One is Fat, The Other...Not So Much

[Cuddles]

My girls are doing great, as far as I know. I did notice that one of them is about 30% smaller than the other one. Bean is the fatty. I noticed that she tends to push Yoda (not so fat) out of the way to get food. I feed them 2 tablespoons of Mazuri each every morning (let me know if it should be more) accompanied by hay cubes and a rasin. They do have a saucer wheel in their cage for exercise. Is this just some sisterly hatred? Any advice? Maybe feed them seperately some how? Thanks in advanced!

[Harleychin]

Some chins will eat 2TBS of pellets by them self.I would put in two feed bowls with at least 2TBS in each so if the little one is being bullied she can run to another bowl to eat.

[Brazilnut]

Have you considered getting a gravity feeder? This way the chins can individually eat when they're hungry, rather than waiting for you to put food in the cage and fight over it.

[Abby W.]

The amount I usually feed adult chins is 2 tbsp per day for each chin, so a total of 4 tbsp.  Your girls are still young, so a little less is ok.  But as adults 2 tbsp each is the proper ration.  You might consider getting a second to place near, but not right next to, the other one.  This way bean can't hog all the food from Yoda 

[mylittlechinchilla]

I use feeders for my chins.  I 'try' my best to keep them full.  Chins won't over eat, so it wouldn't hurt to give a little more.

If you have food 'hoarders' place 2 food dishes instead of one.  I have lots of water hoarders here, so some cages have 2-3 water bottles..

[Cuddles]

Thanks everyone! Sorry if I was misleading, but I have been giving them 1 bowl, with 4 tablespoons worth of food in it. I did just buy another feeding dish so now I have two! Ill go ahead and use them both, that sounds like a great idea. I also read somewhere about breaking up the feedings. So I would do 2 tablespoons in the monring and 2 more at night. Would that be a more wise idea? Or I guess because some of you say give them as much as they want! then the dual feedings wont really do anything.

Any tips on the 'hold them at the base of the tail' trick? I have tried to do this several times but I feel like Im going to hurt my girls and quickly give up when they try to get away. AND I WOULD NEVER WANT TO HURT THEM!

[mylittlechinchilla]

I feed twice a day and the feeders are usually empty or near it..

The base of the tail..as long as you hold it at the BASE, you will not hurt it.  You'd probably die if you saw one being groomed 

[Cuddles]

Hmmmm. Should I be gromming my chins? Or is that for show chillas only? I thought dust baths were enough.

[mylittlechinchilla]

Yes, grooming is for show chins only.. they do need dust baths, 2-3 times per week.  Some people only give them about once a week, but with me having SO many chins, I dust them more often.

[Jo Ann]

  Dusting once or twice a week in the winter (due to the dry heat) is enough for your chins.  In the summer time, 2 to 4 times a week is best ... daily, during high humidity.  Grooming is not only for show chins.  All chins can be groomed, but you do need to learn how to do it properly first.

Feeding your chins in separate bowls is best ... if you have one that pushes the other one away or tries to eat it all ... often one will bully the other one.  I always try to make sure the food bowl has food in it ... even if I have to feed 3 times a day.   2 table spoons is only a guide line, each chin may eat less or more ... you have to just learn how to judge it for each chinchilla.   

Do not hold your chin at the base of the tail ... hold it about an inch from the base of the tail.  It is best to hold it between two fingers of the same hand the chin is sitting in.  Always support the hind feet of your chin ... if you don't, it will think it is falling and struggle to get away.  You hold him by the tail firmly but gently.

   Jo Ann