Date of Birth:   2-10-2004
Birth Weight:   36 grams

Mother:  Krista
Father:  Halden

Died:  February 12, 2004

Cause of Death:  Teena was the runt of her litter.  She was much smaller than her other three siblings and was weaker from the beginning.  There were four babies in the litter, but I don't think that that had much of an impact on Teena.  Her mother was ready, willing and able to care for all of her babies.  This little one just wasn't eating on her own.  We tried to supplement her, but we couldn't get her to swallow anything.  She hung on as long as could be expected.  It's always sad to lose a kit this way, there is just nothing anyone can do.  Litters with multiple kits often turn out this way.  One or more will pass for one reason or another. 

It isn't that there is necessarily something wrong with them, there very well could be, but nature has it's own way of making sure that only the strongest of the babies survive into adulthood.  It's the same with chinchillas as it is with other animals.