Chinchillas > Health

New Owner Questions

(1/4) > >>

tinabeana:
Hello,

I'm a new owner of a 6 month old female chinchilla.

I made the mistake of getting her from a pet store, she was so friendly and sweet I couldn't help myself. She's not shy at all and very curious. My husband and I had planned on adopting a chin for a few months and have read several books and perused this site although I'm afraid I haven't been able to find the specific information I was looking for so I apologize if I am double posting.

Well our chin poops a great deal, there was about 40 pellets just on the two plastic ledges in her cage this morning, I cleaned her cage last night. Also they seem to be a little soft as they smash under her feet and stick to the plastic. I want to be sure this isn't the signs of trouble starting, as I have always read they should be small and hard.

I know that diarrhea is very serious for chins and their treats like raisins must be reasonably limited. We haven't given her any treats yet, fed her only 2 tablespoons of pellets with an ample supply of hay and water.

Should I withhold giving her any treats until this seems to improve?

Could this just be the stress of moving? Is it possible the pet store gave her too many treats? Or an I being a paranoid pet parent and this is completely normal?

chinchillagrl06:
Doesn't sound like diarrhea yet, just soft poos. It could be from the stress of coming to a new home. I would maybe feed just timothy hay for a couple of days, no pellets and no treats. You could also try feeding her a small piece of burnt toast. Her poo should firm up after a couple of days, if not, I would have her into the vet for some testing. :)

chinclub:
I agree, soft poo and lots of poo come from the stress of a new enviorment.  The blackened part of burnt toast should fix it up within 24 hours.  Don't worry about measuring her food.  Once she is settled in you can give her as much hay and pellets as she likes.  No treats until she has settled down.

Did the pet store tell you what they were feeding her?  A sudden change in food could also cause soft poo.

Jo Ann:
::silly:: Hi Tinabeana,
     Poos should be large and firm, but not hard and/or small and not soft/musshy or runny.
     I agree, it is probably just the new environment and possibly new food.  Pet stores tend to feed all their small animals the same stuff (regardless of what is in it) and/or cheapest feed. 
     Keep visitors to your chin at a minimum (0) until your chin feels safe with you and has adjusted to her new home. This is when she will come to you and allow you to hold her. ::nod::  New people are often unsettling to a chin, but if it trusts you and feels safe with you, that will make it much easier when you have visitors.  :::grins::
     Hay (lots of it) and water for a few days is good, as well as the burnt toast.  The accent on burnt, it is the charcoal that helps stop the diarrhea and/or soft poos.
    IF there is a very foul odor to the poop, get it to a vet a.s.a.p.  Especially if there appears to be a mucous covering or partially covering the poop when it is first dropped.

 ::wave::
Jo Ann

tinabeana:
Thank you so much! I made her the burnt toast yesterday and I had bought the food they we're feeding her at the pet store, so there was no change in her diet since she's been at the petstore.

She seems very picky about the peices of hay she eats, picking through them until she finds one that looks good.

She also ate most of the 1 by 1 inch peice of burned toast I gave her though she seemed to prefer me holding it while she nibbled... seems like she's already got me trained.

She really doesn't seem to have a problem hopping into my hand and she appears rather fixated with the television.

This morning when I cleaned up her cage a bit there wasn't nearly as much poop but it still did seem a little soft, hopefully by the time I get home that will have improved a little.

Navigation

[0] Message Index

[#] Next page