I need help now!! Please!

[xoxkayxox]

Hi,
Max has just given birth to surpirse litter. I have checked on them and they dont look fed, not sure what to do? Please help

[LynninIN]

Is Max by them? Does she have milk in?

[xoxkayxox]

She does keep going into the nest, her nipples arent wet but i think she has milk

[LynninIN]

Will Max let you near her for you to check for milk?

[xoxkayxox]

I dont no how to check but yes i could safely check her without being biten

[LynninIN]

Make sure your fingers are warm then place you thumb and a finger and gently squeeze and pull a little downward. You may have to let go and repeat a few times.

[Buddy'sMom]

WoW! She did so nicely last time!

Is she acting differently toward this litter that causes you to be worried she won't care for them? Do you know how soon they are SUPPOSED to nurse for the first time?? THe pics show a whitish area above the dark part of their bodies -- is that too high up to be the "milk band"? (Obviously, I'm not sure exactly what I'm looking at -- but just wanted to check and see if you are pretty sure that they haven't nursed???

If she isn't staying with them, can you put a heating pad under their nest? Or fill a water bottle with hot water and wrap it for them to snuggle with?


Hopefully you'll get some more experienced advice soon! :grouphug

[xoxkayxox]

Shes back in the nest with them at the moment. She seems to be in and out. I have moved her to a seperate cage from the other 3 coz they arent much help.
I think the white area above the black is ribs? Usually its that black area that you can see milk inside usually.
What causes me to panic i that its so close to the last litter which chipmunk dont usually do, they uually wait a few months until august time to start breeding again.
Also last year her 2nd litter didnt make it.
I will try and check for milk when he next comes out the nest box.
Please keep helping through this guys, your all so much help and im alot calmer than i was earlier.

[Buddy'sMom]

It seems like a good sign that she keeps going back to them. [but I can sort of understand if she's thinking "OMG, not AGAIN??!!" :crazy ]

Hang in there, grandma! I'm sure you are doing much better than you think! Do you have Pedialyte (or its equivalent) and formula in case you have to step in? Someone should come on and let you know how long you can wait for Max to do her thing before the babies need your help. For the moment, just keep an eye on things as much as she will let you without getting stressed. And be prepared.

Umm... is she acting more like she did with the last litter -- or with the ones that she didn't care for?? Maybe you will get some clues from Max?

:grouphug :grouphug

[LynninIN]

I hope she's feeding them now. Max is a good mommy and will do all she can. Let's give her a little while and see what happens. From the pictures and what you've told us the babies aren't in distress. Do you know how long after birth she feed her last litter?

[xoxkayxox]

I dont no because ive only seen her for an hour or 2 since i knew there were babies. I no they were born at some point today(now 3pm) because i checked on her at about 1am before i went to bed. She has now been in with them for 20/30minutes without coming out which is good. I dont have pedilyte or whatever it is but i have a puppy formula which is the best i can get over here equivalent to the esbilac if it mixed in the right way.
And no im sorry i dont no how long it was until he fed after last litter were born.

[xoxkayxox]

Well..Max thinks im babyitter to all of her litters so when i was changing her over to the spare cage she tried to do a runner and leave me babysitting as usual so i had to pick her to put her back, i didnt feel any more babies and her down below seems back to normal.

[Buddy'sMom]

And Max is very lucky to have such a good babysitter!! :thumbsup

Kay, I think you're right about the milk band -- I went and looked at the other pictures -- http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?p=42543&highlight=%22milk+band%22#post42543 Post 22 if anyone wants to compare. The milk band seems to be spaced BELOW the baby's ribs a bit. (I think there was another pic but I couldn't find it)

Hopefully she is now doing her mommy-thing and you can just watch them grow up like her last litter! :grouphug

[xoxkayxox]

I apologise for my typing my S button keeps sticking. Yeah, Heres my picture of a milk band from last litter..

[Kathy56]

Good Luck, praying for you.:grouphug

[xoxkayxox]

Its now 6.42pm and i last checked the babies at 5pm
They were very wriggly that time and Max has been in with them alot which is a good sign.
My next check will be at 8pm can anyone please tell me anything to particulaly look out for that means i should take them and hand rear?other than a milk band. Any advice please?

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Do you pick the babies up? If so, do you have a scale? You could weigh them and see if they are gaining. I don't think it is a good idea to mess with the little tykes though, because Max may reject them then. I think if they are all wriggly and warm they should be doing good. Also, look for the milk band on the bellies.

[xoxkayxox]

No i wont pick them up and mess about with them unless i desperatly need too.

[LynninIN]

Do you know how to do the pinch test for dehydration?

[xoxkayxox]

well im guessing if you pinch and the skin does ping back then they are dehydrated? Not wanting to really mes with them as they arent even a day old. I have just had a peak to check again(which im doing every 3 hours) again they wriggly and looking good from what i can see. Max has been in there quite alot now. My next peak will be in another 3hrs.
Where are all the rehabbers?

