

WOW! Fidget is huge! Now that's a penguin walk. Poor girl - it must have been interesting prior to pregnancy, but keeping up with that many tiny squeekers probably trimmed her down real quick.  The babies all grown up are adorable! Taking them out for a run together would have been hysterical - you could have been engulfed in a wave of fuzziness and never been seen again.

[DayleC]

Fidget loved having babies...1st litter was 9...following year was the litter of 10.................then she broke with tradition and had 8 in the spring and another 4 in the winter and then last year she only had 4  but OH BOY were they litte bruisers !!!!  Shes now retired I think she's done enough bless her...love her to bits!!!!!

[Dragon35]

Been floating around here a little bit, and I finally wanted to ask some breeders for opinions..

I have had chipmunks a little while, but first just had two males. So it wasn't until I got the females and they grew up that I decided to breed. I'm prepared in terms of items (increased cage size, baby toys, medicinal supplies, syringe, the special formula on hand in case I have to feed them should momma reject any, etc) and I have my chipmunk site ready for potential owners (and one buyer set). What I still have is under a week, one week before Luci's next heat. This is the heat she'll get her first shot at pregnancy. Luci is just a little under a year old, and her partner will be an older male, Poet. They already spent a day together to see if they were amicable to be permanently paired (No fighting, some play chases, lots of stares at each other) and don't think so just yet but they get on well enough to pair off when Luci is chirping crazily. 

I think I want tips - things that breeders come up with on their own to solve little problems. Or even just sharing those problems so I know what to expect.. Things that you found useful to know, or discovered along the way. Things that made your life a whole lot easier when you had baby chips underfoot. Anything. Here's my own thoughts, tell me where I'm wrong or need work?

Thoughts: Pairing, and remove the father afterward to be sure of less stress during the pregnancy. Leave momma alone entirely the first week after birth (I really don't want those babies being eaten! And Luci is an aggressive girl). I'm assuming their squeaks will alert me to their date of birth. After the first week, it really depends; Will Luci really be alright with my quick looks? I'd love to try checking in on them once a day but she has been VERY aggressive in heat and I was worried it would continue. She's my favorite and we're very close, but when she's in heat she is just hyped up and angry! What if she isn't alright with my looking and touching, and I can't get in there to tame them? *facepalm* I was hoping that after the first week I could increase the time spent with the babies gradually until they're at 1-2 hours by 3 weeks old (or whatever age it ends up - things are never like you plan them), and longer afterwards if Luci would allow. Babies will be let go between 9-12 weeks, depending on health and weight.

  In short - I've read about it, I've heard of it, but I've never done it. I'm going to try, and I really want to do it right  -  h e l p ? 

I had a litter of 5 babies last year only one girl had them and the other girl and boy straight away slept in the same nest all through until they left home, this year I have just had 12 babies and 2 females have had them in the same nest and again the dad has slept in the box with the babies and 2 mums each night, I have an outside aviary with 3 nest boxes and a big box, they have started moving the babies round to different boxes and currently are in the smallest box but still they all sleep together at night, I did not have a problem with the male last year or this but he is very placid and scared of the girls.

[Chiptastic]

It sounds like Fidget sure does deserve a rest - and she can probably start looking forward to grandkids someday I bet.

Congratulations on your litters so far! It sounds like what you're doing is working. I find it impressive that your two girls were willing to share him, and the kids, all in one spot - that's so cool!

----

Guys, nothing I do works. It is odd, because Luci had her first heat early March. I paired her with Poet early April, with no results. The stayed together daily, for two weeks, without even copulating. He chased her, but she never stopped to let him get close. Luci did not chirp during that time, or even the week after - I let her take a week off before meeting Charlie. He does not appear to have caught her favors, either. I don't understand why they aren't copulating - no mounting attempts at ALL.

[Chiptastic]

Freshly Taken Luci Pics:

[jennyb]

Hi, are you sure she isn't pregnant. The female won't want any more attention from the male once she has been mated. Unless you was watching them the whole time you won't know for sure if they mated or not. Also has she called for a mate? If she isn't in season she won't let the male mate. The female is only fertile for one day every two weeks and if they do mate out of that time (although most females won't let the male) she won't get pregnant. The female may not chirp once housed with the male because she has his attention, the females vulva swells when she is in season and it goes pinkish on the day she is ready to mate.The fact the male is chasing her says he was trying to mate, chasing is often part of the courtship. Listen out for chirping if she doesn't call two weeks after you put them together then she is probably pregnant. If she is housed without the males she will chirp once she comes into season. It is rare that females dont chirp although that is not unknown.