(above, counterclockwise: Veruka, Gunter, Trinka, and Grogu!)
On April 5th, Chinchillas.com's popular 'Veruka' delivered four new kits. The first, a pink white Royal Persian Angora male, was 1.8 ounces and sadly, stillborn. The second kit was a healthy 1.8 ounce beige Royal Persian Angora male. The third born was a healthy 1.5 ounce pink white Royal Persian Angora female. Veruka then went on to deliver a very small 1.1 ounce pink white Royal Persian Angora male. The smallest kit was born with no hair on his ears and very little hair on his tail. Despite having an attentive mother and a father who worked hard to keep him warm, he quickly dropped down to .9 ounces. Chinchilla kits under an ounce are very hard to save. He was having a difficult time maintaining his body temperature - fluctuating into and out of hypothermia. He was put (carefully) near a heating pad, and on goat's milk until he could gain strength. He was rotated onto his natural mother and eventually onto a good nurse mother. At this time the smallest kit is growing and healthy, weighing 2.3 ounces at two weeks of age. As 'Grogu' attempts to defy the odds, we hope for his survival.