[LynninIN]

I haven't seen any of the rehabbers on the board today except Rippie. They must be busy with their charges. I'm sure they will be on later today. Yes, that's what the pinch test is on the nape of the neck. When the skin does not ping back they are dehydrated. I know this is what you meant and your keys are sticking but wanted to clarify for others reading.

You've seen Max's and other chippie liters before. If they look good to you then they are probably fine. Experience is the best teacher. When you love something it's hard to not second guess yourself.

[Buddy'sMom]

The pinch test -- if you pinch behind their neck and the skin stays UP, then they are dehydrated. If it springs back down (or falls fairly quickly) they are OK.

I would tend to agree with you that it would be best not to touch them unless you need to. It sounds like things are OK at the moment. If Max is spending time with them, likely she is taking care of them. I'm just not sure if wriggly means "full and happy" in chippie-baby-speak or if it means "someone come feed me" :dono

Maybe you can tell looking at Max if you see her, by whether her nipples look like someone's been nursing? Or, maybe you'll get a glimpse of milk band on the babies.

I have to log off for a few hours (family obligation) but I'll check back later. In the meantime, maybe a rehabber will log on. :)

Take care! :grouphug

Oh, and: "Max! Hello in there?! Take care of these babies like you did with the last ones -- you did a really good job with them and mommy was proud of you. These babies need you, too." (There. That should take care of it. :D )

[Buddy'sMom]

Actually, I forget to mention, but I saw Mars stop by earlier, then leave the thread without saying anything. She must have thought things looked under control -- she would have jumped in if she thought there was something else you should be doing. :)

[island rehabber]

well im guessing if you pinch and the skin does ping back then they are dehydrated? Not wanting to really mes with them as they arent even a day old. I have just had a peak to check again(which im doing every 3 hours) again they wriggly and looking good from what i can see. Max has been in there quite alot now. My next peak will be in another 3hrs.
Where are all the rehabbers?

Hi Kay -- I can't say I've had any experience with new mothers and pinkies in the chipmunk department but as far as pinkies go the only thing you can do at this point is keep watching the milk lines to see if they are getting anything from Mom. I would not rely on the pinch test at this age: squirrels and chippies have very loose skin and it's not always a reliable test. If you haven't seen them take anything from her in a couple of hours it's safe to assume they are getting dehydrated. I would only step in if that's the case...and I would offer them a little warmed Pedialyte with a very very small nipple attachment, as slowly as you possibly can. Hopefully, though, Max will be feeding them and everything will be OK. I do hope you get some advice from one of the folks here who actually breed chippies or squirrels and have more experience with what is normal and abnormal. Also, if she's not with them all the time they may need supplemental heat -- a heating pad set on low would be the best thing.

[xoxkayxox]

Thanx for all this advice everyone. I need if possible for someone to talk to me in chat who knows about formulas and stuff? It would be helpful to no how much and how to mix the formula i have got etc etc incae i need to feed and get through to any rehabbers when i need them.
Thanks

[xoxkayxox]

I got the photo. They now have really strong milk bands so im happy :)
Do you think they look good other than that?
Thanks everyone xxx

[drakkonia]

:wott I bet you are relieved. They look fed to bursting! So glad to hear you and Max are taking such good care of them. A surprise litter, how interesting!

[Pam]

What a pleasant surprise!! They are so pink and cute!:Love_Icon Good luck!!

[island rehabber]

They look great!! Keep us posted Kay!!!:thumbsup:thumbsup:thumbsup

[rippie-n-lilgirlsmom]

Congrats!

[Kathy56]

Congratulations:jump :jump

[xoxkayxox]

Thanks everyone! You know i was actually worried about telling you all she had had more babies so soon after the last. I was afraid you would all hate me for letting it happen. Thing is chipmunks usually only breed in feb/march and then not again until aug/sept and only breed once each time, i guess nobody told Max about that lol.
Thanks everyone for all being there for us, i will keep you all posted as we go along, i will post updates in Max's baby thread for now, unless theres another emergancy.
Love ya all xxx

[TexanSquirrel]

Whew! Glad things are settling down. Now just take deep breaths...in...out...in...out...

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Yippie! Glad everyone has milk bands. I would just leave them alone and let Max do her thing now. We would never get upset with you because Max had little ones. You can't control when that happens (unless you separated them which you don't do ever do you?). Have you thought about getting them fixed though?

[xoxkayxox]

No i never plit them up but usually when a chipmunk is in heat they 'chirp' ALL day so i could split them up as soon as hear her doing that, i duno. Dont want to get her fixed really she will top breeding when shes ready i guess, thats what they usually do in the wild anyway.

[Buddy'sMom]

YAY, MAX!!! :thumbsup You've been a good mommy today!! :alright.gif :alright.gif LOVE those little milk bands on your babies! :Love_Icon :Love_Icon :Love_Icon

Kay, you must be SO very relieved that Max stepped up and took care of her babies again!! Hopefuly, you are getting a good night's sleep afterall. :osnap

Keep us posted on how they do. I don't frequently make it to the Chipmunk thread, but it was fun watching Max's last litter grow up -- they got big so fast! :grouphug

[Gabe]

Kay, I'm glad everything is working out all right with Maxx and her new brood.:thumbsup