To Separate or Not Separate Dad!?!

[Secret Squirrel]

I know this has been brought up before, but I was thinking about it recently and thought I would put it back out on the table for discussion.
How do most of you feel about separating dad when kits are on the way? It has been said that the female will decide if she is ready or can handle a breedback or not, and some ranchers will leave them together for as long as they are in breeding together. On the other hand, some breeders ALWAYS pull Dad. What are your guys experience and what do you do? As for myself, I have separated Dad from the time of birth for 10 days allowing supervised visits with Mom and the kits so that a reintroduction is not needed.

[kriskitty22]

I separate. I just like to give mom a break in between litters. I couldn't imaginae one of my girls nursing growing kits while being pregnant. I know there are very reputable breeders that do leave dad in and allow mom to breedback. I am not opposed to this method. If it works for them, thats great. In my personal situation, I have only 2 breeding females and 1 male. Being such a small breeder, my pets are my family. I just feel it is best that I give mom at least a 4 month break in between becoming pregnant again.

[Megan.]

Depends... First time moms, I tend to sepereate as I don't know how they'll act. Females who attack the fathers when they litter, I seperate.

Naomi and Espresso however, I never remove them anymore. He hasn't bred her back, and she has no problem with him being there. You can almost always find mom, kits, then dad lined up together.

[TWHchinchillas]

Like Megan said...it depends on the chins. I always seperate first time moms or females that tend to get more moody towards the end of pregnancy. If I think a mom needs a break or I'm thinking of changing her mate I will give her a break and put her with a male after the litter is weaned.

I have one pair that I will never separate. They've been together for five years and when I tried taking him away the first time they both got depressed and stopped eating. They've only bred back once and it was at the female's choice. Her last litter was in August if that tells you anything.

[puffandangel]

I just had my first litter ever, and i seperated her just because i didnt know what her behavior was going to be like and thats what i had been told i had to do. So I seperated two of my females that seemed really pregger, but after watching one of the girls i decided she didnt seem to be due terribly soon and she really wanted to be back in her other cage so after having her seperated for not even two whole days i returned her to the main cage and the next morning i found her beaten up and looking pitiful!(nothing too severe, mainly small scratches and missing hair, but bad enought to freak me out) I felt so horrible but after i had put her in the cage i checked on her repeatedly, for over 4 hours, and there was no problems whatsoever. but after talking to someone who's knowledge i hold in high regard(her advice hasnt failed me yet!) i think in the future i will not seperate them to avoid having to deal with introductions again.

[Brea]

I seporate them, but put the dad in a cage next to mom. That way she can't forget him, but he can't breed her back.

[DS Chinchillas]

I seperate and put dad in a cage next to mom .. unless in a run then the jump hole gets closed off ... I usually like to wait a minimum of 6 weeks before putting dad back in, however I recently put a dad back in at 4 weeks, because he was getting very depressed and it was best for his health to put him back in with his mate.

[Secret Squirrel]

I seporate them, but put the dad in a cage next to mom. That way she can't forget him, but he can't breed her back.

Thats what I've done too. Its worked well for me so far.

[angels41105]

When i has my breeding pair i left the dad in, at the time i didn't know one way or another. Turns out he was a wonderful daddy. The babies would sleep between mom and dad. The dad, Buddy, was just a lover, he was in it for the cuddling.

[shadowchins]

I have always seperated the dad and since I'm short on males took the dad and put him with another female.