Lying flat

[Heather]

Sammy often lies flat if he's hot after running about and also when he's sleeping. However, recently he does it every night about 5 mins before he's due to go back in his cage and we've also noticed him doing it in his cage during the evening when he'd normally be active. His brother has only done this once when he had gi stasis. I wasn't worried about him lying down when he sleeps and when he's hot but doing it for no apparent reason has worried me because my friends chin did this when she was dying of stomach cancer. Other than this his behaviour has been normal - eating and pooping and running about! His poops are slightly lighter in colour than they used to be, but I assumed this was because of the summer salad mixer thing I put in with his pellets. I've checked inside the poo and they're normal.

Thanks!

[jmdebb]

you say he does it if he's hot after he runs..could the room he is in also be hot, so maybe he's just hot even when not out playing?  i'm just asking because where i live, it's horrible this summer, and i had to put an air conditioner in their room or they probably wouldn't of survived.. anyways.... it can be normal for them to sleep this way.. one of mine does it all the time, and with his head hanging off the shelf.. as to whether or not he's sick.. no one can tell you that..  chins do silly stuff.  and when they are sick, they hide it. so to be sure he is okay, i would make a vet appt and see what they say. 

good luck.

[sorry i coudln't offer more insight]

[Lori Ramsey Earle]

In my experience, an increase in lying down(stretched out) generally means one of 3 things - pregnancy, heat stress or tummy problems(i.e. gas bubbles, which indicate GI problems). Since pregnancy isn't a factor here, cool down the room Sammy's in, and be hip to increases in temp. I'd also start giving infant simethicone right away - it's a benign med, and could ward off the stasis issue. Also cut out raisins and increase hay consumption.
Chins often do sleep in stretched out positions, and that's normal for them. But when you notice a change in the frequency, or the stretching out position seems very exaggerated, you need to check it out. Without sounding paranoid, any change in chinnie behavior is a signal that something's up, and it's important to be proactive

[Debbie.nl.ca]

My chins lay and flop all over the cages. heads hanging off, or feet up against the walls.

You need to know what going in and what's coming out, if all that seems fine and he is jumping around per normal I wouldn't worry.
It is warm these days, so most will lazy around more.

[Heather]

Thanks everyone! He is eating and pooping fine, and his brother gave us a fright by lying flat last night but I think it was just because it was quite warm and they had been running around. They like to keep us on our toes!

[Gallardo_Puff]

My Gallardo did this to me this afternoon! He scared me because it was the first time I say him laying on his stomach and when I approached him, he just looked at me with this happy look! I think it's a heat thing. I know other animals, such as dogs and cats, stretch out to get cooler.

[1newChinmom1]

Little Sir likes to sleep in his hammock, on his back, with his hind legs stretched out!  He has slept like this his whole life, he used to sleep under his Mom in this position. Little Mother, on the other hand, flops on her belly on a chinchiller on her ledge, belly flat, legs splayed. when we first separated them it made for some tense moments, while we learned that they slept like this and it was ok. I guess Chins, like most folk, are all comfortable in different poses when they sleep. I should get pictures before they get back together again.

The more I learn, the more I realize how little I know 

[Hoppinchins]

my one chin does it more then my other one. Someone on here told me its normal. It means they feel safe and comfroble enough to do that. In the wild they have to stay allert so they sleep up right. As long are there eating and pooping normal i wouldn't worry about it.

[starleomach]

I have a few that get so comfortable like that you have to touch them to get them up. Makes me crazy it isn't always a sign of anything. I used to hear all the time it was a sign of pregnancy but the boys do it too. After many years and hundreds of chinchillas I can tell you it is just something they do

[BambiLove]

My boy does that too. After a few months to settle in he does that a lot. Someone told me that they sleep like that because they feel comfortable in the house. He does that even when it's not hot, and it's been about 3 months since he start to do that a lot and he's still healthy. I think it's just how he sleeps. =]

[Heather]

They rare funny! Toby (Sammy's brother) had his tai8l amputaed and since then has discovered a new sleeping position where he leans on his ramp and faces the back of the cage with this feet up on the wire! I guess he couldn't do this when he had a tail! He goes into a really deep sleep like this which scared me the first time as I was stroking him and saying his name and he didn't react for ages!

[dianah]

i have one girl (she's seven months old now) who is the most chilled out chinchilla in the world. she lies down anywhere and isn't bothered if i come into the room or open the cage (others who lie down usually spring up if anything like that happens). she did actually frighten me to start with (she only started doing it a few months ago) and i had to poke her every time to see if she was ok but she's fine! she did attack me once when i woke her - chased my hand around the cage before she woke up properly and realised it was me. so i don't wake her anymore

my friend has a chinchilla who comes and flops on his side next to you on the sofa!

[jmdebb]

My chins lay and flop all over the cages. heads hanging off, or feet up against the walls.

You need to know what going in and what's coming out, if all that seems fine and he is jumping around per normal I wouldn't worry.
It is warm these days, so most will lazy around more.

do you remember the first time you saw one doing that.. i'll never forget.. i wanted to kill him for making me think he was dead....

[Hoppinchins]

LOL. I know what you mean..

 

do you remember the first time you saw one doing that.. i'll never forget.. i wanted to kill him for making me think he was dead....

I deff freaked out. I woke snowie up to make sure he was alive.

[dianah]

my pippi is playing me as well. she doesn't really lie flat much but she tends to stay very still for a few minutes when i come in, even when i put food in and stuff. not always, but often enough for me to notice. at first i was really worried she's having a fit but she snaps out of it as soon as you get a hand near her. go figure