The triplets are doing quite well. Putting on weight and starting to ping about their cage. Gris is doing a great job with them and is coping with the me swapping them around several times a day – not bad for a first time mum.

Thug has been at work with me all week – he has successfully made the transition from taking formula from a pipette to drinking it out of a mouse bottle. I took the bottle with me on Tuesday and by lunch time (second feed using the bottle) he’d managed to grasp the concept of using his lower jaw to “bite” the ball bearing to release the milk. It’s amazing really how quickly these little kits adapt to changes in their environment and in their “food delivery” systems – survival and adaptability are two of the chinchillas most basic instincts but they are incredibly well developed, even from birth. It’s truly fascinating to watch and provides a real learning opportunity.

The two other kits (as yet nameless) are doing very well too. Like their brother, they have adapted well to the schedule of rotation and are also drinking formula from a mouse bottle when they are not in with their mother. The bottle is hung from the cage at a height they can easily reach and the formula is warmed a couple of times and then completely changed with a sterilised bottle and freshly made formula. This prevents any bacterial build up in the bottle and protects the kits from gastro-intestinal upset which can be fatal in young chinchillas.

I need to take some more pictures of both sets of kits this weekend (the triplets and the twins) so I might do it when I clean out the chins later. It is interesting watching how kits change in body shape over time; going from the gangly, big-headed first born to the “mini-chin” body shape at a few weeks old. It is also interesting to see the colouring change in some of the mutation chinchilla kits are they develop too – the velvets are fascinating as their veiling and face “mask” develops.

I’ve written an article about The Charcoal Mutation and its Derivatives on Chinchillas Unlimited because there seems to be a lot of confusion around the difference between a charcoal and an ebony – pure recessive charcoals are rare and the mutation is often (frustratingly!) confused with ebony.

It is amazing that chinchilla kits can look so sweet and innocent but can inflict such damage on each other in their fight for survival. I was discussing the number of kits born with a good friend of mine the other day – when triplets are born one of them is usually a runt and in the wild would almost undoubtedly not survive. Chinchilla kits are quite merciless when it comes to their survival and will not hesitate to viciously fight with their siblings for access to the mother’s teats. In some cases this can lead to death of the weaker sibling. The strongest will survive but if for some reason it dies (predators or accident) then there are other kits waiting to take its place – almost certainly when triplets or quads are born the 3rd/4th are just an “insurance policy” so that one or more kits survive in each litter. It is doubtful that all of them would reach maturity.
In captivity we intervene when necessary and the “insurance policy” (I know that sounds heartless but I can’t think of a better way to describe it – and I think it’s accurate even if we don’t particularly like the term) often survives because of that intervention. To be honest, I could never stand back and watch kits fight or die simply because they were being bullied or lacking milk: I’m far too soft to do that which is why I need matchsticks for my eyes right now! I do know that some people can leave nature to take its course but it is just not in me to do that.

My friend always prays her chinchillas do not have triplets – I’m beginning to understand why! My only other experience of triplets (previous litters born here have been single or twins) were born to my beloved Stumpy who tragically died despite my best efforts to save her. Consequently the triplets never got to the point of bickering and fighting because they were hand reared almost from day 1. They were hard work but I would have done anything in my power to help them survive – today they are a testament to Stumpy’s memory and her daughter, Ilori, is just like her in character.

Little Thug (yes, his nickname seems to be sticking) came to work with me today. He was in the little pet carrier under my desk, snoozing the day away while I worked (or rather, while I tried to keep my eyes open so I could work). He is doing rather well and is taking fairly substantial amounts of formula at each feed which is excellent news. His siblings are also doing well and they are all putting on weight. Over night I am rotating them 2 hourly and during the day the male and female stay with Griselda. The female kit has picked up really well after being bullied by Thug – she did have a small cut on her lower lip but it is healing nicely now. Griselda is being very good with them all and I do not think she would have any trouble feeding all three if it was not for Thug’s behaviour and intolerance of his siblings.

The monster twins are just over five weeks old now and are well on their way to becoming independent. Thistle was play mounting his mother the other day which did not go down very well. He may think he’s turning into a mini adult but his mother is not going to be dominated by a little squirt – one swipe with her nose and a swift “kacking” rebuke and he was put firmly back in his place – tucking him underneath her chest to keep him still was the final punishment. Teazel is too busy climbing the sides of the cage and flinging herself off backwards to worry about trying to be dominant – she’s been having far too much fun.

I love watching chinchilla kits grow up, change appearance, gain in confidence and develop those wonderful individual characters which makes them such delightful companions – it makes all of the sleep deprivation and worry worthwhile.

Here are a couple of Griselda’s kits sharing a bottle: