Another litter?

[jennyb]

Hi, as most of you will know, Hermione had babies end of march and they are doing great.

My questions are:
I thought females usually just had the one litter a year but have been reading a few posts of females who had babies having a second litter soon after. I would like to have Hermione not have more babies this year, i don't want to be a big scale breeder and would like her to have a rest. The babies will be ten weeks on monday. How likely is it that she would get pregnant again? How soon after rearing a litter can the female have another one? I don't want to separate the family if its not likely she'll have more as they are getting on very well. Because Hermione still has her previous litter living with her will this mean she's less likely to have another one?

Hopefully some of you will be able to help, thanks for any advice.

[Sam_Spice]

Sadly no advise from me but got to say Hermione's family are gorgeous! I love your signature with all their little faces in 

[tarcus]

I find it is generally space and food supply which determines the frequency of pregnancies if the babies leave early then the female may produce another litter within weeks but it has not happened all that frequently with mine what I do find is in years when we have had a reasonable summer they will produce a Christmas litter as I like to call them as they mate beginning of September when the air temperature changes and so does the amount of sunlight plus of course "daddy" supply's extra food for them to store for the winter resulting in a brood for sale during december or not as they tend to be smaller litters the second time in the same year suppose it's just tiredness.

[pinkpill]

u could always look out for her chirping then wizz her out of the aviary for a couple of days  give her a little break in a cage indoors, a little holiday 

[judyw]

The female can come to season around 12 week after giving birth. But she might not be interested. Squidgy chirped the first time yesterday and she still have a baby with her so I guess every female is different.

If you don't what Hermione to get pregnant then take Asriel out for  a day or two.

[Jacko2607]

A very interesting post as I thought they only had two litters a year.

Barry

[jennyb]

The female can come to season around 12 week after giving birth. But she might not be interested. Squidgy chirped the first time yesterday and she still have a baby with her so I guess every female is different.

If you don't what Hermione to get pregnant then take Asriel out for  a day or two.

Oh dear Judy, aren't Squidgy's babies just one week younger than Hermione's? and Squidgy has already called again, it could mean Hermione might come into season any day now. I woke up today to lots of sounds coming from the Dilutes, there was alot of chasing around. When i went in there Pearl was hiding in her nest and Asriel was guarding the house and chasing the others out of the house. Then i heard loud Chirping i looked at Hermione but it wasn't her, it was coming from the nest Pearl was in. It was definately Pearl, Hermione and all the babies weren't in the house. So looks like it was Pearl's turn this time which probably means next week for Hermione.

I won't remove Asriel from the aviary but put him in a cage in the aviary for abit. Once Hermione has called and its the day after i will let him back out. Hopefully it won't mess up the group. I will just have to do the same thing every few weeks until breeding season is over, otherwise i would have to remove him completely.

[judyw]

Yes Jenny, Squidgy has called for the second time today and the babies are 9 weeks old today too, so it really depends on you female. Hermione might not call at all till the babies are 12 weeks.

[Martyn]

Hi Jen,
  A chipmunk can have up to 3/4 litters a year, although on a average most chipmunks only have 2 litters a year, in the wild, but thats not to say that they wont in captivity as well.  also breedding  to much with the same chipmunk can take it toll on her, thats why you should give them a break, (as a mother will tell you give birth to 1 child in are world takes its toll) so a chipmunk giving birth to 4/5 babies every 3/4months , to give her a break you should take her away from the rest of your chipmunks or make sure that there are no males in with her,
             I hope this is some help
                    all the best,
                          Martyn
                             www.cheekychipmunksse.webs.com

[jennyb]

Yes Jenny, Squidgy has called for the second time today and the babies are 9 weeks old today too, so it really depends on you female. Hermione might not call at all till the babies are 12 weeks.

Theres been no signs of Hermione calling yet.

Hi Jen,
  A chipmunk can have up to 3/4 litters a year, although on a average most chipmunks only have 2 litters a year, in the wild, but thats not to say that they wont in captivity as well.  also breedding  to much with the same chipmunk can take it toll on her, thats why you should give them a break, (as a mother will tell you give birth to 1 child in are world takes its toll) so a chipmunk giving birth to 4/5 babies every 3/4months , to give her a break you should take her away from the rest of your chipmunks or make sure that there are no males in with her,
             I hope this is some help
                    all the best,
                          Martyn

i always thought although two and even three litters in rare cases was possible most chipmunks just have the one in the spring. But that wasn't the case with Sandie's second and third litters (2003), both unplanned and only three months apart, they didn't survive. And since being on this forum alot of people have had two litters a year from the same female so it seems it is more common than first thought. So two litters in the wild thats interesting i've always heard it was generally one unless a really good year. Yes i agree lots of litters is bad, her babies were a handful at times. I also don't want to be overrun with chippies. So only planning for litters once a year in spring.

I only have two adult males, one in each aviary. I've been thinking about what to do this week. I did think of having the babies and all the adult females in the one aviary and the adult males in the other. But theres no way it would work the males hate each other, i can tell from how aggressive they are even through the mesh to each other, they would kill each other if put together. So i have to keep the two adult males apart.

So only two options: removing Hermione or removing Asriel. I'm trying to think of which one will cause the least disruption. I'm thinking of the future next year, i want Hermione and her daughters to live together so removing her may cause problems with her relationship with her daughters, she may become territiorial with them, at the moment they have a great relationship. For the future next year Asriel will hopefully live with his son. I think the best option might be to swap them around, have Hermione and Asriel take turns in the cage so both can get exercise and interact with the babies and when i am in the aviary let the one in the cage out so all can be together on days the females are not in season. I will have them separated overnight as they get up before me in the morning. If i removed him i think Hermione would establish the aviary as hers and then wouldn't allow him back in.

Its quite complicated really but i'm looking for the best option that will mean Hermione won't get pregnant and the group will stay good friends 

Sorry the post is long. It would be great to hear your views on whether having the two take turns in the cage would be best.

Thanks

[Martyn]

Hi Jen ,
  Your theory is very good, but i think that it wont work as letting the chipmunk out in the same run as the others and then putting him back into a cage each day wont do him much good, and it could stress him out, i think that you would be better of adding a partision into the avairys that you have, so if your avairys are 1(6ft x 3ft x 6ft)2(6ft x 3ft x 6ft) then put a divider in so your avairy will now be 1(3ft x 3ft x 3ft x 6ft)2(6ft x3ft x 6ft) so now you have 3avairys or ( if you divide your other one you would have 4) anyway at least now you could put the boys in the 2, 3fts and keep all the girls in the 6ft, this is only an idear, you would have to put a door in the divider of corse,
          hope this is some help
                 all the best martyn.
                        www.cheekychipmunksse.webs.com

[jennyb]

Hi Martyn, thanks for your suggestion but the reason we got the second aviary in the first place was because we didn't want to split our first one. It would reduce the space they have aswell as cause us extra work. Looks like i only have one option to remove Asriel. I'll do it tomorrow as its the day i clean them out anyway.

[Jacko2607]

Well Jenny, I think you jinxed me with this post as I've just found out Nutmeg is pregnant again!!!

Barry

[jennyb]

Well Jenny, I think you jinxed me with this post as I've just found out Nutmeg is pregnant again!!!

Barry

Congratulations Barry but sorry i've jinxed things.


There won't be any more babies for Hermione, i removed Asriel on wednesday. She hasn't called yet anyway.

I don't know if Asriel got to Pearl though she came in season 28th may.

I have noted down every season to see if there is a pattern, first Pearl.

PEARL:
Season one: 16th feb (got pregnant)
Season two: 28th may

ABIGAIL:
Season one: 20th jan (mated, didn't get pregnant Bailey was too young)
Season two: 2nd feb (got pregnant)
Season three: 28th march (mated but didn't get pregnant)
Season four: 23rd april (mated but didn't get pregnant)

None since. I'm guessing Abigail is becoming infertile she's not got pregnant since feb, it doesn't matter as she's being retired anyway. I hope it is her and not Bailey who is infertile.

Last year both Abigail and Pearl had a break from coming into season from about april to june. Then they started calling again in june and finally stopped july. This year Abigail has had about a months break - she called 28th March (which was her first season since being pregnant and loosing her litter) and then went quiet and then called again 23rd April.

[DayleC]

I had a dilute male I called Charlie...too cut a long story short he was surplus to my requirements.   I kept him anyway ....as you do  ........I had a man turn up for 3 females and he said while we were chatting about my lot that if I had a male he would take a male as well and then he could start another colony with the 2 females he already had.   We couldn't catch the male Agouti  (little bugger )  so I said if he wanted he could have Charlie...He took him      Next winter I had an email..."Your dilute hasn't fathered babies yet you sure he isn't gay?"   This bloke, I should mention ,had a wicked sense of humour...I wish more people were like him...anyway..The Autumn after..so nearly a year...I had an email saying .."He isn't gay after all He's fathered a litter" ......   SO..I wouldn't give up on Bailey just yet Jenny..