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Chipmunks 1999:
Chipmunk Status 1999 -
Boggy, a hand tame white female who will be three years old at the beginning of April 1999.
Clovis, Boggy's son, who will be two years old on May 1st (Beltaine) 1999.
Minky, an agouti (striped colouring as in wild chipmunks) female unrelated to the others, who will be two years old in Spring 1999.
Minky went into hibernation throughout the winter of 1998-99, finally emerging in late February 1999. She came into season around 22nd, 23rd and 24th March, being unusually friendly toward Clovis.
Below: Minky (left) and Clovis sitting together on 23rd March.
Minky only ever lets Clovis come near her when she is in season - otherwise she is extremely aggressive toward him, and they normally have to be caged seperately. Minky viciously attacked Clovis last year (1998), and he had to have one of his hind legs amputated as a result.
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Minky is now due to have her second
litter. Her first ever litter, last year (1998), was so much of a shock for Minky that she abandoned her babies. Left: Minky, heavily pregnant on 20th March. She gave birth to an unknown number of young on 23rd March 1999. |
Below: Clovis on 11th April 1999
Below: Clovis sunbathing on 20th April 1999
During April Clovis and Boggy mated, and Boggy became pregnant. This was not planned, as Clovis is Boggy's son ! However, luckily Clovis' father Star, came from Chelmsford, Essex, which is on the opposite side of the country to Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, which was Boggy's origin. Therefore they are totally unrelated.
Below: Boggy, heavily pregnant on May 5th 1999
Below: She looks even larger in these pictures !
By Sunday 16th May Boggy had still not given birth. This was the 35th day of her pregnancy - chipmunks have a gestation of 29 - 35 days, so Boggy's babies were almost overdue.
Boggy's babies 1999 - a mournful tale....
Minky's babies 1999 - a happy tale....
These pages are updated regularly, so stay tuned for more Chipmunk news !
In the summer of 1999 we aquired another chipmunk. This new agouti 'munk was totally unrelated to Boggy, Clovis and Minky, and would therefore add 'fresh genetics' to our current breeding chipmunk genepool, therefore making future generations more resilient and stronger.
