Greenwood Chinchillas
Fostering
If you have another feeding female, they will often adopt and rear orphaned or abandoned kits.
The following technique I have used personally and have found it to be very successful:
It is easier to foster kits to a female that has kits of an already similar age, if the kit is smaller than the existing kits, then there is a chance that bullying could take place, so keep a close eye out for sibling rivalry and bullying. the younger the kits are the easier it is to do this - I have been most successful when moving a kit to mother within hours of them giving birth.
To ensure that the foster mum takes to the new kit, rub it in sand that has been taken from the foster mothers own sand bath so that it has her scent upon it, or when holding them both gently rub them up against each other.
Another tip I have been told but not used is to place a tiny dab of Vicks vapour rub on the fur on the end of her nose (VERY little as it can burn the bare skin), this prevents her from smelling the new kits as well.
Handle the new baby well to get its scent on your hands and then handle the foster mum so she gets used to the scent. Make sure you rub your hands well in the foster mothers fur and then rub that scent all over the baby. If there are original kits then gently rub the babies against each other
Remove the original kits so that the female is alone in her cage, and place the new baby in the cage with the foster mum and keep a very close watch. At this point they will normally just start looking after it as if it was their own kit, they may start grooming. If you see the female attack or try to bite (not just groom) then remove the kid and continue to hand feed.
So long as the foster mum takes to the kit you can then return her original kits to her. But continue to keep a close eye on them to ensure that no problems occur.